Unexpected
by Radiklement
Summary: Noctis meets Luna by the side of the road. She's got bad news from the capital, but she's also heavily wounded. The young couple turned fugitives must evade the empire advances and protect Lucis. But Lunafreya isn't sure her place is with Noctis right now. If she couldn't save the father, can she guide the son? Noctis only care about keeping her safe. And proving himself to Eos.
1. No home to go back

This story is my retelling of FFXV main game, with many tweaks and changes to give every character a chance to shine, my favorite pairing the chance to live and interact for more than a simple exchange of smile. I want to offer them character development and a large amount of fluff.

Couples: Noctis x Lunafreya is the main pairing, but we also have Ignis x Aranea (starting from chapter 15 and onward), Prompto x Cindy (it's a bumpy ride for these two) and a few more that I can't name right now for the sake of new comers.

Style: Romance/Adventure/Drama

Length: From 100 to 120 chapters. About time I updated that part.

Rating: T for teen, because of violence, serious angst and shameless fluff/potential smut in further chapters. Notice that the first two are already in the original game!

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Unexpected

Chapter 1 – No home to go back

Noctis was worried about something. Ignis had an inkling of a doubt as the four men ran into the night. Killing time as the Regalia was getting fixed had meant drifting pretty much aimlessly around Hammerhead. After waking up in the middle of the night from a nightmare, Noctis had exited their camp and rushed ahead without a word of warning. Gladio had woken up Prompto while Ignis took his daggers out, rushing after their prince. The young man might have incredible powers, he was still a mortal and needed as much protection as he could get.

"Come on man, the roads are dangerous at this hour and my feet are killing me!" Prompto whined.

"Don't be so loud, you'll attract some monsters' attention," Gladiolus warned the ex-citizen of Insomnia.

Ignis jogged ahead of them, catching up with Noctis, who was slowly finding his way back toward the crown-city.

"Is something on your mind, Noct?" he inquired, lowering his voice to a whisper.

"I… I don't know," Noctis admitted. "I simply need some exercise. Blame all the fast-food we've been eating lately."

Kenny's dinner was not the healthiest eating option, but the food chain was all over Lucis, and the meals it offered were pretty cheap. Ignis saw right through the lie and would have insisted if his prince hadn't warped ahead, vanishing in a blur of blue, leaving glimpses of after-images in his wake.

Noctis didn't give any power or importance to his dreams usually, but this night he felt something far more distressing than his usual sort of nightmares. The engagement with Luna for the treaty had been rushed, his father had been in a hurry to send him out, the guards around the castle were more restless than usual… And in his dreams, he'd felt helpless and more alone than he ever did, not even when he had realized he would never know his mom or when Regis had saved him from Tenebrae… Or the thought of Luna left behind, in the hands of the empire for all these years.

He repeated to himself he wasn't going back on his words. He was simply making sure everything looked alright at home. The entire country might be his home, but he had never been away from Insomnia all on his own. Facing monsters left and right reminded him of the Naga encounter that almost killed him as a child. His nightmare had been vivid and awful. His father was eaten alive by the human-faced snake. Limbs after limbs. He could still hear the crunching and cracking noises in his mind.

He knew better than to act out on a nightmare when he was half asleep, but couldn't bother with prudence. Especially since the night sky was so filled with clouds he couldn't even see the lights of Insomnia, although his map was telling him that his city was getting closer and closer. Gladiolus complained about his carelessness and suggested they'd sleep through a part of the day if he really wanted to stay up all night. Noctis felt bad for his friends. He had no idea what he was doing right now. He should have been off in dreamland, or just worrying about seeing Luna in Altissia after all those years. As if thinking of her brought her out in the open, he noticed a flash of white among the stones and warped forward to get a better look. A shuffling of feet on the ground confirmed that his friends and himself weren't alone in the dead of the night. He ran around the rock, provoking a panicked gasp before his flashlight fell on the runaway.

Lunafreya Nox Fleuret was standing in front of him, her white dress adorning a ripped-off sleeve. The fabric was coated with dirt and even blood. Her left arm bled from a wide gash and her bare feet were bloodied. She'd given up on her shoes along the way. Her hair was almost entirely out of her bun and she blinked at him, clearly surprised to see him. It was nothing like his own surprise, but he still recognized her from the photo she'd send him last year in their shared notebook. His heart missed a beat.

"Luna?"

"Noctis?" she asked back, bewildered.

The next question was a mix of both their ragged voices, his from the running, hers from the sheer exhaustion.

"Why aren't you in Altissia?!"

As the rest of the prince's entourage caught up with them, the surprise turned to wild shock.

"Lady Lunafreya?!" Prompto exclaimed.

"How…!"

"What…?!"

The Oracle leaned her back against the rock, keeping her distances, her shoulders starting to shake.

"This is not how we should be meeting," she whispered, her eyes fixed on Noctis.

"But somehow you're here and you're hurt. What happened? _Who_ did this to you?!"

Prompto was surprised to hear a strange sense of possessiveness beneath the anger of his prince. He'd never entirely gauged what Noctis felt about Lady Luna. She was a dear friend, of course, but ever since the announcement of their wedding, Noct had been reluctant to talk about her or even his feelings over the matter. Not that the man was ever talkative over his feelings. Kings and princes weren't supposed to act as openly as any citizen did.

Luna took a step toward her betrothed, reaching out for his hands, trying to relax her stance. As she moved, Noctis spotted the splatter of blood on her neck and another gash on her right tight. He gritted his teeth, looking even angrier while Ignis took out a potion from his shirt pocket.

"I can't deliver this kind of news, Noctis. Not now."

She was trembling with her entire body and the prince's heart filled up with dread. What news could she be afraid of telling, when she had always been the mature one? She was always cool-headed and sure of herself in her letters, nothing he didn't expect from the chosen of the gods. Instinct took over shyness as he broke the distance between them. He wrapped his arms around her, feeling her skin burning up beneath his fingers. She blinked and tears welled up in her eyes. He wanted to kill whatever had hurt her but he needed answers from her. She gripped onto his coat, shivering as she tried to stand straighter. She seemed too small, nothing like the girl always gently gazing down at him from his memories. And yet, she felt just as strong, despite the tears and the dirt on her face.

"Luna, you're…"

"We should find a camp and treat the lady," Ignis observed.

"I don't need…" she tried to protest, although her legs were barely supporting her own weight.

Noctis lifted her in his arms, refusing to hear any of her objections. Gladiolus took upon himself to locate the closest campsite and the four men hurried to their new destination. Ignis convinced the prince to refrain from questioning her until after she was healed. The night felt quiet but among the clouds in their back, there were a few that had nothing natural and somehow, Noctis understood that his nightmare might be only be the prelude of something far, far worse.

Reaching camp was the easy part. Gathering around Lady Lunafreya and examining her wounds was an awkward process. Prompto felt out of place and remained in the back, making sure their potions, first-aid kits and bandages were at the ready, while Gladiolus focused on setting up the tent and creating a new one for the young woman. Noctis was furious that his car wasn't fixed already. She needed to sleep in a real bed, not on some makeshift cot right upon the hard ground. Ignis disinfected her gashes, sewed her up where needed and bandaged her with the assistance of Noctis. Somewhere along the treatment, Luna lost consciousness. Her skin was blotched in angry reds beneath the dirt and paleness.

"She's still suffering a great deal," Ignis deplored. "This is far beyond my capabilities."

Noctis gritted his teeth, slowly getting up from the uncomfortable crouched position he'd been in. He felt even more restless than before. What was Luna doing in Lucis? Why would the empire let her out of their sight? Unless..?!

He started pacing around while Gladiolus and Ignis exchanged a knowing look. Prompto voiced his concern.

"Will Lady Luna be okay? She just needs some rest and premium treatment, right, Iggy?"

Their self-imposed driver pushed his glasses higher on his nose, the lens throwing glittering reflects into the night. He didn't answer, unable to give a response that would be satisfactory to him. Noctis kept glancing back in the direction of the capital.

"How far are we from Insomnia?" he asked suddenly.

"Pretty far for her making that trek on foot," Gladiolus replied.

"She's stubborn. Do you think she could have been running from the Nifs?"

"If that's the case, she's crossed an ocean… and since you can't fly yourself, I don't see how…"

Noctis interrupted his oldest bodyguard, growing even more on edge.

"Her wounds were recent. She would never get attacked in Lucis, the entire country was happy about the wedding…"

"…which means that whatever did this to her was here, but either wasn't human or Lucian," Ignis finished for him.

Luna whined slightly in her sleep.

"We should get her as comfortable as possible for the rest of the night instead of worrying about what she'll explain to us in the morning, Noct," Gladiolus determined. "I can carry her if…"

"It's fine."

When the prince disappeared in the smaller tent, managing to carry his fiancée without waking her, his three friends exchanged worried looks.

"This can't mean anything good for us," Gladio sighed.

"But what kind of bad?" Prompto insisted, mindlessly drumming the ground with his fingers, needing to keep himself somehow occupied.

"The worst kind of bad, I'm afraid."

…

Noctis gently laid his princess down, a hundred questions on his mind. He had never worried about his father. He knew they had a lot more responsibilities than most people. He knew the fate of the kingdom would one day fall on his shoulders. But looking at Luna, seeing her bruised and bloodied… He hadn't been sure he was ready to meet with her. She'd been writing for so many years, but her face, her hair, it was all the things he remembered as a child. Not this grown-up version. Although it was still her. His hand instinctively reached for her. Wiping off the sweat on her forehead. She shivered. Her hair felt damp beneath his fingers. Her fever was getting worse.

"If only I knew what happened to you, maybe I could fix it," He sighed.

He put a single sheet on her, gently replacing a strand of hair behind one ear. He tried remembering what his father or Ignis would do when he'd get sick. Luna's eyes flickered open. Her voice was dry and raw, but she smiled.

"You're really here," she marvelled. "It wasn't a dream."

His heart felt warmer just from her smile.

"We're both here, Luna."

She tried sitting up, only to feel his hands on her shoulders. He didn't know if he should hold her or let her sleep. He had no idea what was right between them. He couldn't chase away the thought he had never properly walked next to her, always depending on her to push his wheeled chair.

"You need some rest."

"I missed you, Noctis."

Her hand reached up to his face and he saw new tears in her eyes. Tears that weren't only from missing him.

"I missed you to," he whispered back, holding her hand in place for an instant, before to stroke her forearm.

They'd held hands back then. He wanted their fingers to link and entwine. He wanted her tears to be gone.

"You've grown..."

She seemed just as lost as him.

"Luna, can you tell me…?"

Her smiled fell upside down, but her hand found his, squeezing his palm.

"The treaty was supposed to be signed last night," she started, her expression turning colder. "Your father knew of the trap and fought back…"

Dread filled his mind, making the next words harder to process.

"I wish I could have done more, but the crown city…" Luna's eyes wavered. "The king's glaives …"

"My old man? What about my old man fighting? His wound's not even healed yet!"

She shuddered at the memory and Noctis felt ready to run back home right this instant. He knew his father's last wound would never fully heal. He knew because Regis wasn't getting any younger, but…

"You mustn't go there yet, Noctis! You would fall right into their hands. Lucis needs a king to protect it."

No, that couldn't be right. His king, his father, his family…

"That can't…"

She fought to sit up next to him, wanting to give him some sort of comfort. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. He needed to make sure she was there. That she was real. That this wasn't another horrible nightmare he would wake up from. But she felt real. And so was the pain coming with the idea his father could be…

"I'm so sorry," she sighed.

"What the hell happened, Luna?"

His breathing quickened and his heart was beating too fast. She felt warm and soft. Foreign and familiar all at the same time.

"I…" Luna's voice broke down, a strangled sob escaping her lips.

Her shivers were getting stronger. She needed to heal before going through whatever had happened in Insomnia again. He didn't want to know anymore. He wouldn't accept it. At least not tonight. His nightmare felt like an awful premonition now.

"You're here, Luna. At least you're here. I'll keep you safe," he promised in her damp hair.

Her arms wrapped around him, too hot for comfort. He needed her to get better first. He couldn't break down when she was in this state. A prince never broke down. Not at his age. But a king shouldn't die from a single attack on his kingdom. Not when the king was _his_ father.

To be continued…

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I need a lot of Noctis/Luna interactions and it's one of the main goal of this story.

Note of warning: My fics always involve massive spoilers. Like the entire content of the game. In this case, I won't be following the entire story. I'm skipping places, I'm skipping happenstances, since I changed a major thing in it. But Leviathan will still show up and shit will still happen. The heavy kind.

On a different subject, I'm a French writer first. Any mistakes can be blamed on it, but I've been writing in English for a long time, so feel free to point out any sort of mistake I do. I'd rather improve. I'm currently editing the chapters to try and remove the biggest mistakes regarding grammar, since I've learned quite a bit in the last year I spent writing this story.

The update time is between one chapter a week and one chapter every two week. I can't promise anything, being a full-time university student. I work on my endless thesis and run a dozen different research projects at the same time. Multitasking is close to my life motto.

On a side note, reviews help with my motivation greatly. They're the best way to show support in my work. Thank you for taking the time to check out my story. I hope you'll like it as much as I have fun working on it.


	2. Breaking bad news

I was expecting reactions, but not that much, oh my god guys, I'm so happy with all your reviews. And the faves and the follows and everything! It means a super-fast update!

Yesterday night, I finished the game. The feels. Damn FEELS. I have a pretty good idea of where I am going with this now. It's the same way as yesterday, but it's a lot clearer. I don't know if this story will end up being tragic. I know I've had enough tragedy to last me for the rest of the year with FFXV alone. But anyway, let's get on with it!

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Unexpected

Chapter 2 – Breaking bad news

Noctis got out of the tent to find his three friends staring up at the sky. Imperial ships were converging around the crown-city, flying far too close considering the wall should have been up and protecting Insomnia. The prince flinched at the sight. Luna wasn't lying. He'd never be able to picture her lying, but to think...

"The hell is going on?" Gladio growled.

Ignis spotted the look on his prince's face and tensed slightly. Noctis couldn't look at them as he spoke. The words hurt too much.

"Luna just told me… The city has fallen. The king… is dead."

"What?!"

Prompto's surprise was almost comforting, because Noctis wanted to react and refuse and protest. Instead he stood straight, feeling defeated and lost.

"We can't stay here." Ignis declared, swallowing back his own shock.

"Luna can't move."

"I'll take her on my back. We gotta get back to Hammerhead ASAP." Gladiolus declared, already packing their tent while Prompto collected the essentials. Ignis focused on erasing any trace of their passage.

Noctis wanted to fight back, but he admonished himself to obey. His father had already fallen. What good could it do if he tried fighting against the Nifs' iron-headed soldiers and met the same end? But what about the people? The hundreds of citizens that might still be in danger?

 _Why father… Why couldn't you trust me with this?!_ he thought bitterly.

They undid Luna's makeshift tent with her still inside, waiting as long as possible to hoist her up in a sitting position and setting her on Gladio's back. She was confused at first and clung weakly to the tall man. Ignis secured a rope on her back to make sure she wouldn't slip. It was far from dignified, but she didn't complain.

Noctis carried their stuff as always, making it disappear with his arsenal of weapons and his fishing rod. Their run was swift and as silent as possible. A few deamons appeared here and there. While Prompto scared easily, Ignis and Gladiolus remained unfazed. Luna was too far gone to really notice. They ran most of the night and reached Hammerhead in the early morning, worn out from evading daemons and fighting against monsters. Luna was sore from all the bumping, but felt bad for being so weak. Gladiolus hadn't voiced a single objection about carrying her around, had never grunted or made her feel like a burden. Her feet were still too sore from her run and Noctis let her lean against him after untying her from his bodyguard.

"Hi y'all, your car is fix… Is that Lady Luna?" their mechanic exclaimed.

"That's right, Cindy," Noctis confirmed her doubts. "Do you know if we could find some remedy around here?"

"Sorry pals. Got limited stock. But…"

Clearly, the mechanic wanted to understand what was happening. Luna tried giving her a smile, knowing her appearance was anything but engaging right now.

"I think we should take time to talk this out, Noct." She whispered. "Your friends ought to know."

Cid walked out of the garage at that moment and cursed under his breath. They gathered in the back-room, Luna sitting on a working bench while everyone else remained up. After drinking some water and straightening up, her clear voice reported what she'd seen.

"The capital was attacked… The king's glaives were driven aside during the treaty proceeding, alerted that I was in danger. It was a lie, to reduce the king's protection."

Her expression darkened and she was careful to evade Noctis' eyes. Being used to destroy Regis had been hard for her. She felt responsible and guilty. Her hands gripped her torn skirt, covered with the remnant of Malboro's breath and it took all her strength to swallow back the tears.

"Nyx, one of the glaives, helped me getting back to the capital… we went to the throne room and…"

She made the mistake of looking up to Noctis at that point. Their eyes met, and she was engulfed in a sea of anger. It should have been him next to his father in his last moments. He couldn't help himself for thinking it. She was the Oracle, the voice of the humans that could reach gods. But the crystal had chosen _him_ as his future bearer. A dark voice in his mind told him _he_ might have been able to save Regis. Luna hesitated, blinking, hoping he would look at her differently. Except he couldn't, not with the pain so fresh.

"The king was dead, wasn't he?"

The fact Noctis asked the question himself made the tension in the room even higher. Cid cursed once more and Prompto ran a nervous hand through his spiky hair.

"I…" Luna started, grasping for the right words, any words that could help him.

"He knew of it all and he'd rather die than tell his own son about what was going on."

"You're being unfair," Gladio warned him, looking just as dark as the prince.

"No, he can…"

Hearing Luna taking his defense when he was making an ass of himself was too much to take. She needed a bath, a bed and real rest and instead… Just as he wanted to scream, his phone rang and buzzed loudly.

"Cindy, would you mind looking after Luna for a bit? She's been through enough already."

He didn't wait for her answer, turning his back on the lot of them and getting out of the garage as he swiped a finger over the screen. It was raining, and the dark sky mimicked how he felt so well, he barely registered the voice in his ear.

"Cor?"

"I'm glad to know you're alright, your Highness," the Immortal answered, voice clipped.

The title was like a weight pulling his heart down in his stomach. He had to get over it. _Just get over it for now._

"What's going on?"

"I can't talk to you on the phone. What you need to know is that the crown city was taken and that you must stay away from Insomnia."

Noctis wondered if he could still trust Cor. Someone else than the empire must have been helping them to get inside the Citadel so easily.

"Is that it?" the prince asked.

"It's dangerous to exchange information on the line… my King." That was the last nail in the coffin. If he had refused to believe it before, he couldn't anymore. "Find Monica. She'll tell you where to find me."

Noctis didn't answer. His voice was gone, and the call disconnected before he could muster it back to sound stronger than whimpers. It hurt so damn much. Prompto was the first out of the garage and acted fidgety. Noctis sighed and glanced at his best friend. The blond gunner crossed his arms in front of him, his left foot taping to a nervous beat.

"She looked ready to crumble when you walked out, you know."

"I know."

 _But as much as I want her to smile…_

"You both need time, but she's hurt physically too, Noct. Ignis thinks her fever might get worse."

"She'll get better," he objected stubbornly.

"That's what we all want," Prompto assured him. "But Cid suggested that we get a move on."

"That call was from Cor. We need to find Monica and meet up with him."

Ignis and Gladiolus walked out in time to hear that last part and exchanged a questioning look.

"There's a safe house a few miles from here where Monica is supposed to go in case of trouble. A hunter's resting spot if I recall correctly," Gladio observed.

"We can't push Luna around when she's…"

"You should try to keep that in mind when you're angry about things she can't control," Ignis cut him off.

It wasn't the time for an etiquette lesson, but Noctis accepted the comment with his head down.

"What do we do then, prince?" Gladiolus asked.

"First, I need to talk with Cid."

Convincing the man of keeping his fiancée with him might prove harsh for his meager finances, but Noctis couldn't bear to see Luna dragged around like some rag doll when she should be resting and healing. He might resent her for wrong reasons, but he didn't want her to hurt. To his own surprise, Cid had taken the news of his father's death a little harder than expected. He looked gloomy and refused to talk with him.

"You found her, you keep her," the old man stated. "I don't need another mouth to feed around here."

"Wait a minute…!"

"First you break his car, now you're dumping your girl here? You really think that's how your father would have wanted you to be?"

Somehow, that reminded Noctis of Regis patronizing him as he left. Telling him to be polite with Luna. And he felt half-guilty half-pissed. Had he no right to be shocked and beyond himself with pain?! It was his father for heaven's sake. Or was he not supposed to feel anything? Was that what everyone was expecting from him?

"Fine then. She'll come with us."

He snatched the regalia's keys from the counter and stormed out. Cindy had requested half an hour to help Luna freshen up and give her new clothes. Somehow, Noctis wasn't sure he wanted to see his Lunafreya in an attire chosen by Cid's granddaughter. There was nothing wrong with Cindy's clothes. Not on her anyway. But although Prompto said he revered the girl, Noctis wasn't blind. And he didn't want Luna to be leeched at. Thankfully, the Oracle walked out wearing a black t-shirt, a knee-length skirt and worn out boots that were a little too big for her. She was already red from her fever, but blushed even more as she saw Noctis staring at her despite his better reason.

"I know I'm not wearing white," she sighed.

"I don't think it ever happened before," he admitted, finding the strength to smirk.

She smiled in answer, a frail, unsure smile. She still felt guilty but was mature enough to give him space and time when he should have had a slap in the face.

"You're up for a ride, Lady Luna?" Prompto asked, cutting through the visible tension.

"Of course. I'm sorry for slowing you down earlier."

"Don't mention it. It was lucky we found you and learned of the attack so fast," Gladio cheered her up as best he could.

Ignis was already buckling up and they settled in the car, Gladiolus sitting next to their driver, while Luna was sandwiched between Noctis and Prompto. She tried to keep her distances from the prince at first, which meant leaning more on Prompto's side. The poor guy looked ready to melt into the car's door and Ignis was constantly throwing glares to his prince in the rear view mirror, driving Noctis even more on edge. After two hours of that, he gave up apologizing in private, reaching one hand towards hers. Luna didn't pull away. Her skin felt warm from the sun and he wondered if the climate wasn't too harsh for her. Leide was pretty dry at this time of the year, while Tenebrae was surrounded by frozen mountains.

He tried stroking the back of her hand, and mostly not to feel awkward about the fact his three friends were right there… and might tease him about his demeanour around her as soon as she'd be out of sight.

"You know, I'm not mad at you," he confessed. "And I don't think any of this is your fault."

She gasped, gazing up to him through her pale lashes as if to ascertain he was being truthful. The silent recognition and thanks in her eyes was worth a lot of teasing, just as the feel of her hand closing over his.

"You know what's coming, don't you?"

He frowned, although he had a good picture of their situation.

"I have to get stronger. So that I can drive out the empire."

"I'll help you," she promised.

"And so will we," Gladiolus added, breaking the magic without realizing it.

After a few minutes of driving on silence, Prompto couldn't help himself.

"What about the wedding?"

Luna blinked and Noctis felt himself blush for the first time since she'd walked back into his life. Without thinking, he let go of her hand and crossed his arms, feeling defensive.

"There's no cease-fire, so there's no need for it anymore, I guess…"

Lunafreya nodded slowly, her hands clasped together in her lap. So Noctis didn't care for the wedding?

She couldn't be more wrong, but he doubted himself too much to impose on her when the very reason their wedding was supposed to serve was gone. She might have sounded happy about their union in her letters, but it didn't mean she wasn't forcing herself. Ignis sighed, clearly understanding the situation that might unravel from this, while Prompto pouted.

"I'm not seeing Altissia then?"

"Never say never, man," Gladio offered. "Who knows, maybe the prince will need some waterfall training to get stronger. He's a scrawny little thing as is."

"Hey!"

The argument was settled for later since they'd reached the Prairie outpost, but Luna couldn't help the smile growing on her face. She'd rarely seen Noctis being teased by anyone. Monica was waiting for them, supervising hunters' assignments. More daemons were appearing at night and they needed to be driven away or killed, not to mention the creatures running rampant in their habitats, destroying crops, attacking villages. The run-down houses lying left and right were the perfect picture of what happened when a town didn't have enough hunters to keep the daemons at bay.

"Oh, your Highness!" Monica heaved a relieved breath. "It's good to see you safe. You too, Lady Lunafreya. I hadn't heard you were travelling together."

"Is everyone alright?" Noctis asked without thinking.

He might not have any family left in Insomnia, but it wasn't the case for everyone. Monica used to work for his father and had often exchanged with the Altimicia family.

"I haven't heard of Iris yet, but I know Jared had been forewarned of the events to come," the administrator answered. "I supervised as many escapees as I could, but it was pretty hectic."

Gladiolus squared his shoulders, clearly worried about his younger sister but not wanting to slow them down. Luna coughed a few times, reminding Noctis that she still needed treatment. Monica eyed the oracle up and down critically.

"A bad fever, huh? I might have just the thing. You should leave her with me for now. Go up north. Cor is waiting for you at the royal tomb there."

Luna agreed, her feet still sore, but Noctis could tell she was unhappy about the situation. And as he turned his back on her and went on, followed by his three friends, he couldn't help but worry. If he left her now, would he see her on the next day? Or would it take twelve years once again?

 _She doesn't need you. Not like this. Get a grip._

Prompto had questions about Cor, who was rumored an expert fighter and tactician. The man was pretty elusive, and Noctis couldn't prevent his angry mind to wonder why Cor hadn't protected his father. If a captain went down with his ship, a kingdom fell right down with its king. Right before reaching the tomb, their group encountered imperial resistance.

"Magitek soldiers," Gladio warned.

Noctis had taken out his sword before to even think it through.

"If I can't defeat them here, I never will," he roared, warping to the closest soldier.

His friends were right on his heels, Ignis slashing metal, while Gladio crushed it beneath his giant blade. Prompto shot the links to the mechanical dolls, blowing up their eyes or separating their limbs from their body. The four of them had some steam to let out, after learning their hometown had been destroyed, but most of all, Noctis needed to feel some kind of control over his situation. He threw thunder at the larger robot, wrecking his guns and controls, warping back and forth between the soldiers. A few hits reached him, but he could barely feel them, too focused on destroying his numerous targets. He counted them, trying to keep an eye on his friends all at the same time. They'd rarely take on as many opponents in a single go. Not even in training. But somehow, they came through, using a few potions to fix the largest wounds.

When they reached the tomb, they were dirtier than ever, even Ignis having trouble looking proper after jumping and running in the mud. Cor was waiting, texting on his phone at a dangerous speed.

"I heard some ruckus outside. Everything alright?" he asked, barely looking up.

Noctis felt his anger coming back despite the recent exercise. The man might be trying to hold up the country with a single phone, but he owed a little more respect, didn't he?

"Nothing's alright. Unless you've got different news for me."

Cor's face turned ashen.

"There's nothing easy with what has happened. But your father knew what was coming."

"So he decided lying to me was for the best?!"

"He wasn't going down without a fight. And he wanted to be a father for you in the little time he had left."

" _I've never been more ready!"_

Ready to leave you behind, darn old man. _Those were my last words for him. What kind of…_

If he'd known… But ifs weren't bringing Regis back. Ifs had never solved anything in his life.

"So… will you rise to be the King Lucis needs?"

"It's not like I have a choice," he answered bitterly.

Gladiolus groaned. His disapproval was almost tangible, but Noctis couldn't care. He needed time. Prompto had been the only one to fully understand what he was going through, or at least, to express understanding.

"This is serious business, your Highness. You might be the only thing standing before the empire right now."

 _He doesn't believe I can do it. All of them think I'm too young or too weak._

"Tell me what we're doing here," Noctis demanded. "I can't stand by for long if I'm to drive the empire back."

Instead of being bitter, he strained himself to put all the confidence he could in his words. Cor seemed slightly reassured.

"As you know, every king of Lucis has been buried with their swords. As their heir, you should be able to inherit the power residing in their weapon. You can start with this one."

Noctis knew of it. His father had told him about his own trip to recover the various weapons of their ancestors. He also remembered that whenever he'd asked for details, Regis would look torn apart. He would answer with the sad smile of someone who knew too much. _On the day you'll need them, you'll know what to do, son._

Extending his right arm, Noctis touched the sword lying over the sculpted coffin. He tried not picturing his decaying father lying beneath the stone… and failed. The magic coursed through his veins and a blue version of the sword flew through the air, plunging right into his chest. The pain felt real, but he didn't make a sound. Something like this couldn't damage him right now. When he blinked, he saw the sword circling him slowly. Another blink and it was gone, but somehow, as he extended his consciousness, he felt it, among the many things he was storing through his royal power.

"Good," Cor commented. "I guess you'll be able to gather most of them. We know of some tombs, but most of their emplacements were lost."

Cor gave him the key which would open the other tombs and promised to stay in touch. He insisted that gathering as many royal arms as possible would help making him stronger. Noctis wasn't sure he felt stronger. Having Cor's approval meant nothing when he thought his father hadn't trusted him enough…

The night was almost falling when they reached the outpost. Prompto was barely able to stay up and Ignis fixed them a quick supper, after Gladio rumbling stomach reminded them they hadn't eaten in the entire course of the day! Luna was sleeping in Monica's bed, recovering. The woman promised Noctis his fiancée would be back on her feet in the morning. He thanked her and collapsed in a makeshift bed in the RV. His night was void of dreams, except for a nightmare dating back to his childhood. He woke up in a cold sweat, looking for his breath and quickly walked out, hoping not to wake his friends. Ignis stirred a bit, but remained asleep.

Walking out into the cold night air helped Noctis calm down. He wasn't a child anymore. He wasn't helpless or crippled like he'd been once. He had powers normal people wouldn't dream of. He was a prince, the last from a line of crystal's protectors. The outpost was quiet except for the guards standing watch by the anti-daemon lights. They were more on the lookout for flickers in a bulb than for daemon's activity.

"You should go back to sleep," the Oracle told him.

Luna was up too? He turned around, meeting her pale face, noticing that her long hair was back in a high ponytail. Now that she could stand up fully, he observed that they were pretty much the same height. Their eyes met with ease. She looked more focused, clear-minded.

"You shouldn't be out without a jacket," he retorted.

"I don't want you to get overprotective with me, Noct. I'm stronger than I look. I'm all healed and ready to heal people as the Oracle once more."

He frowned at that.

"You're staying with us, aren't you?"

"You want me to stay? If we regroup, we might gather too much attention…"

She joined her hands, worrying her lower lip. He felt like holding her right there, but couldn't act out on it. He was too raw, too filled with fears. He'd break and look clingy and he couldn't have her stay out of pity. So instead he tried the most logical argument.

"You can't be safe around the empire."

Luna hesitated an instant. Guilt was fresh in her mind as she rummaged through the pocket of her borrowed skirt. The ring had felt cold against her tight and it was still cold as she gripped it in her hand. It wasn't fair to him. She hadn't been rushed like that when her own mother had died.

"I think the reason I'm not safe there is… this." She whispered, showing him the Lucii ring. "Regis wanted me to deliver it to…"

 _He's really gone. He kept sheltering me…and now he's gone._

Noctis clenched his fists, trying to will the pain away. But it was too much, too soon.

"Luna… You can't ask me…"

His voice broke just a bit and she was suddenly closer, wrapping her arms around him, sharing his pain. Her forehead pressed against his, her light following, surrounding them in an instant. He embraced her, his breaths coming out as shudders, his mind surrendering.

"It's okay, Noct."

His throat hurt from all he had to swallow back. Sobs were wrong. Tears were wrong. Everything felt wrong. She slipped the heavy ring back in her pocket, understanding it was too soon. She couldn't leave him like this. She wondered if she could ever leave his side.

"I'll stay, I'll stay, Noct," she vowed to him. "It's going to be okay."

Her light faltered at his first tears. But she felt his strength in the way he held her. Her king would rise. And they would stand by each other.

To be continued…

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Can you believe how much those two can still make me cry? And this is only the second chapter! But I need this to be realistic. Noctis barely gave himself time to process anyone's death. Especially in my play through. I rushed through the story in a hurry, until the first big death (not naming it, no such massive spoiler in the second chapter) then I went back in time and side-quested myself to boredom (or lv 56), then I finished the game. And now I'm supposed to grind but I have one end of term to complete. I just wanted to finish this chapter before going to sleep. So here it is. Longer than the last one. 10 entire page instead of a mere 7. I didn't reread myself, your reviews got my psyched up, but I hope it sounds good. More interaction with the entire group next chapter!

Please keep reviewing. It seriously helps, and I like exchanging with all of you about the potential of this story and whatever wasn't clear in FFXV. I'm still processing the game's storyline!


	3. A girl on the team

The reception of this story is so much more than I expected. And I like it. It's been a long time since I had so much feedback on a fiction. Then again, I know the game, despite being loved with his flaws, ended in a way that would raise controversy. I waited ten years to write over these characters that I saw glimpse of years ago, when I was still in college. I saw them change in design. I thought I saw part of the story and the parts were erased here and there. I get the impression I got something incomplete, but I understand and actually, I don't mind. It gives me space to write about them, like a challenge, to make the story as right as I want it. There are games and books I'll never write over, because they feel perfect just the way they are. I wanted to write on FFXV.

I've been trying to keep up with all of your reviews, but there's so many of them! Know that I take all of your comments into account. They help and we're so on the same page. I think we all wanted a story like this. I sure did. I'm glad you like it so far. I'm grateful for your thanks and praise. I'm thinking of including the "lover's journal" in this story, but not deeply. I have an idea for another story that would heavily depend on that book. That item made me cry with its description in the game. I don't think I've ever cried that much over a single game. But let's keep up with the story. Hoping you'll enjoy.

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Unexpected

Chapter 3 – A girl on the team

In the morning, Monica told the guys of another nearby tomb, hidden somewhere in the Cockatrice trench. Noctis could have used a break, but everyone was looking up to him.

" _Walk tall."_

Whatever that meant. Even if he was still a bit angry at the whole situation, he'd been under this kind of pressure for his entire life. It never felt as real before… He stretched his arms over his head, Prompto charging his guns. Ignis had finished preparing breakfast and Gladiolus wolfed it down in a matter of seconds. The big guy was restless, still lacking any news from his sister. The only one that looked peaceful was Lunafreya, but that was certainly a front she kept to reassure them.

She had a brother to worry about and a world to protect too, in her own way. Noctis had refused the ring yesterday. They should have exchanged engagement rings, not a scrap of metal that could very well kill him! He wondered if carrying that thing could have any impact on her. It was a gift as much as a burden for its wearer. But people trying to steal its power had died horrible deaths… The thought turned the food to sand in his mouth and he gulped his bite with an awkward sound.

Breakfast was too quiet for comfort. The camaraderie was gone and Noctis missed it. He knew he couldn't act as if nothing had happened, but he needed to take his mind off it a bit. Prompto had tried starting a few conversations, only to find Luna responsive. Ignis was lost in thoughts and Gladiolus was typing on his phone, erasing and rewriting a text.

"You should just send it, you know. She'll be glad to know you're fine," Ignis told him as they gathered the dirty plates.

"Normally, she would be the one calling me."

Gladio couldn't bear to call first. They had an agreement with his sister in case of danger and foregoing it was like saying she was already dead. Noctis wasn't sure he could accept a single more loss at the moment.

"Let's visit that trench," Prompto exclaimed.

As the four men set out, Luna followed them, not even carrying a weapon, which halted them in their tracks almost instantly.

"Lady Lunafreya, you're not seriously thinking of…" Ignis started.

"Why not? I think I should accompany you. I can heal you in a pinch and…"

"You can't defend yourself," Gladio argued. "I already got your fiancé to look after."

"I can look after myself just fine," Noctis protested, before to realize he was somehow supporting the idea of putting Luna in danger. And he didn't want her in danger. She had been through enough already. "I mean…"

"If I'm supposed to stay with you guys, I can't always hang back while you save the day," Lunafreya insisted. "I'll keep up, I swear."

"It might be a good thing to have a healer," Prompto pitched in. "Plus, I heard no cockatrice was seen in that trench for decades."

"From whom?"

The gunman shrugged carelessly. Monica cut the argument short, warning them that staying too long in the same place couldn't be good. The last broadcasts reported the deaths of Noctis and Luna, but surely the empire already knew of Lunafreya's escape.

"Stick together if possible."

"In the end, it's up to Noct," Ignis observed.

"Luna can tag along. I just don't want you to get hurt," he added, looking at her with an apologetic look.

He didn't want to make her feel bad. She knew he admired her.

"Don't patronize me then," she said, sounding almost playful.

He guessed she wanted to be optimistic about their trip together. Gladiolus wasn't happy with the situation, but they trudged on, going through the highs and lows of the road, passing by the last tomb. Luna was walking fast despite her boots that kept trying to trip her. She needed real clothes, adapted for this kind of activity, but Monica had little to spare. Noctis remarked the fact Ignis was studying his fiancée closely during the entire walk. He pulled Prompto to the side, asking as lowly as possible.

"You don't think Ignis is hitting on her, do you?"

"What?! As if he'd ever hit on any girl!" Prompto laughed.

"Who are you talking about?" Gladio asked. "There's no need for secrets here."

Noctis forced himself not to blush while Prompto covered his mouth with his hands sheepishly. Luna was smiling, amused by the scene, and Ignis was still inspecting her as casually as possible. The prince gave up on subtlety.

"What are you doing Ignis? Seriously?"

"Oh! I was just… asserting Lady Luna's measurements. She needs more adapted clothes and we don't know if we'll find any shop that could have the right ones. I was thinking I could sew something up."

Damn the perfect advisor.

"Oh, you could have asked me," the Oracle said, glancing between Noctis and Prompto with a questioning look. "It's a nice idea, but I don't need anything complicated."

"She needs real shoes, made for running and in her size, but I guess Ignis has some good ideas for the rest," the prince's shield observed. "You want to establish a few rules, Noct? About how we should act around your girlfriend?"

Noctis glared at Gladio.

"There are no rules, guys."

 _I don't order my friends around._ He refrained from childishly saying that she wasn't his girlfriend. Instead he walked down into the trench, Ignis and Prompto arguing right behind him, while Luna caught up to his pace.

"You're too protective."

"Maybe I wouldn't be if things were different."

"I don't think it's wrong. I'm glad you care."

He threw a glance her way, unsure if this was the right time to make small talk. He really wanted to know what she thought of him, what she expected from him as a person, not as a prince or a king… but there wasn't time for that. The tunnels were filled with wires that used to carry the electricity around. Noctis decided to focus on the here and now. With the darkness, daemons might show up.

"Think we can start the current back up?"

"Can't hurt to try."

As they moved deeper in, Luna slowly joined the running commentary Prompto and Gladio made on their surroundings. Prompto was amazed at everything, unable to believe people could live in such a damp, cramped space. Luna shared part of his surprise, but her observations were filled with regrets at the idea people needing help had been left to fend for themselves. She still felt responsible far too easily to the prince's taste.

"It was a long time ago." Ignis observed. "It's impressive their installations held up actually."

Goblins materialized on their left, making Prompto jump in fear. Luna's first reaction was to channel her magic, but Noctis was strike-warping already, killing two of them in one go.

"Save your light for the people," he suggested after his friends had finished the other goblins.

"Now, that's almost too considerate," she whispered, more to herself than any of them.

It was one thing to follow him around, but he'd better let her do her part. She understood that they were more used of going through fights with only the four of them, but she needed to fit in. When an arachne showed up, hissing and electrocuting them, Luna healed the shock right out of their veins, one after the other. She saved Noctis last, willing him to understand that she could make their life much easier. Noctis mostly saw how vulnerable she looked, wearing close to no equipment, her skirt ripped by one of the daemon's hooks, bearing new cuts and bruises from being dragged back by the guys in order to shield her. It seemed she couldn't worry about herself, only about them. In the fray, neither of them considered the fact she was the Oracle. They grabbed her by the arm or the waist, pulling her back or to the side. She went with it, not complaining if Gladio's grip was too hard or if Ignis had her moving too sharply. She hadn't been trained to fight after all, only to heal and communicate with astral beings, so she'd follow their leads as long as she could participate.

There were tarantulas at their feet, crunching beneath a boot with every wrong step, when they weren't jumping on their back. Noctis used fire to get rid of them, barely warning his friends to get back. Luna healed the slight burns and they stood in the suddenly silent cave, out of breath and tired. The whole morning had passed during their explorations and a few stomachs were rumbling. Noctis took the sight of his group. Prompto attempted wiping off an ugly stain of green from his leg, only making it bigger.

"Yuck. Is that blood or…"

"Don't touch it, it might be infectious," the chamberlain warned him.

Ignis had cracked his glasses and kept blinking his eye on the side of the warped lens. Gladiolus crossed his arms, glaring at Lunafreya, who dusted herself, appearing mostly unscathed despite the confused fighting. He didn't have time to voice his concerns.

"What were you doing?!" Noctis asked, unable to entirely control his tone.

"I was helping! And _slightly_ getting in the way. But I just need some training with you all. Or maybe you should let me use my magic."

She didn't lose her cool, throwing his glare right back at him.

"It weakens you, doesn't it? We don't know how far this trench goes. If you don't…"

"I know my own limits and how my power works, Noctis. I need to move around so I can heal you."

A normal girl would've run away by now, first from the ugly daemons, then from the way the guys tried protecting her.

"This might have gone better," Ignis approved. "But we're all still alive. Isn't that the only thing that matters?"

"Of course. Let's find this tomb and get out before night falls."

Noctis evaded Luna's eyes as he took the lead once again. He wanted her to feel welcome, but he also didn't want her to push herself. She was far too daring for his liking, for someone who couldn't summon weapons at will to defend herself. In the back of his heart, the idea of losing her was eating him apart, but he couldn't even put it in words. It was an anxious feeling, making him harsh and thoughtless.

Venturing deeper revealed that even more monsters awaited, but nothing as tough as the arachne. Noctis tried keeping a closer look on Luna and warped himself closer to her whenever he felt something might go wrong. No one commented on it, and they started finding a rhythm, understanding the patterns of the daemons. Luna had a lot of endurance for an untrained healer. Finally reaching the tomb, complaining out loud about his ancestors behind too convoluted to his taste in burying their kings, Noctis touched the axe of the conqueror. Luna observed the process with worried eyes.

What looked like pure magic for commoners felt painfully familiar to her. She had prayed at many altars and gathered the trident power once, when she was merely sixteen. It was proof of her being the true Oracle for the people of the empire that needed some sort of reassurance. She had felt the metal tearing into her flesh, felt her insides burning and melting and rearranging themselves. And as she looked at the two royal arms flying around Noctis, instead of progress, she saw the road before him. Each and every of these weapons, waiting around Lucis and Eo to pierce Noctis's soul and chip away at his heart with the growing responsibilities they held.

"You'll swallow a fly if you stare like that," Gladio teased her.

She blushed despite the fact she hadn't been staring at Noctis. At least, not entirely. Not intentionally. Her blush intensified and she was looking away when the prince had regained enough of his senses to lead them back outside. Night had fallen. It felt cold and the fresh air sneaked up her legs and arms, giving her goosebumps. Noctis put his jacket on her shoulders without a word, trying to find his way toward the closest camp.

Gladiolus cursed a bit while setting the tent. They were all tired, lacking too much sleep. Ignis gave a sheet to Luna, so she could cover her legs and try to regain some warmth. Prompto didn't have the heart to check his pictures and was plopped in his own chair, eyeing the food Ignis prepared with shiny eyes.

"We'll camp for tonight. Tomorrow, we find a motel room," Noctis tried comforting them.

After making sure nobody's wounds were left untended, the prince laid himself directly on their camping stone, staring at the sky and trying to empty his mind. He could have fallen asleep right here and there. Luna shuffled and sat next to him after a few minutes. He had crossed his arms beneath his head and could feel her calf against his elbow. It felt somehow intimate, but he decided he would remain like this nevertheless. She couldn't faze him with every little gesture. Everyone let him be and as always, Prompto was the one to try and make small talk to ease some of the tension in the air.

"So Luna… Oh man, I forgot to say Lady Luna…!"

She laughed, gently telling him she was fine with just her nickname.

"Okay… So… Luna… I was wondering… What kind of clothes would you want for the rest of the trip?"

She mused for a moment. It was certainly a trick question. Noctis threw his head back, getting a good view of her expression. She had some mud on the side of her face, but with her chin resting in the palm of her hand, strands of hair falling here and there, she still managed to look cute.

"It can't be white," Gladio said just when she seemed ready to answer.

Her eyebrows furrowed a bit and Noctis couldn't help himself.

"Can't be a dress either," he added. "We're trekking across a continent here."

"Why don't you tell me what I should be wearing then?"

"Real shoes. Unlike those Ignis wears." Gladio observed.

"My shoes are perfect for trekking," the cook shot back without even looking away from his work.

"We have a thematic already," Prompto observed. "I guess black is the new black."

"That makes no sense," she interjected. "And you're all visible miles away."

"Not at night," Gladio observed. "Or in caves and…"

She laughed, which meant they weren't pushing her too much yet.

"I guess I'm not used to practical clothes. I'll be needing some sturdy pants, a comfortable shirt and maybe a jacket."

"Ignis, you should add a hood to her jacket. Her hair is too bright. It catches the light."

Noctis made sure he wasn't looking at her as he said it. He wanted it to sound practical, not like a compliment or something. His friends had enough fuel to tease him already.

"What? I won't hide myself, Noctis. It's…"

He sat up at that, a little too quickly for his own good. His head was spinning. He desperately needed food and sleep.

"I'm not telling you to hide, just to evade unwanted attention. Especially from the Nifs."

"You shouldn't call them that."

Now, that was crossing a line.

"Are you defending them?"

"Of course I'm not. I just want you to keep in mind that there are innocent people in Nifilheim, people that have nothing to do with the emperor and his chancellor's doing."

Prompto would have joined in at this point normally, but he looked away. Gladiolus rolled his eyes.

"You don't have to be a saint around us, or even the oracle, Lady Lunafreya."

She gave up on explaining her point, accepting the bowl of warm stew Ignis gave her. They talked about Umbra and Pryna, convinced Gladio to call his sister and argued a bit more over the potential hood Luna should be wearing, but more playfully than before, avoiding any mention of the empire. Two hours later, they were all ready to call it a night. Iris had answered her phone and was on her way to Cape Caem, Regis's previous base of operations when he was doing his own pilgrimage of pre-ascension.

"We'll need to get a real tent for you eventually." Gladiolus observed.

"Isn't the one you already have big enough?" Luna asked.

"If you don't mind seeing the big guy naked," Prompto joked, grinning from ear to ear.

"It only happened once!" the bodyguard almost instantly roared.

"But my eyes weren't ready for…!"

"How about you ready them for a punch in the face?"

Noctis sighed, happy to see Luna laughing at their antics.

"We'll make arrangements as soon as we can. I don't think I like the idea of her isolated with magiteck soldiers prowling about."

"And there you go again," she sighed, rolling her eyes at him. "Think about it this way, Noctis. If I get kidnapped or something, you can always rescue me."

She almost made it sound exciting and he stared at her with a puzzled look on his face.

"You… want me to rescue you?"

"I didn't say that. It could be Gladio or Ignis too."

Now she was just messing around with him. But he laughed with the others, understanding that if they didn't take things lightly, they'd never get through it.

…

In the morning, Noctis refused to get up. He felt warm and had slept really well for once, despite his mat being less fluffy than usual. They had a lot of stuff to buy if they wanted to be as comfortable when they camped, taking into account the new addition to their group. Prompto poked and shook him to no avail. Ignis tried the vegetable argument without any result and Gladio simply asked Luna to get him up and ready for the day. The big man was making plans to meet up with his sister as soon as possible and that meant calling a few of his hunters' contacts to check if the roads were still open or not.

"Hello there? Noctis?" Luna tried.

Breakfast was getting cold, but it was far earlier than their usual 6 am and Noctis already missed his once-upon-a-time 9 am waking hour. He groaned, barely registering her presence. The young woman sat down next to his cot, observing him as he half slept half pretended to sleep. He dug his head deeper in his pillow, before feeling her nimble fingers following the line of his spine through his shirt. The resulting shiver electrified him and he recoiled on himself, looking up with bewildered eyes, entirely awake.

"You're still as ticklish as ever."

Her smile combined with her hand gently ruffling his hair nearly undid him. He had no idea what their relationship should be anymore. He halted her hand, turning it around as if he'd never seen a girl's hand before. Somehow, it made her realize how bold she'd been acting. It felt surreal to be around him again. Every morning, she couldn't help but believe the empire would fall from the sky and rain on her newfound prince, driving him away again.

Noctis raised himself on his elbow, tugging slightly on her arm. He wasn't thinking, not really, it was too early for that. He just wanted her closer and wasn't sure of how to make it work.

"When did you hurt your knuckles like that?"

Her skin was smooth except from the back of her hand, where small cuts crisscrossed from angry red to light pink.

"I don't remember… Does it matter?

"I can't heal you with a thought. So I'd rather not let you get hurt at all."

He brought the damaged knuckles to his lips, kissing all of them one by one, despite her growing blush. Maybe because of that very blush.

"Noctis… You don't need to act like a prince to impress me…"

"And you don't need to cuddle me as if I was still a kid," he retorted, his voice remaining even.

He wasn't angry. He wanted to know where each of them stood. He needed to use the time he had alone with her if he wanted to prevent more teasing from the guys. Her eyes fluttered about and Noctis understood she was getting flustered. He didn't feel much more assurance than her, but he gave her a tentative smile.

"I know you're not a kid anymore. I saw you on the vids sent to the empire all the time."

She was supposed to get him out of the tent, not to take roots, but she couldn't look away, couldn't believe he'd just kissed her hand and was almost flirting with her. They'd flirted in the book. But a book and a person face to face was something else entirely.

"Luna, that's not…" He slowly sat up, the cover slipping from his side. "We were still getting married two days ago and now…"

His eyes felt too keen, as if he could see down to her quivering heart. She held his gaze for as long as she could, smiling back despite the fear beneath her excitation. She could guess the question he wanted to ask, she could almost read it in the way his hands held her wrists. Could she let this happen with everything that was at stake in the world? He bit his lower lip, going through the same hesitations on his side. The moment was almost gone, but Luna decided she'd hold on to it. They had to address the matter.

"What's on your mind, Noct?"

"Did you want the wedding to happen?" he asked, the words climbing up his throat so quickly he wasn't sure the sounds aligned right.

Her smile turned soft.

"I've already told you."

"On paper. Because it would have brought peace to my country and enough people to make you feel obligated to go on with it despite what you truly felt."

He didn't mean to doubt her. His clear blue eyes were telling her as much. He was giving her a way out if she wanted out. But it wasn't fair either. Why should she say it first?

"What about you? Did you want to marry me? If there was no politics involved. Even if I wasn't the Oracle."

 _If it was_ _our_ _choice._ They both thought.

Before he could answer, Gladio called for them.

"What's taking so long, Noct?!" the following lines were clearly for Prompto and Ignis. "I hope they're not getting all cozy and lovey-dovey. We've got refugees' camps to check."

Noctis looked back into Luna's eyes. His throat was dry and somehow, his eyes travelled all the way down to her lips. That could be the right answer…

"Noctis!" Prompto insisted.

"I think we should… let them know we're still alive." Luna tried.

She was disappointed with his lack of answers. A voice in the back of his mind was warning him about morning breath and tact lessons and all the things Ignis had managed to cram into his head about girls when he was younger and far more eager about the prospect. He knew there was only one girl on his mind now. But she looked like a woman and Noctis didn't know if he was worthy yet. He couldn't take her like some meat on a platter just because he was a prince. That wasn't right. But leaving her hanging wasn't right either.

"If you remember any words I wrote you, know that I meant every last one." He whispered, before letting go of her wrists, so he could get up and calm down his retinue.

Luna's hand gripped on his shirt, holding him in place. Her smile was back and brighter than before.

"I meant mine too."

It wasn't an outright confession, but it made his heart swell all the same.

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 _N. C. So we're getting married. Talk about pressure for our first meeting in 12 years._

 _L. F. I know! But I'm happy all the same. I won't have to wait as long to hear from you._

 _N. C. It should take place in Tenebrae or Lucis. My old man wanted to see you almost as much as I did._

 _L. F. You've never seen Altissia! I'm sure it will be incredible. Although, I must admit… I missed your father too._

 _N. C. You're still getting married to me, Lady Oracle. The father-in-law's only a bonus._

 _L. F. Wonder if I can bypass that and get Regis instead. He could pass as your elder brother._

 _N. C. Now I'm hurt. A young, dashing prince isn't good enough for you? Or would you be after his money by chance? Crafty girl._

 _L. F. Noctis, I was joking! I almost never joke! Or maybe we're just too nervous to talk about what's really on our mind. We've been writing back and forth, but never like this. I mean, we fooled around before, but we would warn each other. Now I don't even know…_

 _N. C. It doesn't sound real. I saw your pictures and we've been writing more and more like adults, but never getting to see you or talk with you… I never expected myself to keep up a correspondence for so long. And I always thought your book would be filled up and replaced by another one before we get the chance to see each other._

 _L. F. I want it to be real. I want to see you, even if it's been a long time. But I'd understand if you didn't like the arrangement._

 _N. C. As cheesy as it sounds, I'm glad it's you, Luna. I just hope it doesn't turn awkward or… you know. Forced or something._

 _L. F. You can be so sweet, Noct. I'm glad it's you too._

 _N. C. Leaving Insomnia in a few days. I hope Pryna will be happy to see me._

To be continued…

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I'm pretty certain two young people that have written to each other for so long would be pretty friendly and casual. Actually, I think Luna might permit herself to sound foolish only through her correspondence with Noctis, and even there, it wouldn't be that foolish. She's too mature for her own good. Noctis on the other side has a lot of insecurities. He wouldn't lie, but he might joke a lot more than her.

I also can't believe they would write a single sentence on one entire page. How much space can you lose in such a tiny notebook! So this here was just one page of the entire book. They might have written full letters sometimes, but if they felt like having a long discussion, they'd extend it over weeks of Umbra travelling between them.

Otherwise, please review to let me know what you think. The setting is pretty much done. Next chapter, Luna gets her fighting garb and we might hear from the empire. It might not be as fast this time. Updating like this is taxing on my creative mind. XD


	4. Rushing doubts

So many reviews, guys, I'm happier than I can say. And still motivated it seems, so here is another chapter. I hope it doesn't linger too much. We got action in the end! And I really need to find a cover for this story. I'm thinking of trying myself at drawing one, or maybe just using one of the official images from the game, but I don't know…

So far, I try answering your reviews through PMs. For those unlogged, thanks for reviewing and reading! Every new review makes me happier and gives me more motivation. And there's a lot so I'm pretty motivated. Without further delay, have chapter four!

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Unexpected

Chapter 4 – Rushing doubts

"A refugees' camp?" Noctis asked as they filled the car.

Amicitia was sitting next to Luna, his legs too long to fit comfortably in the first row like he'd tried the other day. Prompto had asked the young woman what kinds of photos she'd liked to see and was shooting away as Ignis drove out of their parking space and unto the road.

"Iris mentioned a few were forming all over the country. Most people are aiming to go to Lestallum. It's pretty much the only town that can keep daemons away at night and receive such a massive number of people," Gladio explained.

"I escaped the city by walking along other refugees. When the empire sent ground soldiers after us, everyone went their separate ways."

"How did you manage to escape?" Ignis asked, his deep voice suggesting curiosity.

"I almost didn't try to at first. There were so many people suffering... It was a woman and her son that forced me to run with them. As the darkness fell, I lost trace of them too. I had been walking for hours, keeping daemons at bay with my magic when you found me."

She managed to keep a straight face during her explanation, but Noctis knew how much it had cost her to leave anyone behind. He felt bad, knowing those persons were his people. The ones he was supposed to protect now that the King was gone. Many might have been killed during the first night. And the country looked like a no man's land, with few working cities and more ghost towns than anything. Insomnia never slept, welcoming half of the kingdom's populace between its walls. It was impossible for this many people to all escape unscathed.

"Hey, is that car fuming?" Prompto asked.

"That was us a few days ago," Ignis sighed.

"We should help them," Noctis heard himself saying before to even think it through.

Delaying his trip might seem wrong, but if he was supposed to save his country, every citizen had to count. Luna came out of the car to check on the family that was waiting by the side of the road. She gave a check over to each member, making sure none were wounded or affected by the blight. Noctis had bought a few repair kits, only to have Ignis shut up about what had happened with the Regalia. Neither of them knew the repair kits wouldn't work on their customized car.

Removing his jacket, Gladiolus tried helping with the reparations, soon roasting under the blinding sun. The operation was long enough for the small group to eat lunch with the family and after collecting the dirty dishes, both cars left, with a brooding Noctis in one.

"Next time, we'll hand a repair kit and leave right away."

"I think it was fun," Prompto told him.

"I'm covered in oil," Gladio complained.

"And you almost broke the machine even more than it already was," Ignis observed.

Luna's smile turned upside down as she felt a pull in the air. Noctis was arguing with Prompto about the number of monsters they had killed and if they should take up a few hunts to refund their finances. But over their voices, another voice covered all noise, ringing in her ears. It had to be a giant. An Astral surely, but she hadn't heard one since the first manifestation of her powers. For a few minutes, she couldn't understand the words. When she did, her entire face fell, understanding dawning.

 **Find me, Oracle and make your plea for your race. The scourge is growing.**

The words repeated themselves in a chaotic loop, one collapsing over the other, turning into gibberish and she winced after ten minutes of torture.

"Everything okay with you, young lady?" Gladio inquired.

Luna tried to shrug it off.

"We're about the same age, no need to call me that," she reminded him, hoping that would be enough.

"Then loosen up. You look stiffer than a board."

"Gladio, that's no way to talk to a princess!" Prompto interfered, clearly shocked by the lack of respect.

"I'm the one sitting next to the holy woman, and I'm trying not to freak out about it!"

That was half a joke half serious and Luna understood that more than between her and Noctis, her role had to be defined for the entire group.

"I've heard so much about each of you from Noctis… It feels as if we already know each other. I hope we can all become good friends. And I don't mind if you act casually around me. Besides, I'm no princess."

How could she call herself that with her home occupied by the empire?

"Even with all that dirt and the simple clothes, you've got the looks and attitude of a princess," Prompto insisted, not entirely realizing how direct that sounded.

"Oh really? Thank you, Prompto."

Noctis crossed his arms over his chest, hoping that if Prompto could get more comfortable around Luna, that would mean less "smooth talk" practices with the man. He liked his friend a great deal, but seeing him around Cindy -or any girl that interested him at the moment, really- almost hurt. The gunman always seemed to throw himself at impossible challenges.

Ignis had to refuel at Hammerhead and since Cindy was busy tinkering with another broken car, the quintet agreed to grab a bite at Takka's restaurant. The man mentioned a few beasts that had been giving him a hard time for his delivery and the promise of a nice steak made Noctis wonder about delaying their trip towards the nearest motel a bit more. Luna had been silent most of the dinner, picking at her food, her clear eyes fixed on the declining sun and the few people outside. Her gaze lingered on the families and the couples despite herself, and in her ears, over the playful banter of the four men, the words of an Astral were still echoing.

… **plea for your race. Growing… Scourge.**

She could almost feel the menace beneath her skin and shivered despite herself.

"I think the best you could get from that girl is pity," Gladiolus was warning Prompto.

"Pity is a first step. It's better than nothing."

"We should get going," Ignis sighed, refusing to give any more rope for the blond man to hang himself with.

"It's almost dark," Luna sighed. "Aren't you afraid of daemons showing up?"

"I'll be driving," Noctis cut in. "We'll get there faster and we _are_ sleeping in real beds tonight."

After buying a pair of boots that really fitted Luna from a travelling arm vendor, they hit the road, Noctis making good time with the light they had left before nightfall. Ignis always had trouble accepting to let the prince drive. He'd never really gotten over the first time his majesty had driven with him.

"Ignis, you should relax. You've been driving for most of the day already," Luna told him, now sandwiched between him and Gladiolus.

Noctis wondered if she felt too surrounded by men. She seemed to acclimate just fine, but would she dare to complain? She was the definition of self-sacrifice. She had stopped complaining when she was sixteen, at least in her letters to him. She had confided in him sometimes, but never as much as he did.

"I'm not tensed, Lunafreya."

"He's honest there. Ignis's spine must be different from ours," Noctis observed, taking a curve and giving more speed to his motor.

Ignis's intake of breath was audible to the four of them.

"Do you _have_ to drive like this?"

Noctis snickered, while Prompto shot a picture of the backseat's occupants. Luna was wearing Ignis's coat over her t-shirt tonight, keeping the garment closed with both of her hands.

"What I don't get is why you don't have security belts in this car…" she observed.

"I guess my father got too many other options."

"Or maybe he enforced the law about respectful driving to make sure seatbelts weren't necessary," Prompto added.

It took a moment for Noctis to realize he had mentioned his father without thinking about the fact he was dead. He focused on Luna's face in the rear-view mirror, to keep his grief at bay. She had put one hand on Ignis's shoulder, asking him if Noctis' driving justified such vigilance on his part.

"He can't be that bad."

His eyes went back to the road. He'd better not mess up the engine like he did the other day!

Ignis was messing with his new glasses, the broken ones waiting to be replaced in one of his numerous pockets.

"I'd say he has improved," the advisor started. "But he's a daring driver. I bet your presence makes him just a little more prudent than his usual."

"I can hear you, Ignis."

The chamberlain smiled in answer. At least, the Longwythe Motel was visible now and Noctis felt a brief sense of relief. No daemon had shown up. It was almost 9 when they booked two rooms. The bathroom being shared between the guests, the guys gallantly let Lunafreya freshen up first. Prompto and Noctis actually sat in the hallway next to the door, playing king's knights on their phone while they waited for their turn. A warm shower would be welcomed after the stressful days.

"You keep on losing, Noct. Maybe we should browse today's pictures instead. I took some good ones."

Luna seemed to be his new favorite subject, and Noctis couldn't exactly blame him. After going over Prompto's selection, he reviewed them a second time, studying two of the car ride more carefully.

Luna seemed lost in thoughts as Gladio was gazing at the road and the prince gave directions to Ignis. In fact, she looked in pain.

"Did you notice anything special about Luna today?"

"What kind of special thing?" Prompto asked suspiciously. "I've been taking pictures, but I swear I wasn't ogling on her."

"No, not like that. She looks concerned. Here and there toom" Noctis said, pointing at the pictures where it looked worse to him.

"She must have a lot on her mind," Prompto remarked. "She's incredibly tough."

"You can say that again."

But deep down, Noctis wondered if he shouldn't have been more careful about her. He'd been so focused on her for the first few days, he was worried his friends could feel left out. He wasn't sure who needed his attention more.

"You took an awful long time to get out of the tent this morning," Prompto reminded him. "Are you going to tell me what happened between you two or not, man?"

"Nothing happened."

He almost sounded regretful about it and realized his mistake a moment too late.

"Ah ha! I knew it!" Prompto exclaimed, raising his fist in victory.

"Knew what?" Luna asked curiously.

She'd just come out of the bathing room, wearing a bathrobe and carrying her boots under one arm.

"Huh…"

Noctis felt as dumbfounded as his friend. Her hair was down, still dripping here and there. She smelled clean, looked natural and far more reachable than the almighty Oracle that gave solemn speeches on the radio.

"Nothing, he's just fooling around," the prince said, getting up.

"Have a good night Lady Luna."

"Thanks, Prompto. The two of you have a good night too." She cheered back.

Her smile was cheerful and amused. Somehow, it made Noctis feel like a child. But if he could have seen her face when she turned her back on them, he'd know she was blushing furiously. She tried to play it cool, but it felt strange to be around him in these circumstances. Strange, exhilarating and not enough all at the same time.

…

Noctis and Ignis checked on Luna an hour later. The young woman had finished drying her hair and smiled at the sheepish look on Noctis's face.

"We thought you'd like some fresh clothes'" Ignis explained.

The guys had gone through their spare clothes, Prompto giving up his red sleeveless shirt, while Ignis fixed one of Noctis's jeans to fit her.

"We should be able to buy you some real clothes in Galdin Quay."

"But I thought we were supposed to check on refugees' camps?" she whispered, taking the small bundle of clothes from Noctis's hands.

"If we find some as we travel, we'll stop, but they must be hiding."

"Especially if they're on foot," Ignis added.

"I see," Luna whispered, eyes forlorn. "Well, thanks for looking after me."

"Don't mention it. It's the least we can do."

Noctis didn't know if he should say anything more, but Luna looked tired.

"Have a good rest."

She inclined her head, graceful despite her fatigue. She had almost forgotten the Astral's voice when she slipped beneath the covers of her bed. But the Starscourge was expanding. She permitted herself to hate what the world was expecting from her for a few minutes. As she closed her eyes, Nyx's last fight and Regis's death flashed beneath her eyelids. Her own helplessness. How Noctis was hurt despite his brave face. And the Astrals were asking her to press him on.

 _There must be another way. Or at least more time._

…

Luna didn't look entirely awake in the morning. Her new attire made her look like a tomboy, but she finally seemed comfortable as she walked around without having to hold her ripped skirt in place. She ate with gusto the breakfast Ignis had prepared by the side of the car. Galdin Quay was close by and although a few people asked them if they really were Prince Noctis and Lady Lunafreya, nobody slowed them down. They were mostly happy to see them together and alive with what had happened in Insomnia.

Ignis got behind the wheel and Luna spent the two hours ride playing a guessing game with Prompto and Noctis. She was relieved not to hear the Astral anymore. Arriving by the side of the beach made Prompto even more exuberant than usual. The gunman wanted to shoot pictures of everything.

"If you keep that up, we'll never be done with the shopping we have to do."

The luxurious resort had a small selection of clothes, but much to Luna's pleasure, they also had a couturier ready to alter clothes. She ordered a white dress, a jacket, and one pair of pants, pretty sure that with a few modifications, the shirt she had would be perfect for the trip. Noctis didn't refuse any expense, simply checking with the local tipster which hunt could cover the price. By the middle of the day, fewer beasts prowled the area and Luna was properly equipped to face the world.

Her jacket was black, with short sleeves of white leather. The hood was in a soft material, a dark shade of grey with the collar surrounded by white triangles that pointed upward. Her boots were laced on the front, stopping just below her knees. Her moon pendant glinted in the sunlight as she twirled on herself once, waiting for the comments of the guys. Her hair was in a half bun, practical without catching the attention. Although with a face like hers, the attention was caught right away.

"Not bad," Gladio admitted.

"It seems… more appropriate."

Ignis had some reservation about bringing a woman on the battlefield, but he knew better than to voice them out loud.

"You look awesome," Prompto complimented her. "I never rocked that shirt as well as you do."

"Feeling up for a test run?" Noctis asked. "We could use one last hunt before setting back on the road."

She nodded her approval, feeling like a different person entirely. She knew it was childish, but she never had the right to run out in an open field after becoming the next Oracle. Or to wear anything other than white, or dresses. She had learned to run in high heels, knowing one day she might escape her captors and answer her true calling, instead of doing the empire's biding. Now, she felt as though she was finally freed from her prison.

Gladio was watching her closely, observing the way she ran, the way she hoped on rocks and reacted if one of the guys bumped into her. She seemed to adjust well so far. They went to the beach, taking on a trio of gigantic crabs. Luna channeled her light to get the beasts away from her while Prompto broke their articulations with his precise shooting, Noctis hacking and slashing through them, closely followed by Ignis. It was over so fast that Gladio wondered if he could really have a chance to test the girl. So he suggested one on one training.

"You're quick on your feet. If you can dodge on your own, we won't have to throw you around like we did in that trench."

"I wouldn't mind that," Luna declared.

Noctis seemed ready to interfere, but Ignis shot him one look. It meant that if he wanted her on the team, he'd better let the others welcome her in their own way. For Gladio, it was making sure she was up to the task.

"I'm not going to hurt you. You simply dodge out of the way," the big guy told her.

Luna noticed how anxious Noctis looked. It had taken him years to be able to compete with Gladio's sheer strength and expertise. She guessed she had more than one person to convince in that little performance.

When Gladiolus charged at her, she stood her ground, channeling her magic. Golden globes of light formed a line from her left hand to her right. Her trident appeared, blocking the gigantic sword. She flinched from the shock, but effectively managed to halt his attack.

"Wait a minute, she can summon weapons too?" Prompto exclaimed. "How unfair is that?!"

"I can only invoke one," she explained. "But if I need to defend myself, I can. I didn't do it the other day because I was afraid it would get in the way in that cramped space."

Gladiolus nodded, taken aback for the first time since she'd shown up in the middle of the night.

"She's full of surprises," Ignis commented.

Noctis simply smiled, finally seeing a way for this to work. Luna might not be a fighter yet, but she had the will and the strength to make up for it. She called back the trident, Prompto still muttering over royal lines and chosen people and unfair powers, but he clearly wasn't mad about it.

A buzzing from Gladio's pocket turned the discussion short. Luna walked up to Noctis, looking mischievous. He smirked, understanding what she must be thinking.

"To my defense, I started fighting him when I was nine and couldn't yet summon weapons," he told her. "But that was neat."

Gladio's raised voice interrupted any sort of small talk.

"Iris! You could have gotten yourself killed!"

Noctis looked up, Luna whipping her head around. Gladiolus had planted his sword at his feet and was gripping the handle with white knuckles. Prompto turned motionless for the rest of the half conversation they could hear.

"You sure? Stay there until we reach you, you hear me?! No detours, no running into imperials."

As soon as the tall man hung up, his friends were all over him.

"What was that about?"

"The roads are blocked. They barely made it to Lestallum with Jared and his grandson. My sister thought passing refugees from Cleigne to Duscae behind the empire's back would be a good idea."

"How'd she do it?" Noctis pressed him.

"Through underground tunnels," Gladiolus explained through clenched teeth. "She's been wounded, something superficial she said, but…"

Luna paled, understanding what he must be feeling.

"We need to remove the blockade and find the refugees before the empire does."

"And how do we do that, your Highness?" Gladio barked back.

"We train on the beasts we'll meet on the way to the Duscae blockade, keeping our eyes peeled for people in need of help. Cor wants me to put the empire back in its place."

"I can heal the people we'll find. It will be faster than gathering the potions or antidotes they might need," Luna added.

 _And I might find the Astral in Duscae._

"Let's start by getting back to the car," Prompto suggested. "My feet are killing me."

They rushed back, barely collecting a few curatives before to roll out. They didn't notice the flash of a camera as they left, or the smug grin on one journalist's face. People might have seen the prince or his fiancée, but nobody had alerted the empire yet of where they were. That scoop might get him enough gils to retire from his day profession and focus on what he'd rather do.

…

Luna was leaning closer to Noctis, wanting to give Gladio some space. The man was beyond himself with worries and Prompto hadn't the heart to even try and cheer him up. Any joke would feel out of place. Before long, Noctis slipped one arm around his ex-fiancée's shoulders, letting her rest her head in the crook of his neck. Her palm laid on his thigh and the touch didn't feel as intrusive as he'd thought. It helped him forget what was coming.

They stopped as the sun went down and hiked their way to the closest camp site. A few beasts showed up, but it wasn't until a dark shadow covered them that Noctis realized he might have another sleepless night in front of him.

"Is that… an imperial ship?" Prompto asked.

"Spot on. They're dropping on us!" Ignis warned.

Luna stepped to the side, readying herself for the fight. Noctis called his engine blade and aimed himself. He warped-strike two soldiers while they were still free-falling. There were so many of them, the less touched ground, the better his friends could get through them. Gladiolus took out his sword, before to get pushed down by Ignis so they'd evade a curtain of bullets.

Luna stood back, taken back to the night in Insomnia and the refugees that fell behind her as she was pulled away against her will. She wanted to fight, but even if those soldiers were supposedly nothing but machines… Something stopped her from raising a hand against them. Instead, she noticed that Prompto had taken a hit and rushed to his side.

Noctis clashed into three magiteck soldiers, their steel hissing against his blade. The glint of their eyes was a dark fire. He rolled on his side, warped-turned and slashed and barely evaded an axe aimed at his throat. What machines could move like that?! This kind of programming simply felt wrong. The metallic corpses clawed at the dry earth. He called upon the thunder spell he'd mixed on an earlier hunt, frying their system. Raising his eyes and catching his breath, he noticed three more machines. Maybe one more was still moving behind him, but his gaze was on Luna. She had finished treating Prompto and was running towards Ignis.

She didn't make a detour from the magiteck soldiers, taking the shortest route. Gladio crushed one of the soldiers' head, panting and heaving. Prompto emptied one charger in the second one's face. Noctis had barely any energy left for his magic, his arms and legs sore from all the jumping, warping and wall-hanging around. Luna was almost past the MT when the quake hit. The mechanical doll let go of its weapon in front of her. She tripped on the handle, almost falling on the blade but managed to roll on herself. The soldier's eyes flashed redder at the sight of her. As if someone had driven her picture in every of their circuits, to make sure they'd react to the oracle. An iron hand pointed a gun to her head.

Noctis might be imagining things, but he felt pure fear gnawing at his heart. So he reacted. He warped himself right on it, the shot ringing in his ears as his spear, his blade and his axe all went through the soldier. The bullet had grazed his left arm, but Luna was fine, had to be fine and she seemed fine as she looked up at him, out of breath.

"Is it over?" she asked, her voice whiter than her face.

"For now. I think."

Prompto grunted, staring at the sky.

"There will be more," Ignis warned. "We should find another camp, further from here."

The advisor treated himself with a potion, refusing Gladio's extended hand.

"Back to the car or we walk?"

Noctis helped Luna back up, barely refraining himself from hugging her to make sure she was really there.

"What makes us more visible, Ignis?"

"At this hour, the car's worse than walking."

"Everyone's up for it?"

Luna nodded with the others, although she couldn't hold back a shiver. She had been shot at before. But she had felt something in the air. Something coming from the soldier. Like a will of its own. And the quake. What could cause a continent to shake suddenly?

Noctis didn't let go of her hand as they ran into the night. If the empire was dropping soldiers from the sky on anyone walking by, he had to make sure his people were safe.

To be continued…

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Okay, so less fluff here, but more action. The adventure part of the story is shaping up. You know, I never have enough genres to classify my stories. But I think my set-up is pretty much done. Now, I need to keep up with it and stay consistent. I might have been writing and updating like crazy, but it's only because I need this story out of my system. And the updating time will eventually slow down. Please please keep on reviewing. It helps so much!

And as for the fluff, it will be back in next chapter. :D


	5. Are you doubting your king?

So, another chapter, already. Keep the reviews coming, the suggestions help. If I didn't answer them this time, it was because of a problem with . For some reason, I still receive your reviews in my mails, but I can't see them on the site. Although the site counts them, so I'm still happily looking at the numbers climbing. It's crazy! This little bug also means I can't answer directly, because they somehow exist in another plane of existence or something. OwO' Know that I read them all, nevertheless!

The following puts the story on tracks for good. Noctis had many goals now and I can get into character development. Have a nice time reading!

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Unexpected

Chapter 5 – Are you doubting your king?

Ignis was trying to mix his ingredients while saving his left arm, which was still in the process of healing. It was more pulled muscle than anything, but not feeling one hundred percent efficient was taxing on the man. Prompto was making a silent prayer so that no imperial ships would pass over their camp during the night, while Gladiolus inspected their respective weapons, making sure everything was still in working order. Noctis was on the phone with Cor, after calling Monica twice to get a trace of the elusive man. The prince didn't like the impression he had of being left without a clue of what was going on. If there were any people left to help with re-organizing the country in facing the empire, he needed to know them and have a chance to participate.

"You should be focusing on collecting the royal arms and getting stronger," Cor insisted.

"I'm strong enough to face a MTs battalion, Leonis, so either you tell me what you're doing, or you admit nothing's getting done."

Luna felt as frantic as the guys, but she hadn't much left to do. And having time to think about what was going on and what would happen next wasn't an option either. Instead, she interfered with Ignis' cooking.

"You should ask for help when you're wounded. When we're done eating, I'll check on your arm," she suggested.

"It's fine, Lunafreya. You should try to relax instead."

She sighed, before insisting with pleading eyes that reached their target a lot easier than expected.

"You need your mind off things, huh? Can you cut down the vegetables for me?"

"Vegetables? I thought Noctis never…"

"I always mix some into his food. Otherwise, that boy wouldn't have grown at all."

She shared a knowing smile with the cook, happy to feel complicity with another member of the group. By the time dinner was ready, the night was quite advanced and they were all ready to fall asleep.

"What news do you have from Cor?" Gladio asked before churning on a mouthful of stew.

"He's got little manpower left. The soldiers still alive have defected or gone into hiding. Lucis is too wide to patrol and the empire is dropping soldiers all over the crown-city. They even brought ships that can serve as military bases and are planting them all over the country."

Noctis sounded defeated as he described the situation. He hadn't the chance to learn how precarious that situation was before now. His father had kept on protecting him and although Gladio knew a bit more, even him was left in shock at the realization that their country might not hold long enough for their young king to ascend to his throne.

"How many soldiers can they have? Isn't the empire suffering from the scourge and daemon's infestations as much as we do?" Ignis inquired.

Every face turned to Luna, who took a moment to gather her wits over what she should say or not. Tenebrae had been mostly protected from the daemons by her mother's presence, and afterwards by hers. The days were longer and the sunlight felt stronger. But she recalled travelling over the empire, spreading prayers and healing to those touched by the blight.

"I couldn't follow everything happening within the empire," she apologized before to go on. "They kept me on a short leash, using my position to quiet the population's discontentment despite the daemons. What I know, I got from Ravus, who worked tirelessly to get a position from within. I think they have more daemons in Nifilheim than here. As for the empire… They started mass-producing magiteck soldiers during the last few months. The tensions were growing, but at least the citizens weren't forcefully enrolled anymore. They mostly have children and elderly left. The rest is securing the empire's advances. I treated over a thousand people a year since I became Oracle… the scourge is growing," she paused, noticing the angry look on Noctis's face.

He hated the idea of her being used, but she wished he understood that helping the people, all people, was her goal and her obligation as the Oracle.

"That's horrible," the gunman whispered. "What will they get in annexing Lucis?"

Prompto was already done eating and was taping his foot against the rock, needing to move to let out some of his stress.

"They want to possess the land all over Eos," Noctis replied. "But their policy means letting daemons roam freely around defenseless people."

"Not entirely," Luna interjected. "But in the long run, they are doing a lot more damage than good."

"So then, we know that Cor is having a hard time finding survivors from Insomnia. But thousands of people don't vanish overnight," Ignis observed.

"If Leonis can't find them, how are we supposed to?"

Gladio wanted a clearer plan from his prince and Noctis was still racking his brain for the right answer to the impossible situation.

"Iris must have had a way to gather refugees to the tunnel she used to get past the blockade. She didn't tell you anything about it?"

The big guy shrugged. He was still angry at his sister for putting her life in danger. Noctis was actually surprised that he wasn't over it. His bodyguard was usually quicker to move on. After a few minutes of silent thinking, Luna came up with a new angle:

"We're thinking at this the wrong way. If you couldn't fight against monsters and weren't equipped to camp, where would you hide from the empire and the daemons?"

"In any ruin, crashed car or rundown outpost I'd find," Noctis stated.

"So we inspect everything we find?" Prompto deduced. "That will take us forever!"

"It would be surprising to find anyone this far from Insomnia," Ignis cautioned. "But we'd better keep an eye out."

They agreed on it and hurried to bed despite being far too unnerved to fall asleep right now. In fact, after half an hour of hearing either of them rolling over and over, Gladio sighed heavily.

"Anyone awake?"

Four different voices answered in the affirmative.

"Maybe we should get a move on," Gladio sighed.

"I don't think I can walk," Prompto objected. "But I'm too anxious to sleep."

"How about we talk until we fall asleep? It worked on the first night of the trip," Noctis suggested.

Luna was lying right next to him and their eyes locked together in the dark. She was curious as to the reasons any of them couldn't sleep on the first night of their trip, but didn't dare to ask him now.

"Okay, but no ghost story," Prompto instantly warned. "I have a feeling we'll be visiting enough caves and crypts for me to have nightmares all on my own, so I don't need help."

"Wuss."

"Isn't that harsh, Gladio?"

"Huh… It's a running joke we have." The big guy answered, a little taken aback by Luna's comment.

"So we talk." Ignis muttered. "Any ideas for tomorrow's meals?"

Count on Ignis to defuse a discussion that was heading south. The conversation went all kinds of places, from the best way to fish around Lucis to the photography contest Prompto had won twice in a row at college to the people of Tenebrae that had helped Luna into becoming the actual Oracle. Gentiana seemed to puzzle Gladio more than any of the other guys. It took about one hour and a half for them to finally fall asleep one by one.

…

They found the first refugees' camp after a three hours' trek. It wasn't a bad thing that they'd temporarily gave up the Regalia, since the people of Insomnia had taken refuge far from the roads, in a collection of fallen down houses. They had large lights surrounding the camp and as they closed in, Noctis realized there had to be at least two hundred people busying about. Kids stood sentry and reacted to the small group with cheers. Although he'd rather keep a low profile, Noctis's face was known by every of his citizens.

A man dressed in black, wearing a single braid despite his short hair, limped toward them as they entered the camp.

"If it isn't Lady Lunafreya. Nyx wouldn't believe his eyes."

"Libertus!" she exclaimed in answer, recognizing him in the blink of an eye.

Noctis watched his fiancée hug the large man, wondering how much of her brief stay in Insomnia she still hadn't shared with him. People were gathering around them, curious, some doubting this young woman that looked all roguish could be the famous Oracle; but most started noticing their prince. The result was almost instantaneous.

"Your Highness!"

"You are still alive!"

"Praise to the Prince, he finally found us."

"Where have you been?"

Noctis was overwhelmed. He had yet to talk in front of any people, but it seemed the time had come. While he wanted to find refugees, he hadn't really wondered what would happen afterwards. He tried to let his voice sound high enough, his words not calculated, honesty the only thing he could give them at the moment.

"Settle down, please, everyone. I'm glad you made it out."

Libertus gave an appraising look to Noctis. He was one of the former king's glaives, a descendant of Galahd, the last province fallen under imperial rule. Noctis had never exchanged a word with the man, but Luna quickly explained his role in her escape of Insomnia. It seemed that Libertus had also gathered the people around him, organizing all the refugees he could talk too. He'd arranged for them to get enough lights to keep the daemons at bay and was now trying to create a small party of hunters that would go out and look for more stranded citizens of the crown city.

The group had gathered in the hangar that served as HQ for the small community.

"I can't thank you enough for everything you did." Noctis started after listening to everything Libertus reported.

"And I'd like to know where you were while everything was going to hell, but…" Libertus forced the scoff off his face. "There's no time for this kind of attitude."

Noctis suggested that everyone of them go around the camp and help out while he talked things out with the man in charge. Luna wanted to check on the wounded and he let her, swearing to find her as soon as he was certain he knew everything he needed to know about the situation. There was over three hundred people scattered in the ghost town. They hid their spotlights during the day, and any sign of activity at the first sight of a dropship.

"The casualties happened on the first night. We had cars and charged them as much as possible. We ran out of gas before we met the first daemons. No glaives had any power left, so we fought the best we could, hunter, man, boy, woman, anyone who was ready to take the risk, really."

Noctis was now following Libertus through the camp, spotting Luna as she healed an elderly woman. A line of people was waiting in front of her, muttering to themselves and gazing at her with awe. She felt like a savior, what with their little stock of supplies. A few steps later, he saw that Prompto was helping with the construction effort. They rearranged large stones to hide the houses better, and reinforced everything they could. They needed roofs over their heads and the makeshift camp wasn't appropriate yet. Gladiolus had jumped in the training of young hunters, giving them tips and replacing their stance.

Wherever he looked, he saw scared people that were trying their best to survive. Not a week ago, they were living in lively streets, away from beasts and daemons, safe behind the wall his father held up. Some children were too small to walk, or too traumatized to venture away from their mother's arms, for those who still had mothers.

"You need somewhere safer," Noctis muttered more to himself than Libertus.

"I don't think there's anywhere really safe. The roads are closed and even if they weren't, we can't have this many people travelling on foot. Even if you were with us, your Highness, I don't think you could kill enough daemons to save them all. Moving isn't an option right now. If we had an airship or something… No, we need to focus on the here and now."

"What do you need now?"

"Knowing you're alive and looking for the citizens is already a lot. Lady Lunafreya might make them feel safer too. But right now, we need food and potions. We need more fighters and less mouth to feed. Don't tell anyone I said that, but we saved more children than parents. A third of the people I have here are kids. They'll die from dehydration or fear before we can even settle."

Noctis felt beyond helpless.

"Libertus, I understand you have to be realistic about this. But you're the best chance these people have. And we've lost enough as it is. I can bring you food and supplies. With my men, we can look for other survivors while you focus on strengthening the place."

"You got three guys and a princess, with all the respect she's due from me, your Highness."

"You can call me Noctis. And don't underestimate us. I won't fail my people twice."

The Galahdan smirked.

"You've got spine, for a spoiled prince. I hope you can back it up. You should talk to your people. Have them know you're alive and working for them! Hope is the best fuel we can run on right now."

Noctis agreed. He wasn't ready for a speech, but he felt more in control now that he had a clear goal. Gathering arms from ancient kings was too abstract. He'd do it too, but he needed to know who he was fighting for. He needed to see a light on the other side.

The crown-city's survivors gathered together in the beginning of the afternoon. Their prince looked small, too much of a man and not enough of a god to face what was expected from him. But the fact he looked real and stood by them was enough.

"I know the last few days have been among the worst of our lives." He started, hoping the rest would bring them hope, when the strongest feeling in his heart was dread. He noticed his friends standing in the last row of the crowd and felt a sudden rush of inspiration. "But we are still here! We are alive despite the odds. If we stand together…"

Luna joined him on the improvised stand, linking her hand with his and standing before the crowd that was now suspended to their lips.

"…and we stand together!" Luna added.

An approving roar rose from the crowd, the few people still sitting standing up, as if to join their example.

"We won't fall and bow to the empire. We'll make sure everyone of you can be safe," he paused, exchanging a look with Luna, her hand squeezing his as he turned his gaze back to the Lucians. "I'll drive the empire back. We'll rebuild a new Insomnia if we have to, but I'll see you live as you were meant to… as free people!"

Acclamations met his last sentence, hands clapping, tears being shed, but for once, it was of comfort. Noctis thought he could see all of them for an instant. All the individuals, the kids, the women and the men. Orphans, widows, grieving people, _his_ people. He thought he would crumble from the sheer pressure of their trust in him. Could he do it? Could he drive the empire back?

"I won't rest until then," he added, more for himself than any of them.

He could hear his name being chanted now. Could his father hear it from the other world? He'd given them promises. Now he had to back it up.

Two hours later, after talking with any of the people that wanted to thank him personally or wish him luck, the prince was emotionally spent. Luna was pretty much in the same state, having healed about fifty persons in a single day. Ignis suggested they get some fresh air and plan what was coming now. Noctis ran one hand over his face.

"That was quite a speech for someone who had no idea what he was going to say," Gladiolus observed, half a smile on his face.

"I just hope it'll be fine. Now, are we up for more running about? We need to hunt down any monsters lurking around and stock 'em up as best we can before we attack the blockade."

"You know, I just learned that I was better at shooting things than building them. Count me in!" Prompto said cheerfully.

They spent a good part of the afternoon chasing monsters and running hunts to gather money. A few tipsters didn't recognize the prince, and those who did had already heard of his speech. Somehow, it was already broadcasted on a few stations. People either looked up to him or gave him critical looks. After collecting about 50 000 gils, they used half of it on curatives and the other half on ingredients. Bringing it back to the large camp was the best part. Libertus looked amazed at the results.

"You thought I was all talk, huh?"

"I clearly thought wrong," the man laughed at himself. "Glad to have you on board, sir."

A light bow was as much as Noctis could expect from the man, but bowing and scraping had never really been his cup of tea. He dragged his friends back out, patrolling the wild plains in search of potential refugees. Later in the night, they camped beneath the stars. Noctis was gathering magic from the small crystal shards that were sitting around the camp, Prompto already sleeping despite lying on the cold stone. Gladio was sharpening his blade and Ignis was trying to repair his broken lens somehow. The idea he was already wearing his spare pair of glasses drove him crazy.

Luna silently followed Noctis, observing him as he absorbed the fire. He was just as focused as when he'd given his speech.

"Does it hurt?" she asked him.

He almost jumped out of his skin, looking over his shoulder to see her smiling at him. Her eyes were filled with worries and questions that she didn't dare to ask. He wanted a full, worry-free smile from her, but knew it wouldn't be possible as long as the empire and the scourge were still in their world. He focused on her question, on the here and now.

"What? You mean the fire?"

He emptied the source of magic, flexing his fingers a few times. He hadn't really wondered over his powers lately. Regis had started training him early, as soon as he'd walked again in fact, fearing that if his boy remained helpless to defend himself, he might get killed for real.

"It doesn't hurt," he reassured her. "As long as I don't cast a spell, at least. It's more me absorbing the essence of fire to eventually use elemancy."

"Really? I felt warm just when I walked next to the stones."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the ice shards exuding small snowflakes despite the warm climate of Leide.

"Here, I'll show you firsthand."

Instead of fearing what it could mean, she waited patiently. He absorbed the magic first, careful not to touch her directly while he did. Elements could be a bit unstable. But as soon as the shards turned somber, like normal stones, he grabbed her hand, a cheeky smile on his face.

"So? Is it cold?"

"No. No, it's not," she admitted, blushing despite herself.

Holding hands like this seemed so natural. But why did she feel nervous being this close to him? Because of the ring he hadn't taken yet? Because of the looks he was giving her every now and then? Because she knew in her heart he wanted to marry her and also knew they had to postpone it indefinitely?

"I wish I could do more," Luna admitted.

"You're doing more than enough just by being here. I don't think I'd managed this speech without you."

Looking up in his eyes, she saw questions he wanted to ask her too. She wanted to hide in his arms, but she was afraid that if she did so too often, she wouldn't be able to face the world alone anymore.

"It was good. A little vague here and there, but pretty good," she nudged him in the shoulder, turning on herself to stare at the sky.

Looking at him had a weird effect on her. She liked him more for every smile and every shared gaze. Noctis stood a few steps behind her, trying not to wonder how it would feel to hold her close. She felt distant somehow.

"Is something on your mind?... Except for the obvious," he asked her.

She linked her hands behind her back, throwing her head back to look up at the stars. Noctis gave her time and the silence lingered.

"You can tell me, Luna, I'm serious."

"You have already so much on your mind, Noct."

"I can take a little more."

She hung her head, feeling overcome by how unfair this was. He was trying his best to be strong for everyone around him. Seeing the refugees had hurt him more than he would say.

"I heard voices yesterday. An Astral is calling. And if they reach out to me, it means you'll have to suffer their trials."

Noctis swallowed. Being tried by the gods wasn't a walk in the park. In fact, he wasn't sure any of his ancestors had managed it before, except maybe for the first king of Lucis.

"You think I'm not up for it?"

"Of course not!" she turned around, almost immediately extending her hands to reach his. "I believe in you, Noctis, I always have."

She sounded so sincere, half his anxiety left him. But she still looked anxious.

"Does it hurt… when they call you?"

She smiled as he used her own words against her. No one had ever wondered how she felt about being the Oracle.

"Sometimes. It's mostly headaches though."

As if it wasn't anything impressive. As if suffering was right for them.

"Luna…"

"I'm fine Noctis."

"You don't have to be fine just for my sake. Or for anyone's sake!"

"I know. I know you want our lives to be simpler and easier. I want it too. But we are who we are. We've been chosen for a reason."

That sounded almost fatalist and he hated the idea she could resign herself. He pulled her closer, pressing his forehead against hers, as she did when she was healing people. She shivered in his arms.

"We might have a legacy to hold up and a planet to save, but this is your life, Luna. And it's my life too."

 _Our lives._

She blinked, feeling his strong resolve, stronger than the fear, almost reaching her heart with a magic all its own. His breathing on her face was warm. Or was she cold? She slipped her arms around his neck, accepting to take this moment, even if it couldn't last or wouldn't absolutely repeat itself. Was it selfish to feel happy with him, when so many people were still unhappy?

"I'm not hurting right now. If you hold me like that…"

Her voice sounded too sweet and Noctis thought of crossing the line. Gods knew he wanted to. But she sounded vulnerable, not entirely herself. She might have healed too many people. She needed a roof over her head and more time to rest. Even if the visible wounds were fixed, she'd been through hell and he was only dragging her into more.

"Like what?" he asked her.

She hid her face against his neck, shivering even more. He wondered if she realized that he was shivering too. The night felt colder. Her hands dove under his jacket, slowly and somehow tenderly, looking for warmth.

"Don't mess with me, Noct. I feel so tired… I'll start rambling."

"I like it when you ramble," he opposed.

He gently stroked her back, realizing how well she fitted between his arms.

"What else do you like?" she heard herself asking him.

His boldness made her bolder yet!

"Well…"

"Hey, royals, don't get too far from the camp," Gladio called out.

Noctis wondered if his friends knew what was going on and were working against him or something. Luna tried taking a step back, feeling giddy just from their short exchange. He let her part from him, feeling cruelly cold where they weren't touching anymore.

"I don't doubt you, Noctis, so don't doubt me."

"I wouldn't…"

"I know you want us to have a real talk. But I think we both need time. If we rush and hurt ourselves in the process…"

She bit her lips, feeling already hurt from just being away from his arms. They needed comfort, but neither knew where the other was ready to go. They also didn't know if this need was fueled by the situation or the pressure or a mix of everything. Where they meant to be together only because of their families and bloodlines? Couldn't it have any more meaning than that?

"I know and I understand," Noctis stated. "We have a planet to save."

How fair was that?

Her smile was bittersweet. She kissed him on the cheek before rushing back to camp, hoping it would feel better than nothing. It did for her, somehow. It took a moment for Noctis to join them back. He still had to collect some thunder and his own thoughts. His emotions were another story entirely.

To be continued…

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The fluff felt a little rushed, so I interrupted them, again. XD They're still awkward because they've been away for too long and reunited by crazy circumstances, but they really long for each other. I might change part of the ending of this chapter, I'd like to have your opinion over it. As for the refugee camp, I don't remember if Libertus was still alive by the end of Kingsglaive, but he seriously should have been. And I need some people from Noctis's kingdom to survive outside of Cindy, Iris and Talcott. His father was ruling a country and Insomnia was the last bastion, but there were citizens in the city. I saw them in Kingsglaive. I saw them in Brotherhood. We'll see them in this fic. :D


	6. Benediction or malediction?

I am so glad I never watched the Omen trailer of FFXV before playing the game. It promised such impressive stuff. And yes, I just watched it. Been writing over the music from it for the ending of this chapter, but the feels, the damn feels. I was so much closer to the truth with one of my previous stories than I thought. I've been reading stuff on TV tropes and watching too many videos over FFXV. All I need is to write more of this to get to a point where I can have a nice conclusion for Noctis's life. It might last between 100 to 120 chapters with the pace of things in the story. I'm thinking of using a lot of the ideas that were supposed to be included in the game, but not all of them. Numerous theories and leaks are nice for inspiration, but I yet have to find any word of god over this. So the game, the movie and the anime are still my best shot. I have to thank all of you for sharing the information you have and keep the suggestions coming. It helps me shape up the story!

I can write pretty much every day, despite having lots of things I should be working on. XD I'm giving myself a reprieve from school to write to my heart's content. The updates won't keep coming like this indefinitely, but as long as I have feedback, I'll update as fast as I can. So keep reviewing!

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Unexpected

Chapter 6 – Benediction or malediction?

Noctis was surprised Luna was still fast asleep in the morning. He sneaked out of the tent, only to be met by the conspiring looks of his friends.

"I was hoping you'd get up before the lady, lover boy," Gladio said with a widening smile.

Noctis' teasing radar flared up, but it was too late to hide from them.

"We saw you two yesterday, man. Very smooth. Actually, smoother than when you give me tips," Prompto added.

"What we're getting at, Noctis…" Ignis started. "...is that it's painfully obvious for every of us that you're in love with Lady Lunafreya."

His face turned red, but he didn't deny it.

"I wasn't sure when we left, but it's clear as day now," Prompto continued.

"Could we get to the point before she wakes up?!" Noctis asked, feeling his face burning up.

Gladio smirked. "I just wanted to tell you that in my experience, you shouldn't wait. Just tell her already. You two deserve to be happy."

Noctis wasn't sure he did. His people were suffering.

"What experience?" He retorted.

"Look at the prince all embarrassed. Although he's got a point, big guy."

Ignis cleared his throat, ready to wrap up the discussion.

"We won't be jealous and no one in their right mind would resent you for it, Noctis. Love doesn't have to be a distraction from your duties."

"Okay. So now, are you going to push me until I've confessed or something?"

"Nothing like that," Prompto quickly said. "If you help me get a date with my goddess of the gears!"

"Which goddess?" Luna's sleepy voice asked from behind Noctis.

The guys panicked for an instant, not sure what the Oracle had caught of their discussion. They were all more sensitive about their prince's feelings than they let on. Ignis and Gladio had been his age once and Prompto was pretty much in the same boat when it came to girls.

"He means Cindy," Noctis answered, taking a small revenge in seeing the gunman blushing madly.

"Cid's granddaughter? I wonder what she'd think…"

"Ah please, Lady Luna, don't tell her anything. I don't think my heart is ready yet to be crushed to pieces!"

And although it was a joke, Noctis realized that postponing an outright confession was more about protecting his and Luna's feelings than anything else. They had a solid friendship and they were both afraid of risking it. They were putting so much at risk already.

…

The day was spent patrolling Leide, finding survivors, healing them, and getting them back to the camp with more provisions. For dinner, they decided to give Ignis a break and ordered the fattest dish at Takka's restaurant. Luna had grabbed the newspaper, skimming through it from the last page to the first. For some reason, she always had to start her read with the obituaries, giving a silent prayer for every deceased person and their grieving families. They were almost done with their food when she gasped out loud, knocking down her glass of water.

"What's wrong?" was Noctis's first reaction.

One look at the front page answered his question.

 _ **Has the Oracle rejected her duty?**_ Was written in bold letters, right above a picture of them five in the car, Luna in her new attire, sitting in the center of the shot.

The article stated that Lady Lunafreya had run from the empire, surely to elope with her fiancé, the young and rebel prince Noctis. In doing so, she'd given up on the people of Nifelheim and Tenebrae. It went on as more gibberish, citing a few distressed citizens as examples of how the empire stood after this betrayal. The one Luna had read stated that she might have been too young to start being an Oracle and was currently running after years of carefree youth she'd sacrifice for the people.

 _I understand where she's coming from, but the blight and the star scourge are still there. If we can't have faith, we have nothing._

"Luna, that's a bunch of lies and we all know it." Noctis reminded her.

The look on her face told him she was ready to run back to the empire just to make sure the people were safe.

" _They_ don't know that."

"There's no need to panic here. The empire can use all the fear propaganda they want, but as long as we don't fall in their trap, we'll have the power to fight back," Gladio told her.

"And that photo isn't focused. It looks like you, but it could very well be anyone else," Prompto added.

Luna was half-comforted, but still felt unsure. What if she could help more back in Nifelheim?

"You've been praying for them for most of your life, Luna," Noctis reminded her. "You're not running away from duty."

 _He's right_ , she thought.

She was needed everywhere, but here she could do more. At least, she hoped so.

…

The next three days saw Noctis and his team moving heaven and earth to straighten the camp and gather as many survivors of Insomnia as possible. They fought every imperial they could, gathering food and supplies, hunting monsters late into the night and more often than not skipping one of their meals. The rhythm was infernal on all of them and even if Noctis worried more about Luna than his friends, the young woman was pulling through just fine. Libertus's camp was now counting four hundred and some people. The kids had enough food and water, Gladio had managed to help develop a simple hydration system that helped refugees in collecting and saving water through natural caves.

Noctis now had an organized network of hunters reporting to him through various tipsters, giving him the pulse of the region and of the country itself. Cor had managed to gather soldiers and hunters, working on finding or creating a base that could serve as a military headquarters instead of a survival zone. The prince had agreed to separate their people in more than one place. If they kept all their eggs in the same basket, they risked losing everyone.

"We'll need a few more men to protect Free-crown."

On his third visit, the prince had the surprise to learn everyone had voted on a few names for their refuge. It helped them feel more at home. Their cohesion was important. Noctis didn't have the time to talk to everyone on each visit, but he was always welcome. An old woman took him on the side once, whispering thanks.

"Be careful not to push yourself, your Highness. Losing yourself in hard work will only help you for so long. You have to take care."

"I… I will."

"Your father was a good king. I'm sure you're making him proud."

For a few seconds, he couldn't breathe. Thinking of Regis now almost hurt more than when he'd heard the news of his death. There was so much to get done and every day didn't seem to be enough. He blinked, unable to find a good way to answer.

"It's okay, young man. We're all in mourning."

She patted his arm, understanding his silence. Sympathy was almost worse than Libertus's permanent doubts. But he had many people backing him up. They weren't strangers anymore, almost everyone of them had faces and names now. It was like being haunted.

…

 _The voices had woken her up in the middle of the night with a scream._ Luna's forehead was wet with sweat, and she looked for her breath, trying to recognize the room she was lying in. Blinking, she realized screaming was a bad idea. The empire had taken over her home and soldiers waited in every hall. They knew either herself or the daughter one of the Fleuret would sire one day would become the Oracle. She'd heard talks sometimes, talks that made her shiver down to her soul.

If she held no power, she'd be turned into an Oracle breeder. She was too young to understand what it meant, but the looks on the soldiers' faces and their ugly smiles had scared her enough. She knew it would be bad.

She slipped out of her bed, her bare feet not making a sound against the floor. Ravus had been taken away from the manor, first to receive treatment for his burns, then to study and finally… to be reformed. She saw him once a month, keeping a straight face when he asked her how she was doing. But to tell the truth, she was scared. Writing to Noctis and receiving words for him was her only solace. He didn't write much right now, but he was constant.

Iron cladded footsteps echoed before her door. The voices whispered in words that she couldn't understand. It was the first time _they_ spoke to her. Luna knew why. She was the Oracle. Noctis had been chosen by the crystal of Lucis and she was gods chosen. She might have been happy about it if her mother was still there to tell her what was coming. All she knew right now was that the soldiers would come more often. The bearded man too. She hated feeling his eyes on her.

And then, Gentiana would put her through the training which would make her a full-fledged oracle. The power in her veins almost burned. The door creaked and she saw two red eyes, flashing in the dark. The voices grew restless. Their chant felt like a warning. Luna turned her back on the magiteck soldier. She pushed the window open and gripped on the vines covering the outer wall. In a matter of seconds, her feet were touching the grassy field. The night felt too cold, but the soldiers' unmoving smile was colder. She ran, fear clawing at her heart, the voices drumming against her head. A warning shot rang just above her left shoulder, sending her to the ground in a bundle of nerves.

Shouts alerting other soldiers filled the night. The moon barely reflected any light, the stars all vanishing beneath large clouds. Luna got up on her feet and forced herself to run. She almost regretted not running with Regis till the end. But she knew he'd never make it with both her and Noctis. She could still stand. If she could stand…

The robot followed her, twice her size. When he caught her by the shoulder, she almost felt her bone snapping out of his socket. Running was wrong. Running meant abandoning her people. But who wouldn't run knowing what the empire expected from her? Who would save her until she could save them?

…

Noctis was drifting. The water drove him back and forth, like a rocking chair, but he couldn't breathe. He swam against the current, trying to find some light, hoping to understand which was up and down. It lasted forever. Fighting, drowning, kicking against the water. When he finally emerged, he was facing a dark staircase that resembled the Citadel's far too much to his liking. His body was too heavy, but he moved out of the water, breathing hard. Someone coughed and he almost recognized the voice behind it. His heart shifted in his chest. He half ran half crawled up the stairs, spotting a hand that dangled at the top of the stairs.

The ascension was long, taxing. He still had trouble breathing and slipped on a few steps. The hand twitched. Blood dripped down the dark marble, threatening to make him slip once again. But Noctis couldn't let it bother him. The king was up there. He was alive, he had to be alive!

"Da…"

The word remained stuck in his throat as he finally saw him. Regis Lucis Caelum was lying on the floor, right beneath his throne, a hole of blood and torn flesh in his chest. His gray hair was stained in place. His eyes were pale, filled with pain. His hand didn't move. His broken leg had been twisted, the golden metal warped in the wrong sense.

The sky above their heads was filled with imperial ships, but Noctis only saw the old man, lying dead and motionless before him. He was drowning again, even if he could draw air into his lungs. His hands hovered above the king. Would he disappear if touched? Would he open his eyes as he did when he was still a boy looking for comfort after a nightmare?

 _This is … this was your king._ He tried to remind himself.

But it didn't hurt less. He saw the broken fingers. Noticed the gray piece of crown that was still stuck on his head and felt something crack within his mind. That thing shouldn't be on his father's head. It had nothing to do there. He reached through his hair, pulling it aside, trying to wrench the crown from him. It was stuck. He followed the bony crown, wondering if somehow, it could mean that something was a lot more wrong than he'd thought. The idea he was desecrating his father's body didn't register. He needed to free Regis of this weight. He couldn't carry it in death. It felt worse than the ring that aged him too quickly, worse than the wall raised all around Insomnia.

Turning the king on his side, he finally realized what that weird crown had been. It was made of bone and nails, growing from Regis's skull. A horn, like a devil. Or a daemon.

"I can't… get it off!" he roared, trying with all his strength.

He arched his back, grunting. If it was gone, maybe would his eyes open again? Everything had changed with that darn thing. Everything was wrong since… A gush of wind pushed his hair into his eyes. The bone snapped with a crack, sending him back down the stairs. But the water was gone, replaced by darkness and shards of stone, filled with fire, thunder, and ice that hit him like thorns. He kicked and bled. He groaned and pulled and tried to remain sane through the burns, the bites and the cries. When he opened his eyes, he had fallen from his bed and was stuck in his own tangled sheets. He kicked them off, gasping for air. The motel was silent around him. They'd taken separate rooms, each guy needing some space. They were hitting the blockade on the next day.

Noctis blinked, seeing the horn curving on his father's head each time he closed his eyes. The picture felt wrong, so wrong, but somehow, he knew it was the truth. Regis was slowly turning…

He pulled at his hair, trying to find his own horn. He had the same power as the late king. Surely his turn would come if he lived long enough.

 _It couldn't be real, it was just a nightmare, it couldn't be…_

Whimpers from the other side of the walls caught his attention.

"Luna…"

She had been doing her part in everything they tried, but she had also grown a little distant. The others were pretty sure she worried about Tenebrae and Nifelheim. Noctis walked out of his room, making sure the noise was really coming from her own room. Visualizing his goal, he warped through the wall. He'd rarely tried it, but since he could warp through attacks and living things, a few planks of wood weren't that big of a deal. Lunafreya was tossing and turning, going through her own nightmare, her face covered in sweat.

"Luna… Luna, wake up," He tried, walking up to her bed.

His voice wasn't enough, so he gently gripped her shoulders. Her scream was almost instantaneous. She kicked him in the stomach, backing away from him, her eyes wild with fear. Noctis didn't flinch, his hands still on her.

"It's me, Luna. It's Noctis."

She took a moment to recognize him. But his eyes were soft, blue instead of red. He was towering above her, just like the soldier did, but he wasn't made of metal and darkness. He was flesh and bones. Slowly, she relaxed herself, her hands still held in front of her, as if to protect herself.

"How… why did you get in?" she asked.

"I had a nightmare. I heard you and… I thought I'd comfort you or something."

She smiled at him, the fragile smile that was starting to feel usual. Noctis motioned to raise himself, but she grabbed his shirt.

"I'm not comforted yet," she said, trying to sound playful despite her shivering voice.

"Okay. You sit up, then. I am not lying in a princess's bed on the first night I enter her room," he tried teasing her back.

"I'm no princess," she retorted, slowly sitting up. He put his back against the bed rest, never really letting go of her. She nestled against his chest, sitting in his lap. She was wearing a pale nightdress that she replaced to remain decent.

"You would have been my queen," he reminded her. "Technically, it makes you a princess."

She tried not to let the words _would have been_ hurt her, stroking her face against his chest. His shirt felt too light and her breathing was sending shivers down his spine, but Noctis blamed them on his nightmare. After she'd settled more comfortably next to him, he wrapped his arms around her. One of her hands rested above his heart. For an instant, he thought to himself that if it wasn't for her fingers right over it, the muscle might stop in his chest. He was still filled with fears himself. Swallowing it down entirely was an impossible feat.

"You want to talk about your dream?" he asked her.

"Only if you do with yours."

His arms shook for a few seconds, as if simply thinking about it was enough to fall back in a panic.

"I saw my dad," he whispered. "Dead. Not himself."

"It's been one week. You need to give yourself time."

"I said I was here to comfort you, Luna."

"And you're doing well. Distracting me really helps."

Which meant it didn't help.

"What did you dream of?"

"Some old memory."

"Was someone attacking you?" he insisted.

She had never mentioned bad treatment from the empire, but then again, she was almost four years his elder. She wouldn't worry a child if she was suffering. The worst she'd admit to was feeling lonely with her brother gone and her mother buried.

"Noctis, you're not fair. I have to stay strong."

Her voice sounded muffled. Her hand was now covering her face. She was trembling slightly and his imagination ran wild. What had _they_ done to her to make Luna this shaken?

"You remember when I tried walking in Tenebrea?"

"Yes, your legs didn't hold, and you fell down. You threw up such a tantrum! Nobody could pick you up for a good fifteen minutes."

He rolled his eyes, not exactly remembering the same things as her, although she was mostly right.

"When I calmed myself, I was down, thinking I might never walk again. You tried cheering me up, but Gentiana locked me back in my room, chiding me for slowing my own healing."

He had hated feeling so helpless. Ravus's snarky comments against a "baby" prince hadn't helped. But Lunafreya had shown up afterward, finding him crying himself to sleep.

"You told me I was strong for trying to walk again despite being hurt," he reminded her.

"You are strong Noctis. You've accomplished so much in so little time already."

"But you've already accomplished far more than me. You are strong, even when you're scared."

She didn't want him to belittle himself, but the relief she felt from his words!

"I can't believe we'll lick each other's wounds for this entire journey," she sighed after a while of staying like this, embracing each other in silence.

"Well, there's a lot of wounds," he confessed in a shuddering tone despite his best intentions.

Why was being honest so hard on his feelings?

She pulled away from her fiancé, looking into his eyes.

"I wish I could heal them."

Her hand cupped his face, easing most of the pain. She was the mother's touch he'd missed his entire life. She was the sister he'd hoped for, but she was also so much more.

"I think you can. With time."

He cupped her face with both hands, hoping it could confer all that he felt better than words. Luna's smile was stronger this time. Her tears didn't fall, a small victory considering the nightmares that haunted them both. She let go of him, closing her beautiful eyes, gathering all the strength she could from the moment they shared. When she gently pushed his hands away, he understood the magic was gone. But somehow, he knew it would be back. It was easier to find every time they were alone together.

"Tomorrow, we'll break through the blockade," he reminded her. "You think you'll be ready for it?"

"I will. I can make do with little sleep."

"I don't know how you do."

Her laugh was music to his ears. It wasn't until he got up from her bed and had to unlock the door that she manifested a mix of shock and surprise.

"How did you get in with the door still locked?!"

He hadn't really thought this through. Any girl would be upset knowing locks couldn't keep a guy away.

"Huh… I went through the wall? Royal powers, you know. Comes with the godly looks."

"Holy… Get out, Noctis!" she retorted, smiling despite herself.

…

After swallowing a meager breakfast of toasts, much to Ignis's shame, the quintet drove up to the blockade, parking the regalia half a mile away. Prompto seemed particularly on edge, but they went on, meeting up with Cor at the designated area.

"The King, Scientia and I will work on the infiltration," Cor reminded them.

"Gladio, Prompto, Luna, you're just taking their attention as far away as possible. No need to get into the fight before we back you up."

"Don't worry man. I'll look after the Lady," Prompto told Noctis, blinking in fake confidence.

"And I'll keep them in one piece," Luna added.

Noctis didn't like splitting up, but they were against harsh odds. Not lingering in goodbyes meant they would see each other again. All alive, that is. He had almost forgotten if he'd ever been carefree before. All he knew was that killing Nifs made him feel better about himself. As he summoned his blades, throwing himself forward, he wondered how the Lucians had reacted to their first king's powers.

Maybe was he already a monster, but at least he was fighting for the good of his people.

To be continued…

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Many people asked me for flashbacks over Luna's life already. So I give you one with her nightmare. Which means we could have some fluff afterwards. But Noctis's nightmare is more based on my own vision of Regis's weird crown. I always thought it was half a crown. And who would dare ask the king about the thing in his hair? From digging up information, I learned it might have been the beginning of a horn. And with the daemon theme and all of my own theories over Eos, I must say I like the idea. I really wished we had more bio on the character. How old is Regis supposed to be? I know Noctis is only 20, but he's pretty much the only one with a clear age. The wiki and wikia are telling us stuff, but can I trust in it? Gladio shouldn't be 24 years old but at least 27. Or on steroids. I'm 27, it's not that old, SE, get a grip! XD

Anyway, I'm not sure about the name of the camp. Every suggestion is welcome! The next update might not come out tomorrow. Got work to do before Christmas arrives. ;) Just review to let me know if anything felt wrong in this chapter.


	7. Who's our enemy?

Another chapter! To think the story has been updated seven times in the first eight days. Do you realize what that means? Almost one chapter a day? It's crazy! I've been telling a lot of people that I was going to slow down eventually and I totally understand that you wouldn't want me to, but I don't want you to take for granted I can manage five chapters a week for the entire run of this fic. I love the characters and the story and I need this fic to fix what the game did to my heart, but I also need to keep up with real life. I'll update as much as I can, but the updating time will definitely slow in January since I have a job to keep up with.

I hope I can bake you one more chapter before Christmas, but after that, I'll be getting some time off to make sure I stay inspired and spent the holidays with my loved ones. I've been staying up late to finish every new chapter and with the incredible reception, I was beyond myself. I still am. I slept a full night to make sure I'd get this chapter right. I don't really know what you will think of it. We have action, but we also have some major dissension. I hope you'll like it!

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Unexpected

Chapter 7 – Who's our enemy?

Aldercapt was growing restless. He had gotten off his throne and managed to go down the maze-like halls that linked every of Verstael's laboratories together. The scientist had been expanding their army without fail, creating more soldiers than their breeding mothers could ever have. The emperor knew the daemons were multiplying in Nifelheim. He needed the Oracle back to keep the smaller at bay while Ardyn gathered the bigger as fuel for his MTs. But he had another problem.

"Verstael? Where are you hiding? I called for you thrice already!"

His knees were cracking with each of his steps, but Iedolas pushed his old bones forward. Goblins shrieked behind their highly lighted cages. A smell close to putrefaction filled the air.

"Oh, your Highness, I'm still trying to find a sound cure for the blight. We're getting better results every day."

Iedolas stared at the darkened cadaver on the examination table, his insides all pulled out for inspection. The mindflayer caged on the opposing wall was trying to find a hole in his cell, clearly wanting to feed on the former human. Maybe could it create another daemon from the ashes?

"How many days will you still need? This dreadful thing is eating me apart!"

Raising his sleeve, the emperor showed his darkened arm to Verstael.

"The stain is closing in on my heart. I need your cure or my oracle back!"

"I thought Ravus was supposed to work on getting his sister back in our hands," the scientist observed. "Are we really so undermanned, I have to do everything myself?!"

"I don't trust that man further than I can throw him," Iedolas growled, hissing back at the mindflayer, showing decaying teeth.

The emperor was growing more tainted by the days, slowly losing his mind to the bestiality. The last stages would start when his heart and mind turned dark. Then, Ardyn would take over, and Verstael would rather serve a mad man to which no daemon bowed. He'd seen more than he should and was pretty sure Aldercapt was driving the empire to ruin. Their only chance was in completely mastering the daemons growing rampant and controlling the blight without the Oracle. But it was easier said than done.

"Ardyn ripped off his arm to teach him a lesson. I wouldn't trust him at all, your majesty."

"How long till you get me a cure that won't quicken the blight?" Iedolas insisted.

"I need the right subject, sadly. We have less and less fresh citizens to spare. The MTs are unusable. Most of them have entirely fused with the daemon's fragments."

"I don't have time to listen to this. What do you need to make it work?"

The scientist frowned. The corpse on his table belonged in a butcher's shop, not his lab. But things had gone too far, and his reason governed every decision he took.

"The Lucians. We kept half as prisoners, didn't we?"

"At your suggestion. We can't keep Insomnia working without some workers. We still lack un-militarized MTs."

Iedolas couldn't look at him, staring at the mindflayer. The thing fascinated him. How strong a daemon would he become if his top scientist failed him?

"I'm also working on that," Verstael reminded him. "Now, let's have Ardyn bring me fresh meat to work on the cure."

"I'd like to see that bastard prince's face if he knew." Aldercapt smiled wickedly.

Verstael wondered if the emperor wasn't too far gone already. But the cure could still serve him. The blight hadn't won over his own body yet, but it was only a matter of time.

…

Lunafreya hadn't a lot to do to get the imperial soldiers' attention. Walking up to them, her hair in her trademark high ponytail and waving her arms at them brought more unrest than all the bullets Prompto could have shot. The base emptied itself in reaction and she had to run with all her might to keep some distance between them. Gladio was with her, ready to block anyone's attack while Prompto covered their escape, attacking from as many angles as possible despite being a single man. The panic started and grew.

Noctis thought he'd feel exhilarated as he trashed through metallic men and the few human soldiers. He didn't look after Cor or Ignis. He was paving the way for them, rushing ahead as they finished anything he left in his tracks. His father had always told him to keep the brunt of every task to himself.

" _A Lucis will always be first on the frontlines. I'm not saying to rush carelessly into danger. But when men sweat and bleed for you… as a king, you must lighten their burden as much as you can."_

Right now, there were no frontlines. It couldn't count when you were six against fifty. He wished he'd stop thinking about everything his father told him before. His arms were sore from all the shocks, his feet barely following his body. Noctis warped through the metal's railings, cutting down guns, busting through armor and limbs in a flurry of motions. He was just fast enough to dodge the bullets and hanged himself against a wall, looking for his breath a second. Maybe two, but not more than that. He was a Lucis. Ignis and Cor annihilated any soldier still standing.

"We need to bring down that ship," Cor reminded him, pointing to the large transport hovering above the base. "It must hold reinforcements."

"On it," The prince retorted, jumping on the wall's edge.

He threw his spear at the ship, following in a trail of blurry blue. With a twist of his hips, he got on top of the transport, huffing from the exertion. The sight of Gladio fighting back soldiers, about half a mile down made him dizzy. He'd never been afraid of heights before. Sure, he'd thrown up after his first warps, but… He might have been pushing himself during the last few days. If Cor noticed, he didn't say anything. It wasn't like anyone else could board the damn ship. Closing his eyes an instant, Noctis gathered all the elements he had absorbed lately. He needed an explosive mix. Machinery and magic never sat well together.

On the ground, Luna dove beneath an axe, calling her trident to trip up a soldier. She was graceful and nimble, her magic almost too bright. If they had been fighting humans, they might have been dazed. Sadly, the Oracle wasn't offensive. Gladio hated seeing her on the battlefield, sure she would turn into a casualty despite all the protection he was giving her. Prompto was keeping his distance, driving back the MTs before they could reach his friends. He had to move around a lot to always keep a good look on the situation and his thoughts might be going even faster than his feet, trying to predict which soldier would move next, aiming for whom.

Just when the ship opened its front door, Noctis let the magic burst from his hand in a mix of fire, thunder and ice. Having aimed for the motors, he effectively sent the pile of metal crashing down, warping away from the following explosion at the last moment. Gladio grabbed Luna by the arm, shielding her with his own body as pieces of the ship flew through the air.

The magiteck soldiers looked around at the commotion, giving Prompto the opportunity to terminate every one of them. From this point on, Noctis and his group made small work of the left overs. Cor didn't fight much, focusing on cracking the imperial codes. The men cheered as the gate opened, high-fiving each other. It was the first time Leide could connect with Duscae through the normal route in many years. Luna remained further behind, gazing at the destruction they'd caused. The ship was still burning. Through the few holes, she thought she saw something moving.

She listened as closely as she could, taking a few steps toward the wreckage. Her heart twisted in her chest as she realized there was someone in there. She invoked her trident back, hoping she still had time to get the soldier out. People burning always reminded her of her mother dying. It was the clinking sound of metal against metal when she used her weapon as a lever that caught the guys' attention. She was trying to widen a tear in the ship.

"What are you doing?" Gladiolus exclaimed.

"There's someone inside! Help me get him out."

Neither Cor nor Gladio moved. Prompto took a few steps forwards, eyeing his friends' reaction. Ignis frowned, understanding where she was coming from, but unable to move either. Noctis walked up to her, feeling his anger rising. Protecting citizens was one thing. But whoever was inside that thing was a soldier. Like those who'd killed his father.

"Let him be. You're only going to get yourself hurt."

The moans of pain turned into panicked yells.

"Help me! I don't want to die!"

Luna's mind was made up. She put all of her weight in the next swing, bending the sheet of steel further open.

"Over here!" she called out.

"I can't…I'm… I'm stuck!"

The young woman barely hesitated. Noctis caught her just before she plunged into the dark tear. For the first time, she tried fighting against his hold on her, realizing he might let his anger cloud his judgement.

"There's no time to argue, Noct, he needs help!"

"You are NOT going in there! I'll finish him up…"

She didn't hold back, hearing this was enough to drive _her_ mad. She struck his left leg with the base of her trident, slipping out of his grip, turning on herself to glare back at him. The way she'd attack his weaker leg was like treason; as bad as the fact she wanted to save an enemy soldier. His eyes were ice shards piercing through her heart.

"Killing the others was fine," he groaned, putting himself between the opening of the ship and her.

"This is wrong, Noctis. He can't even fight back! You don't have to kill him…"

Prompto had gotten closer to the scene, unable to remain idle. This kind of argument shouldn't happen on a battlefield. As much as the gunman secretly wanted to agree with Luna's kindness towards an unknown imperial soldier, he wondered if this couldn't be a trap. Noctis had his back to an enemy.

"Maybe we should…" he started.

"There's no time to deliberate," Luna warned, her eyes scanning the churning carcass of metal. "Either you let me go to him right now or you get him out yourself. Out _and_ alive,"

Noctis's hands turned to fists. There wasn't time to think, no time to register he'd been ordering her around as much as she just did. For an instant, he thought of putting her back in her place. The very idea hurt more than his throbbing leg.

"As you wish, then."

He warped backward, disappearing into the wrecked ship. The ongoing fire helped him in seeing where he was going. Beams of steel drew an awful maze in the large hangar where a broken-up mech had waited to make innocent victims. The man handling the machine was stuck in the broken cabin, one of his legs utterly crushed. He wasn't much older than Noctis, his eyes wide with fear. Those weren't red eyes. His bloodied face moved freely, showing every specter of pain. One of his arms was broken and the other one was impaled with a cannon from his own machine.

Noctis didn't want to feel anything, didn't want to obey to Luna's orders. If he could, he'd let go of the fire and extinguish the man's life. It would be better than prolonging an existence of crippled suffering. Sometimes mercy turned men into killers. But Luna wouldn't understand. Luna would hate him. He felt like hating himself, wondering if he couldn't have taken out the ship without this kind of result. But time was of the essence.

"You're getting out. And it's going to hurt like hell." He warned the Nif, cutting through the metal holding him back with his royal arms.

Getting out meant making a bigger opening. He never warped while touching other people. A bad experience with a frog had left him scared for life of ever trying it. Throwing two giant blades forward, he finally walked back into the open and fresh air. The man he carried was a mess. Luna kneeled next to him, taking his pulse and quickly giving him a potion. The burns healed and some of the bones set themselves back. When she channelled her light, Noctis had to look away from the horrible picture. Stopping her now would be fruitless, but he was still mad at her. Prompto kneeled on the other side of the man, using some of his own curatives on him.

Ignis and Gladio remained silent, watching the whole thing unfold as if it was a bad dream. Cor motioned for the prince to walk away from the healing session.

"I thought the lady and you were on the same track. If she's not on our side…"

"Luna's on our side. She simply needs to understand this is a war," Noctis replied bitterly.

As he said the words, he wondered why it sounded like a lie. A fight could turn into an outright war. His city and people might have been mercilessly attacked, but turning into the daemons he was fighting was wrong. Crippling someone like he just did…

"This was the wrong decision, Noct. What are we going to do with that guy?" Gladio complained.

"He could give us Intel," Ignis suggested.

"How can we trust an imperial?" the big guy bit back.

"Scientia isn't wrong," Cor mused. "This could actually be an opportunity. I'll take him with me when she's done. But you were lucky this time, Noctis. It'd better be a one-time occurrence."

Noctis dreaded the discussion he would have with Luna afterwards.

"We'll set things straight." He swore to the man.

The wounded soldier was sitting up now, the worse of his wounds healed-up. His crushed leg was a drag and amputation seemed like the only solution, but Noctis preferred not to think too much about it. Gladio poked him in the shoulder, almost sending him face first in the ground.

"At least, we know which one of you will be pulling the reins, if you ever agree to the wedding."

"Get off my back!"

When Luna was finally done with the healing and stood back up, she faltered, having used far too much magic in a single treatment. Prompto caught her by the arms, holding her up, while Cor gathered the imperial on his shoulder. The barely rescued man was half conscious. Noctis saw himself in the guy an instant, a small boy carried by his father, helpless, vulnerable. What should have feel like a victory seemed worse than a loss.

"Let's get back to the car. Check out Duscae while the sun's still up," he ordered.

He was limping a little more with every new step, but he refused help from either of his friends. Anger was stronger than guilt, although they waged a war in his heart. Luna had no right to…!

He sat in the front seat this time, something that never happened. He almost wanted to drive, but Ignis formerly forbid him from doing so.

"Rest that leg."

Luna felt prickles of shame at the idea she'd hurt him. She knew how hard his temporary disability had been on him. But beneath all the good sentiments, she was human too and couldn't bear to see him turn into a cold-blooded murderer. She just hoped he would understand her point. For the moment, Prompto was the only one siding with her. Gladio took as little place as possible in the back seat and the gunman thought it better to be the one sandwiched in the middle. Noctis had never sat that far away from her yet, but even though she wanted to talk things out right away, her strength was failing her. She huddled over herself, shivering as she slowly processed her fight with Noctis. They'd never disagreed so strongly before, always taming either of their point of view in their letters for fear of losing their only correspondent.

They crossed the wall erected by the imperial in awkward silence. Noctis wanted to receive some indication that he hadn't been wrong instead of the silent looks his friends shot him in the various mirrors of the Regalia. Dizziness came back, stronger this time. When Gladio broke the silence, both royals were fast asleep, gone in a tense slumber.

"Why did you help that soldier, Prompto?"

"The fight was over, and we'd won. Why didn't you barge in?"

The question was for Ignis as well, but the driver cut to the chase.

"It wasn't my place to interfere. Although I'd rather not see Noctis taking risks just to please Lady Luna."

For once, Ignis sounded affected, almost angry at the situation. He knew that interlude had been far more meaningful than answering a princess's whim, but he had worked too hard and watched the prince growing up for far too long to be fine with him putting his life on the line for an enemy soldier. He was like a younger brother to him.

Gladiolus ran a tired hand through his hair.

"It was lucky the man didn't turn out to be a MT bidding for time. Luna needs to understand who's our enemy here."

Prompto kept his head down, nervously playing with the wrist band on his right arm. His camera hadn't been out once during the encounter, but the picture of Noctis and Luna glaring at each other was engraved in his mind. Watching those two fight had been awful, even if it hadn't lasted more than a few minutes.

"I hope they can make up," he thought out loud.

…

Noctis woke up a few hours later, lying in the small bed of some unknown RV. He didn't remember walking out of the car, but his friends had certainly carried him around and tucked him in. It was a pretty diminishing idea, but he pushed it away, swinging his legs out. His left knee throbbed and the pain radiated through his bones. Usually, the leg would feel stiff on rainy days, but the old wound had been awakened. Surely all the running and warping around hadn't helped. He stubbornly got up, fighting against the fear of his father's golden cast. He didn't want to end up like that. He couldn't falter before getting few years older, in the very least. Although the crystal's magic was eating up his energy with every use he made of it.

The first few steps served to gage how much he should save his leg. The pain would eventually numb down and vanish until the temperature woke it. Movements on the other side of the RV caught his attention. Luna was tying up her hair, having just woken up too. The Luna that had attacked him without hesitation when she'd realized his intentions for the remaining Nif.

Her eyes met his, widening instantly.

"Noct!"

The prince deduced his friends had deserted to give him time to sort things out with her. But he didn't feel like it. He was still too bitter to listen. And somehow, he didn't want to be the only one to hear what she had to say. He turned his back on her, walking out of the RV without a word.

Luna's hands fell into her lap. They had been so supportive of each other until now and suddenly…

She was still tired, still sore and aching from the magic spent, but she got up, following him outside. The longer they'd waited to explain themselves, the worse it would get.

The night was falling on the station and little to no people were outside. Ignis was cooking dinner, making small talk with Prompto while Gladiolus trained, raising weights borrowed from some local, his jacket thrown to the side. Noctis was kneeling in front of Umbra who'd finally manage to find them. Luna was taken aback by the sight of her loyal companion. Pryna had been left in Tenebrae to fend for herself and Umbra had been carrying her last message to Noctis. Forgetting she was supposed to be angry with him, she raked her brain to remember what she had written, when she'd yet have to learn of the empire's true plans. She'd been love-struck at that point and not thinking fully, writing in the heat of the moment. The prince took the notebook from Umbra and she launched herself at it, feeling embarrassed beyond words.

"What are you doing?!" Noctis exclaimed.

"You don't have to read it," Luna declared. "I'm here to tell it myself."

Noctis kept a grip over the book, keeping her at arm's length with his free hand. He had risen at the sudden movement, but all his anger was gone for the instant, replaced by a mixture of surprise and curiosity.

"Then tell me," he pulled on the notebook, almost dragging her closer to him by doing so.

"I…"

She blushed, feeling the eyes of his friends on her. Noctis wondered what could get her this embarrassed. Now he really had to read it before she could tear off the page or something! Slipping one arm around her, he tickled her side, which made her release her hold on the book for a second. Enough time to hold it high above their heads, which got her squirming, but this time she wasn't trying to hurt him. And the memory of it got him wondering more…

"Please, Noct, I…"

"It's not because of what happened today?" he asked, his smile faltering.

"Of course not, it's just… different writing something and watching you read it right in front of me."

"Well, if you won't tell me, I got to read it."

She wanted to squirm and fight back more, but decided to let it go, despite the ache in her throat. She wasn't sure how he would take it with what had transpired a few hours earlier. But she'd pushed him enough in a single day. Although Noctis's friends were dying of curiosity a few feet back, they kept their distances. Luna didn't look away from her prince's face as he opened the notebook and quickly found their last exchange.

 _I'll be waiting in Altissia. I really can't wait to become your wife!_

It sounded almost childish, but the words and everything they meant hit him like a ton of bricks. This had been written without thinking, but it made it sincerer than any well-thought-out letters they'd exchanged in the past. His wife, his queen. His Luna. He looked up at her flushed face, torn between longing and the anger from earlier.

Now he needed to know…

"Why did you have to save him? Why was it more important than…?"

 _Not hurting me._

She swallowed, holding his stare.

"I've seen so many people burn. My mother. Everyone touched by the blight before that I had the power to help them… They brought them to Tenebrae, telling me that if I didn't turn out to be the next Oracle…" She closed her eyes, her lips quivering, trying to keep the awful memories at bay. "I… I can't… If you force me not to save them, I won't be able to live with myself."

That hit home. Hard. And despite the compassion he felt and how much he wanted to hold her, he stood still. He wanted them to burn for what they'd done. He wanted them to hurt and she was telling him it was wrong.

"I'm going to kill more people, Luna. If I'm to save any, I'll have to kill those that can't be saved."

"I know. If it's your life on the line, I might kill them myself. But they _made_ me a healer."

For the first time, he understood she resented her fate as well. It was enough to forgive everything. He let the notebook fall to the ground and held her to his heart. It took a long time to part from her afterwards. As if letting go meant losing her entirely. But she wanted to be with him. He wanted to convey some feelings in return, but the new wounds were still too fresh.

The gods had made her a savior and the crystal had made him a destroyer. All he could hope was not to taint her, while holding her up as much as she kept him together.

To be continued…

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I'm really worried about the reception of this chapter. I think the thematics I explored here were entirely needed and should be addressed now. Luna is kind, but she's also human. Her flaws can't only be to love Noctis and wish for a normal life with him. That's not a flaw and that's far from being a weakness!

The ending made me tear up as I finished it. I really feel sorry for Luna. She wants to understand the people around her, but that doesn't mean she has no hate for some specific persons either. I don't want to say her kindness simply come from being the Oracle, but the excessiveness of her kindness might be from it.

Please review to let me know what you think!


	8. Sword of the father

I'm really happy with the reception of the last chapter. I know it was hard to see them fighting, but two people interacting cannot always agree. Glad the duality of their roles felt right. Now, there is still some healing to do after their fight, but there's also a character some of you really wanted to see that I introduce in today's chapter. This should be the last one before Christmas, so I hope it comes as a nice Christmas gift. We'll have action, anguish and fluff and action again! I made it longer than the other ones, but I really like the usual length of these chapters. They might seem shorter when a lot of dialogs is happening, but my words count is pretty much the same, between 3900 and 4300 words every time. I write longer chapters in French, because it comes a lot easier. A 10 pages chapter takes me from five to eight hours in English, so imagine if it was longer! Anyway, here's the 8th chapter of Unexpected!

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Unexpected

Chapter 8 – Sword of the father

The following day didn't start with getting back on the road. Noctis was still limping and a dozen Insomnia's escapees had discovered the presence of their prince and his bride-to-be at the outpost. Noctis had given out money, food and potions, encouraging his people to get to Lestallum, giving them hope with Free Crown's camp. Sadly, it was pretty much all he could do, and anyone affected by the blight followed Lunafreya who offered them her healing and prayers in turns for most of the morning. Prompto had asked around for information and learned of the chocobo ranch which waited close by. He had been pestering Noctis over the possibility of visiting the ranch ever since. They sat a good fifty feet away from the Oracle, killing time until her duty was covered for the day.

"I know it would delay us, but with all the running around we've done, we really could use an easier way to travel when we're not using the Regalia," Prompto pointed out

"A sensible idea. I don't think we're ridden chocobos in the last two years," Ignis observed.

Noctis nodded absentmindedly, his eyes following Luna's every gesture as she pressed her forehead against a middle-aged man's forehead. He was trying to look for any sign of weakness or pain in her posture, but she held herself like a divine incarnation. Beautiful despite sleeping in tents and rolling in the dirt to avoid monsters and being pushed around by his own restlessness. She had changed in her white dress and looked more dignified and feminine than ever.

"She's doing fine," Gladio told him.

The big guy was playing a cards' game with Ignis. He'd already lost some gils in the four previous rows and their cook and driver was closer to collecting enough to buy himself another pair of spare glasses.

"She's driving me crazy," Noctis admitted.

Prompto rolled his eyes.

"Are you still angry at her or still wondering if you should make a move?"

Noctis crossed his brows in reflection.

"Bit of both?" he tried, not looking at his friends.

"Seriously?! I'm still a sad girlfriend-less man and you're going to torture me like this?"

Gladio chuckled.

"More like a girlfriend-less boy, Prompto."

"I'm turning 21 next month!" the gunman protested.

It was past twelve when Luna finally walked back to her travelling companions. She looked exhausted, but pretended that after changing into her usual clothes and grabbing a bite, she'd be up to hit the road. Noctis ate in silence with the others, a hundred questions running through his head. Luna came out, still feminine despite the pants and jacket. Her hair was down, and when Prompto asked her why, she admitted to a headache. From the look on her face, it was certainly more of a migraine, but Luna wasn't one to complain. She was too mature for that. It made him angrier at her. Why did she have to be so perfect all the time? How did he prove himself to a savior sent by the gods?

On the road, despite them sitting closer than the last day, there was something keeping them apart, like an invisible wall. Prompto was snatching pictures of the scenery, amazed at all the greens and the trees. There was something really hospitable about the wide forests and the few lakes scattered around. Ignis wanted to put on some music, sensing the tension inside the car. It was Gladiolus who spoke up first.

"Before we barge into anything and have to fight again, I have a question, Lady Lunafreya."

She felt as though a stone had settled inside her throat and nodded apprehensively.

"You remember that our king is Noctis, right? I can't let you order him around like you did yesterday."

Instead of lowering her head, she looked up defiantly at the bodyguard.

"I know my reasons might not be… appropriate to you…"

"You put his life on the line," Gladiolus shot back. "What's more, you hurt him on purpose. If you weren't the Oracle…"

"Enough!" Noctis interfered. "What's done is done."

"No, he's right…" Luna declared. "I haven't apologized yet."

"Well, you can save it for the next time it happens," he snapped.

Luna took the brunt of his words, understanding that she still wasn't forgiven by the person who mattered the most. Gladiolus groaned in disapproval and Prompto exchanged a nervous look with Ignis. Clearing his throat, the driver tried a different tactic.

"Can we say that none of us will let it happen again? At this rate, we're allowing the empire to break us from the inside when we should be working together against them."

The following silence made him feel even less comfortable, so he went on:

"Lady Lunafreya might not be our queen yet, but it was meant to happen. From now on, if she gives me an order, I'll obey it, if you're agreed, Noctis."

Noctis looked up to the eyes of his long-time friend in the rear view mirror.

"Of course. Luna is one of us."

He was doing a poor job at making her feel welcome right now, but he would get over himself in time.

"But I don't want to…" Luna protested.

"I'll be her knight too!" Prompto quickly said. "I think I've been one from the day I found Pryna, at least in my head."

Luna smiled, accepting what the guys were doing for her. It was their way of forgiving what had taken place. She didn't expect Gladio to join in right away, but he did.

"As long as it sounds right with me, I'll listen to what you have to say. But Noctis will overrule everything," he warned her.

"Thank you…"

She dried one tear, hoping she wouldn't remain as emotional for their entire journey. Half an hour later, they reached the ranch, where chocobos walked by freely, kweeing and flapping their too small wings. Seeing such cute things was like a cure against a dark mood. Even Noctis felt himself smiling despite the ache still running through his leg. Prompto was out of the car before the motor even turned off. Luna's headache had receded and she followed them closely, trying to keep her mouth shut despite the fact it was her first time seeing chocobos in the flesh. Those birds were beautiful.

The owner of the ranch welcomed them to pet the animals, chuckling at how childish Prompto was turning in front of his long-time dream. When Ignis asked if ranting them every now and then would be possible, Wiz's face darkened.

"The birds won't go out from the ranch, no matter how many of our clients call for them," he started. "An awful beast has been roaming lately and chasing them down. We call him Deadeye. If you're up for hunting him, maybe the chocobos will feel safe enough to venture outside again."

"Aww, that sounds awful!" Prompto let out. "Shouldn't we do something about it, Noct?"

Noctis wondered if it was a good idea.

"Didn't we see a few posters mentioning that Deadeye already?"

If it was a behemoth… which it was. They hadn't fought that big a target yet and Noctis wasn't sure if he should bring Luna against such a foe. He wasn't sure he wanted to face such a thing himself.

"Oh, finally, some behemoth steak!"

Gladio sounded too enthusiastic, but Noctis agreed despite his better judgement. Surely facing a beast with no link to Lucis or Nifelheim was the right test now. He was supposed to win against impossible odds. He was supposed to stand with four people as his army against the freaking empire that had devoured Eos for the last 4 decades. They followed Wiz indications, Gladio leading the way with the prince close by. Luna was side by side with Prompto and Ignis covered their rear. When they saw the destruction the rampaging beast had left in its wake, Noctis felt part of his courage leaving him. This thing might be even bigger than the snake which had almost broken his spine when he'd been a child.

If they won, it would mean they could take on pretty much anything.

"I can't see a thing in this fog!" Prompto complained.

"Shhh! I can see it," Noctis warned.

The hunt was on, and the excitation of it took over the entire group. They ran, bent in two to avoid getting seen. Ignis kept checking the direction of the wind, afraid the beast might smell them. They weren't exactly clean, a real bath or one warm shower would have been quite welcome, but at the moment, Noctis was glad for the dirt and dried mix of blood and oil covering him. The rocks weren't always large enough for them to hide all behind the same one, so they split up, signaling each other as often as possible without alerting any beast. Not that there seemed to be anything other than Deadeye in the thing's lair. That half-blind behemoth was an alpha if Noctis ever saw one. As they were finally reaching the deepest part of its lair, most of the fog lifted. It revealed a ruined mansion or hangar. Surely the latter when they considered the dozen barrels of gas lying on the floor. A few were overturned, but Ignis immediately saw their potential.

"If we can lure it closer to these things, a single flame and they'll do the damage for us."

Noctis had some fire left on him, but he couldn't help throwing a look at Luna. He hadn't forgotten what she'd told him last night. About watching people burn.

"I'll be fine. I'll focus on healing each of you."

"Use items instead of magic," he suggested. "There's no need to push yourself."

It was one of the first nice things he told her since the beginning of the day, but Luna couldn't help the impression he distrusted her abilities. They had all been very careful of her and overprotective. Because she was the Oracle, because she was close to a princess in their point of view. And also because she was a woman.

She had a lot to prove them yet.

The night was falling, and their own stomach had started rumbling when Noctis made the first attack. He threw his sword forward, landing on the beast's back. The roar tearing up the silence sent a dozen birds flying. The prince held on, planting his spear in the strong hide of Deadeye to give himself some foot hold. Prompto was shooting madly, his bullets barely leaving a mark on the monster.

"Think of the chocobos, man, you're doing this for the chocobos, you're…"

A mouth filled with the largest fangs the young man had seen snapped right where he'd been standing just before Luna pushed him out of the way. They rolled on the ground, his shoulder hitting a brick while the Oracle collapsed over him. She scrambled to her feet, followed by the gunman, who was looking for his breath and doing his best not to fall into a full panic.

Ignis had borrowed some magic from Noctis and was trying to get the beast's attention. The behemoth snarled and groaned as he tried to remove the thing on his back. Its tail snapped, sending Gladiolus flying into a wall. Luna tried running, but a single step from the beast made the earth shake. Keeping her balance was pure luck, but she trudged on hoping Gladio wasn't too hurt. The man seemed stuck to the wall and had even let go of his sword.

"Prompto. Get it closer to the barrels!" Ignis asked.

"Why me?!"

"Because you look like a chocobo!" Noctis yelled, gripping at the behemoth's mane to stay on it.

Prompto ran, crawled, and jumped and ran again, unable to believe he was putting himself in the line of sight of the beast willingly. Deadeye saw a flurry of yellow hair. The man smelled a bit like the birds, after petting a few of them and walking around the ranch. He also smelled of fear and something different. Not from these parts. Roaring with anger, the behemoth aimed for the gunman. Prompto ran faster than he'd ever done, and whatever Noctis might say, the young man was a master runner. With all the training he'd been through!

"If this doesn't work, I'm coming back to haunt every last one of you!" he warned.

"Stand back!" Ignis retorted, launching the fire spell.

Luna had just reached Gladio's wall and was pushed against the bricks by the explosion of flames.

The last roar turned into a whine of pure suffering. Noctis ran over the giant spine, getting closer to its head. Although the meat was burning, as long as the thing moved and proved a danger to his friends, he would fight it. He tried sending his weapons forward without following them. He'd practiced the trick after seeing his father do it once, but never seemed to get it right. The swords and spears turned in a widening sphere, slowly circling the monster's neck. Noctis closed his fist, letting the blades rush deep into the beast. He warped away as it collapsed to the ground. Gazing at his friends, he saw Luna healing Gladio, using both items and her magic despite his warning. The big guy had a lot of broken bones and some internal damages that couldn't be fixed with a simple potion.

Prompto got up on shaky legs, a wide smile on his face.

"Man, that was wicked!"

"And a bit risky, your Highness."

"I'm trying to get stronger, Ignis. There are risks involved."

"Guys, I need help!" Luna called.

Gladio was slowly coming off the wall, but she couldn't support his weight. He was still groggy from the shock he took. The three men rushed to her aid, worried she'd crushed beneath their veteran fighter.

"I think he may have a concussion," she whispered. "I fixed all I could, but he needs rest now…"

"I'm perfectly… fine!" Gladiolus protested as Ignis and Noctis helped him sitting down.

"You hit that wall pretty hard, man," Prompto reminded him. "My head would have gone "squish" if I was in your place."

"Nonse… Oww, I think I'm gonna throw up…"

Gladio was furious with himself, but he had to admit the hit he took was a bit more serious than his usual bruises and scratches. There was a hammer drumming against his skull and his friends' faces were doubling and tripling. Noctis let him lean on his shoulder, feeling part of his hunger receding at the sounds he made while he retched.

Lunafreya was pale, standing on wobbly legs. Her hands were covered with blood and dirt and a small cut ran from the side of her face to the hollow of her neck. Noctis spotted blood on her moon pendant.

"If we secure the perimeter, we can camp here," Ignis suggested. "It would be easier to carry Gladio in sunlight."

"I won't be some dead weight," the man bit back, trying to raise himself.

They held him down, knowing when the signs weren't in favor of foolish bravery.

"You're concussed, confused and being stupid!" Noctis chided him. "Just lie down and let us take care of things for once."

Gladio breathed out hard, unused to being talked back like that even by his own prince. Prompto dust off a rock and suggested that Luna sat down for a bit. She was clearly exhausted. Noctis asked her to keep an eye on his bodyguard and got busy in following Ignis's example. They carefully moved the left gas barrels further away, managed to slightly move the giant carcass to have its head against the wall on the opposing side, using its body as a protection. It left about twenty feet of open space. Prompto had bought two flare lights from Free Crown, thinking it might come in handy if they couldn't find a campsite. Positioning them was a hassle, but once fueled with a tiny spell of thunder, they shone brightly enough to keep any sort of daemons at bay.

Ignis made quick work of setting up the tents, having seen Gladio do it often enough to be an expert himself. Noctis dragged the big man in the tent with Prompto's help, setting him comfortably, giving up on their own pillows to make sure he'd rest well. Luna gave them a few pointers as to which position should be best and they decided on turns to watch over him. Half dozing off, the giant protested to every nicety, but couldn't raise any conclusive opposition. Ignis was slowly managing a meal, something simple and nutritious to make sure they would recover from their taxing day. The night air felt cold and part of the fog came back, making teeth chatter together and they huddled closer over their plate of Lasagna.

"I can't believe you manage to cook anything this pretty in the middle of nowhere." Luna marvelled after her first bite.

"It is handy to have Noctis and his powers of infinite storage," Ignis admitted.

"My power of _what_?!"

"Oh, isn't that the name I'd suggest, Iggy?"

Noctis faked a glare towards Prompto, before to laugh it off with them. Small talks felt easier that night, after a victory over a monster that none of them would have thought to defend. He eyed Luna, sitting to his right. She had tied her hair to the side, but hadn't treated her cut yet. They had barely taken the time to wash their hands so that Ignis would permit them to touch the food.

"I've made some soup for Gladiolus. Who's going to feed him?"

"Me, me, let me do it! I'll never let him live it down!" Prompto exclaimed before to wolf down his lasagna so that he'd be ready before any other potential volunteer.

Ignis smirked and gave him the bowl.

"Don't rush him and don't drop any of this in the tent. We're trying to keep it clean," the advisor reminded him.

Luna smiled fondly at their camaraderie. They were all looking out for each other.

"You're really giving it your all, Ignis. I hope you're not pushing yourself."

The chamberlain blinked in surprise.

"Giving it my best is part of my job."

"Now that's preposterous. You're not getting paid for travelling with me. You came of your own accord. Better try and have fun when you can," Noctis warned him, understanding what Luna was getting at.

"What makes you think I'm not having fun?"

"The fact you never let me drive," Noctis shot back.

"My nerves couldn't take it."

Scientia looked away, letting the reflection of the fire cover his lens.

"Is it really that bad?" Luna joined back in, inching herself closer to Noctis.

"He busted his first two cars. I don't even know why the king lent him the Regalia," Ignis answered matter-of-factly, keeping his trademark straight face.

"I only busted the first one. Second one was Prompto's fault." Noctis defended himself, chewing on his last bite of lasagna.

He still felt hungry, but wasn't sure if there were left-overs. Ignis aimed for perfection and hated left-overs. Reheated food was beneath his standards.

"Do you think I could try driving once? I've managed to get some lessons from Ravus while the soldiers weren't looking."

"I thought you'd driven a tank with him, not a car." Noctis remarked.

Ignis raised one brow at that.

"Is it that different? I parked that tank without crashing it into anything. It's way bigger than…"

"No. I'm not letting either of you drive," Ignis cut her off.

He got up and walked to the other side of the camp, pretending he had dishes to wash and the pair of royals remained behind, holding back a laugh.

"I think you really shocked him, Luna. He had you all figured out and now he doesn't know anything anymore."

"But you blew things out of proportions! It was a _small_ tank."

Noctis couldn't hold it back any more. He knew she could be daring, he knew her dammit, but the picture was just too much, even if she had been a teenage girl back then. He laughed out loud, covering his eyes with one hand not to see her indignant expression anymore. She couldn't keep a straight face when she saw him laughing freely like that. It was as though they were kids again. So she giggled and laughed with him, trying not to worry at the thought of her brother. When Noctis finally regained his composure, he looked up at the sky, trying to spot a few stars, leaning back on his elbows.

She found herself staring at him, trying to imprint the peaceful look on his face. His next question took her by surprise.

"Are you going to heal that cut before it leaves a scar?"

She raised one hand to the side of her jaw where the blood had made a crust. It burned and itched, but it seemed so superficial.

"I… I used up my potions. And I can't heal myself with my magic," she admitted.

His smile was sad as he sat straighter.

"The Astrals are never fair with their gifts huh?"

Her hands turned to fists but she forced herself not to answer. She couldn't let him fuel any resentment towards them. It would mean giving up and she couldn't… She'd worked too hard to get where she was and accepting who she was. When Noctis turned to her, he sighed, finding her lost in thoughts.

"Eos to Luna," he called her.

"What?"

"I'm no healer. But I can try and fix you."

She blinked in the most adorable way, before to understand as he motioned for her to get closer. She did, stopping when their knees touched. She looked down at his legs, feeling guilty again for attacking him. She couldn't muster the entire question out, stumbling on the words and his closeness.

"Does it…"

He wiped his hands on his pants before touching her, raising her chin with his index finger until their eyes met once more.

"It's fine, okay?" Noctis assured her.

She forced herself to smile, not willing to dwell on it if he didn't want to. He focused on her wound instead, gently repositioning her head to have a better view. Cleaning it came first, but she didn't blush before to feel his fingers applying the potion on her neck. The cut started at her collarbone, following a line up her neck. She hadn't realized how vulnerable the position made her feel. This Noctis wasn't a kid anymore. Sometimes he almost looked like one, but right now…

"You got this before we even start fighting with that thing, didn't you?"

"I don't really remember."

He didn't like her answer. It sounded like she'd been hurt often enough to dismiss any superficial wounds like this one. He remembered her state when they found her. She'd been running and standing up when any normal girl would have collapsed.

"Just what did they put you through for you to be this hard on yourself?"

"What?" Luna asked, not sure she understood what he was getting at.

"Watching people burn. Being under a constant watch. The nightmares you have at night."

"Noctis, the past's in the past. If we don't look forward to…"

"I'm trying to look at you, Luna."

He followed the line of her jaw with his thumb, tracing the outline of her ear. His eyes were intense and she wanted to let him comfort her in any way he thought best. She felt so tired. Her eyes closed and she permitted herself to lean a bit in his touch.

How sweet could a man get? He wasn't fair, making her all flustered, she thought. Opening her eyes, she stared into his, glancing at his cracked lips an instant. What she felt, she hadn't expected. Not this soon. Not for her.

"What do you see?" she asked him, her voice turning playful.

"A beautiful woman… I wished you could be…"

… _mine._

She smiled at his hesitation.

"I'm already your Oracle, Noctis. And I am your Luna too."

One's heart couldn't take such a declaration without fluttering through one's man ribcage. Noctis thought this was it. But something broke the moment. The space between her eyebrows turned from smooth to worry lines. She leant forward, grabbing at his shoulders as the voices hit her like thunder. Her head hurt as if it was going to split. There were two of them now.

 _ **Don't forget, child. The scourge... Find us! Guide him to us.**_

Her breathing turned ragged and Noctis held her in his arms, hating how powerless he was to ease the burden she carried. When she finally relaxed in his embrace, he realized she was unconscious. All her healing, running around and getting hit by a divine message had used up her strength. He hoped things would turn out alright in the end.

…

In the morning, Gladiolus felt a lot better, proving his point by standing up and walking all by himself. He was mad for slowing them down and Ignis barely prevented him from overdoing things, the three other still fast asleep when their muscled friend attacked the packing of their tent. Luna was like a zombie, while Prompto was overly excited at the prospect of riding a chocobo. Noctis decided to collect some meat on the fallen Behemoth and once they were all packed up, they moved out, walking back towards the ranch. The car was exactly where they'd left it, but the prince immediately sensed something wrong about it.

He started walking faster, hoping his eyes were playing tricks on him. But there was something coming from his father's Regalia. A wing on the hilt of… No, no way someone dared to…! As he got closer, he recognized Regis's blade planted right in the motor. His blood froze in his veins, even more so when Ravus Nox Fleuret stepped in front of the car, dressed in a white military uniform, wearing his usual dark expression.

Luna gasped behind him, but Noctis couldn't care for the fact the man was her brother at the moment. He didn't slow down, raising his fist without thinking. Ignis and Gladio stopped him, Prompto staring at the strange picture, trying to understand what he was missing. Luna kept moving, reaching her brother and clasping the side of his coat, her eyes wide with shock and care.

"Ravus! Ravus! What… Your arm! What have they done to you?!"

The white-haired man looked down to his sister, putting one metallic hand on her shoulder. Prompto had to cover his eyes as the sun reflected on it.

"I got promoted. They thought it was… holding me back."

Lunafreya shook her head, enraged and hurt at the idea he went through something so horrible… Noctis took a few deep breaths, trying to think clearly despite his anger.

"Are you okay?" Luna asked her brother. "You're hurt, not just the arm. You're thinner."

His gaze on her was unforgiving, finding every cut, every mark on her clothing and face that shouldn't be there. She smelled different. She'd never worn pants, not even when he suggested her to.

"Worry about yourself, Lunafreya. How have you been treating your fiancée, Caelum?"

"Better than the imperial ever did," Noctis bit right back. "What are you doing here, Ravus?"

"I'm getting my sister back home," he retorted, his mechanic arm holding her closer to him. "She can barely stand up."

"I'm fine, Ravus, don't be stubborn," Luna objected, pushing on his chest to get away from him.

"You were never fine! I won't force you this time, but I can tell the path you've chosen will only get you hurt."

He sounded angry, but mostly disappointed. Luna took a few steps back, falling in line with Prompto, Noctis shrugging off his friends' hold on him, half calmed down.

"Why would you work for _them_ , Ravus?"

The older Fleuret looked down on him, his eyes turning to hard slits.

"Why should I work for you or anyone? You're a pampered prince with shiny toys and some flashy powers just 'cause you were born in the right family. You're not worth my sister or my time."

This time, everyone's temper flared up, but they stood on their position. Noctis wouldn't attack first, not only for petty words. Luna wouldn't forgive him. But it was hard to stand it all in silence.

"Then why are you here? You want to test me?"

Ravus's laugh was sharp, like a whip cracking against skin.

"I've heard other beings are aiming to test you. I won't dirty my hands if I don't have to."

This time, if Gladio hadn't wrapped his arms around Noctis's frame, he'd jumped at the man's throat.

"Ravus, for heaven's sake!" Luna pleaded.

"You're so far gone already in this damn farce…"

He walked backward, jumping on the hood of their car, taking the sword of the late king out of the poor Regalia.

"Gladio, let me go! That's… my father's…"

"A sword you're not worthy to bear yet," Ravus cut him off.

He didn't smile as he belittled the prince. He just wanted to shake him up enough. To have Lunafreya realize what was going on. This boy was the reason their mother had died.

Noctis warped out of Gladio's arms, roaring his anger and pain as he launched himself at Ravus. His lance hit the Glaive, the reverberations of steel against steel ringing up to his core. He was taking back his father's blade. He couldn't let it in the hands of someone that thought so little of his line, who despised the man and treated his own sister like this.

Ravus clenched his metallic fist, a red wave of light coming out from his arm, extending like a ripple in the air, surrounding the whole group. Noctis fell in the middle of his new warp, the sword in his hand remaining while the lance he'd conjured refused to appear. His powers were nullified somehow. He parried the following attacks, trying to find a weakness in Ravus's moves.

Luna had joined her hands and was silently begging them to stop. She felt that this was important, although she feared the outcome. The three members of Noctis's retinue exchanged brief looks before taking a step forward, taking out their respective weapons.

Noctis saw their reflection in the Regalia's windshield.

"Don't any of you interfere!" he ordered.

If he couldn't defeat Ravus without the crystal's powers, could he even defeat the empire?

"You really want to be worthy, don't you? But this is no test, Caelum. It's real life!"

Ravus feinted on the left, parried, as nimble as Luna. Noctis swiped his feet, scratching the paint from the Regalia. He pushed him back, jumping on top of the car despite all the respect he held for it. The Fleuret was fast, even faster with his metallic arm. They duelled and waltzed, not talking anymore. They needed every breath they took. A few chocobo kweed in fear from the noise but nobody dared jumping it. It was a fight of attrition now. Noctis used his own speed and kept feinting. He managed to land two hits but his opponent wasn't going down so easily.

"I've had about enough of seeing your face," Ravus snarled.

He slashed the car in a smooth arch line, drawing gas and oil right after his blade. His sword came so close to the prince's face, drips of both liquids splattered on him. For an instant, Noctis couldn't see, his eyes burned. Then a metallic fist punched him in the guts. He was hurtled back, hitting the windshield with enough strength to crack it. Angrily wiping his burning eyes, the prince tried getting back up, but Ravus's voice came from further.

"Since my sister likes you so much, I'll give you some more time."

"No…"

He blinked as much as he could, but the light was bloated, useless tears rolling down his cheeks. Then he heard Luna next to him, trying to get his hands away from his face. He tried pushing her away, but the sword fell from his grip. It never clanked to the ground. It fell back through his power, which was back now that Ravus had left. His sight came back later, after his four friends managed to calm him down and gently put some potion on his swollen eyelids.

Luna held on to him, apologizing for her brother's conduct.

"It's not your fault. It's not…"

Gazing at his broken car, Noctis felt like giving up for an instant. His father's sword was in the hands of some mad guy aiming for revenge or something. He hadn't managed to get it back even when he put his all into it, even when he kept fighting after being temporarily stripped of his powers. What did that make him?

After a moment, Gladio suggested they give their prince some space. Ignis calmed down Wiz, explaining what he could about the commotion. Luna didn't drift too far, worried about her prince. Noctis was sitting on the Regalia's battered hood.

"Don't hold it against yourself, man," Prompto tried to cheer him up. "He cheated and kept messing with your head."

But Ravus hadn't cheated. He'd made things fair. Noctis held his face in his hands, trying to process everything. His father's car was broken. His father's sword had been taken. His pride was shattered. Luna was worried about her brother and him. Gladio still had a slight concussion. Prompto was trying to cheer him up when he should have been strong for his friends. And Ignis kept pretending he was fine, because showing emotion or weakness wasn't up to his damn standards.

"I guess it's a good thing we'll be able to rant chocobos for a while," Noctis tried, testing the sound of his own voice.

It came out steadier than he'd expected. Prompto gave him an unsure smile.

"We could stay here for the day. Camp and relax…"

"No," Noctis whispered. "If I stay here, I'll just get more down and won't be able to move on until Gladio drags me by the collar."

"Yeah, we don't want something like that happening around your fiancée."

"Hell no…"

Luna was walking towards them, having freshened up a bit. Noctis had rarely seen her more hesitant before. She felt as though she had betrayed him somehow. He forced a smile and saw her eyes brightening in answer.

"Making plans for what's coming next?" she asked.

"Well, first I'm calling Cindy to get this mess fixed," he declared.

"My brave prince," she cheered him.

He blinked, his heart soaring a bit in his chest. Taking out his miraculously intact cellphone and dialing Hammerhead's number wasn't any easier, but he managed.

Luna grabbed Prompto by the arm, pulling him to the side. Her expression was mischievous and the gunman wondered what that could mean for him.

"So… Noctis is calling Cindy,"sShe started.

"Huh, yeah, have you seen what your brother did to our… I mean, his car?"

She shook her head.

"Prompto, there might be something good that can come out of this, but I need you to be honest with me."

"O…kay?"

"You like Cindy, don't you?"

He blinked about ten times in the following second, his ears turning red.

"I… I've already told you so, didn't I?"

She grabbed his hand, a serious expression replacing her mischievousness.

"You know that fixing the car means that Cindy must come all the way out here to get it, don't you?"

"Duh! I'm not stupi… Oh my god, I'm sorry, Luna, I didn't mean to…"

She shrugged it off.

"Prompto, what I'm getting at is… This is an opportunity for you. To talk with Cindy, get to know her better and have her learn more about you."

As understanding dawned on him, he flushed scarlet red.

"You… you're not serious?!"

"Well, I think you're a sweet young man. I'm pretty sure she would think the same if you gave her the chance of actually knowing you."

On the other side of the road, Noctis was trying to explain the situation to Cid's granddaughter.

"What ya' do the poor gal?"

"She… kinda got… stabbed?"

"Say what?!"

"And the windshield is done for too."

"Wait a minute, your hi'ness. You drove a freakin' sword through tha' beauty?!"

"That wasn't me," he retorted angrily.

Cindy didn't insist, but she was shocked. Hanging up, Noctis looked up to see the whole gang had gathered around him.

"She'll pick the Regalia up in two days. Until then, I guess we should leave her here and get back on the road."

He eyed Luna, remembering her crisis.

"There are some trials we must get through," he added.

The Oracle squared her shoulders, half dreading the experience. But Noctis wanted to prove himself more than ever. And she wouldn't let her trust in him waver now.

"Where are we going first then?" Gladio asked.

"Where Luna tells us to go."

"But I…"

"You can hear them," Noctis stated. "And I won't let you face them alone."

He knew she could have left with her brother if she'd wanted to, but she had decided to stay with him instead. He wouldn't let it be in vain.

"We're taking chocobos?" Prompto asked, unable to hide his eagerness.

"You bet."

The guys knew Noctis was forcing himself to move on. Gladio gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"You're doing good, Noct. And in our opinion, you're more than worthy."

Noctis smiled, sadness mixing up with the wave of courage he felt. Even though he'd lost his duel with Ravus, he hadn't given up yet. And the next time, he'd knock his lights out. Luna slipped her hand in his, gently squeezing. His Luna. No matter what dared to show up next, he had the feeling he could face it. They'd taken out a wall and a behemoth. He wouldn't let her brother set him back.

To be continued…

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This chapter is 16 pages and a half, about 6400 words not counting my comments. So this is my Christmas gift to you. A bittersweet ending, but a lot took place. Next, chocobo riding and one Astral's covenant. Then, we should be able to see Lestallum. And I'll have to send them grinding before they start the -no turning back- part of the game.

We've gone past a hundred reviews already. I love the feedback and the ideas you give me and hearing of your opinions! I've been answering every review as much as I can – the site shows them again!- and to all the anon/guests, thank you, thank you so much for making the effort to review. It means a lot to me, considering the time I put into this. Next chapter will be up sometime after Christmas, depending on whether I can have access to the Internet. Being at various family meetings has its downside. ;) Be sure to review to let me know if anything was weird, perfect, exaggerated, clichéd or just to your liking.

Just to mention, my version of Ravus hasn't taken part in Kingsglaive. Luna hasn't seen him for a while yet, like I tried implying in the earlier chapters. His background story is a bit different, because I want to give him a bigger role. He wasn't supposed to have an outright fight with Noctis on their first meeting, but it felt right as I wrote it. I know he was really harsh on Noctis, but he knows stuff that the prince does not. Anyway, I hope you like his inclusion in the story. He will definitely be back!


	9. Lukewarm thunder

I'm back! And this new chapter that was supposed to be light-hearted is not light-hearted at all. At least, not entirely. I know where I am going but sometimes the plot seems to just impose itself on me. XD We have fluff, we have revelations and we have a lot of progression. Once again, I can't thank you enough for every of your reviews and suggestions. I'm still amazed at the reception this story got in so little time. I took the time I had before going back to see my family to take some advance in the chapters, in prevision of when I'll have to work more seriously on my thesis. And since it's Christmas and I really want to see the story grow and wanted your opinion on this chapter, here's another Christmas gift to all of you. Have a nice read!

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Unexpected

Chapter 9 – Lukewarm thunder

"I swear that if we'd known what that man was preparing, we would have tried to stop him, your Highness."

"Don't apologize," Noctis told Wiz. "I bet he would have wrecked my car no matter where it was parked. We'll just borrow a few chocobos and will come back to see our mechanic taking her off."

"Certainly. That would be five of them?"

Prompto was almost jumping up and down, while Gladiolus bought some gysahl greens for their birds. Luna looked nervous at the idea of climbing on a bird. They seemed fragile and delicate. Trying to see how the guys did it, she managed to give herself a swing strong enough to get on her mount. It was higher than she'd expected and she wasn't sure where to put her feet. The bird felt her hesitation and shook himself up. The Oracle slipped right off and ended up in Gladio's arms.

"Never ridden one before?" he asked her.

She hurriedly got off him, not wanting to put any strain on him with the state he was in.

"I can't say that I have."

Prompto was already running in circles around the ranch with his bird, having it jumping over obstacles and it sounded as though both man and animal were kweeing in unison. Ignis had already gotten on his bird, letting the prince pay each of their fare.

"I guess that if you'll be praying to find where to guide us, you shouldn't have to focus on riding for the moment…" the prince remarked.

"I'm sure I can get the hang of it," she retorted.

He held up one hand, signifying that he had some idea and needed her to be patient.

"You wouldn't have a choboco strong enough to carry two riders instead of one?"

Wiz smiled.

"I think I've got just the thing for you. Bring Ciel out, kids," he called back to his employee. "She's the mother of the four others actually, so be sure not to let her flock run into trouble."

"We'll let them run at the first sign of danger."

The chocobo that Wiz brought them in replacement was taller than the others, her feathers whitening here and there. She had deep brown eyes and was a beautiful beast. Noctis had ridden chocobos for years, before that Wiz couldn't let them out of his ranch anymore in fear of losing them to imperial raids. He helped Luna climb on, needing a little boost from Gladio to get on the tall bird himself. Luna settled between his arms, trying to mimic his stance on the mount to hinder it as little as possible. Her hands were buried in the large feathers on the neck of Ciel while he held the reins.

"Now, the most important thing is to lean forward when she runs," he explained. "She knows how to stay balanced, but our weight must always be on the largest part of her back. If you're hitting her too hard as she trots, she'll get hurt."

"Okay."

Noctis might have held her before, but sitting on the same saddle as him and bumping into him with each step their mount took felt incredibly different.

The other guys took the lead, giving them some time on their own to make sure Luna was comfortable with riding before that they set out for a destination. Prompto used that time to ask Ignis what Noctis had meant by "facing a trial". The first time Noctis made Ciel take a turn, Luna gripped his thighs despite knowing she was securely kept in place by his arms.

"Easy, easy, we're not falling down."

His left hand touched her stomach, flushing her hips against his. It felt as though he was all around her and that didn't help at all. She blushed, unsure if he was taking more pleasure in seeing her so terrified or in comforting her. Either way, after what her brother had put him through, she guessed he had earned some harmless fun.

"It's a lot… bumpier than I excepted," she muttered.

"And we're not trotting yet. You might be sore when we get off, but if you can relax and just follow my lead, I swear it'll be fun."

She breathed in deep.

"How do you guide her?"

"Never with my feet. Her beak and neck are really sensitive. The smallest inflexion is enough."

He showed her the few orders she'd need to have her bird walking, trotting or galloping, explaining when to pull and when to give Ciel some slack. His voice was speaking right to her ear, his breath warming her neck. Luna was thankful for all her Oracle training, which might be the only reason why she could still focus on his words and not simply fall limply against him. Noctis was going through a whole another kind of sweet torture, but he hadn't really thought of it when he suggested riding with her. And he wasn't going to mention it. His ears burned at the very idea she could notice…

"Isn't it harder for you to direct her if I sit like this?"

"A bit, but I wouldn't want you to fall," he reassured her. "At full speed, you could literally roll to your death. Until you can stay fully balanced on your own, we'll ride like this."

Knowing he meant to keep her safe warmed her heart. He tried trotting and gently leaned over her, pushing her slightly forward.

"Just follow my lead."

It took a few hard bumps into each other before Luna understood Ciel's rhythm. When she did, she felt a bit lighter. Looking up at the scenery of green grass, tall pines and the blue sky over their heads, moving faster than when they ran about, but just slow enough to take everything in… She exhaled a deep breath.

"She can go even faster?"

"Sure. Hold onto the saddle. No pulling feathers off her."

He clicked his tongue and Ciel rushed forward. Luna gasped in surprise, but soon realized the bumping wasn't that much harder than when they trotted. She heard Prompto laughing, while Gladio managed to keep his mount at a slower pace.

"How's your head?" Ignis asked their friend.

"Doing fine," he replied. "Are we all set to venture to some Astral's trial?" he asked them.

"I'll just need a moment to focus," Luna cautioned. "They might have been talking to me, but they weren't giving me coordinates."

"Take your time."

Luna closed her eyes, trying to reach that part of her that had changed when the Astrals had first contacted her. It wasn't any specific organ, more like the magic that now flew through her veins, sometimes burning, sometimes preventing her from breathing. When she finally felt it and tried awakening her senses, it pinched at her heart and she tensed up. Noctis wasn't sure how to ease her pain, keeping Ciel as immobile as possible. The sky, previously blue and void of clouds, changed dramatically, a storm erupting in a deep roaring of thunder.

Luna opened her eyes and Ignis was surprised to see them shining, her irises turning yellow for a few seconds.

"The lightning will strike three places. If we can find them all… Ramuh will lend you his power."

"A wild goose chase?!"

"He could be asking for three beheaded persons instead."

That put every of them on edge. The example had come way too easily to Luna. They were all starting to wonder what kind of life she had been forced to have under the empire's rule. Noctis sighed in her nape, while Ignis observed if the lightning was striking anything yet. Luna kept her eyes up, scanning the sky. The first shot of lighting hit closer than expected, following a clapping of thunder so strong, Gladio barely kept his mount from running in fear.

"It seems to be close to Deadeye's lair." Prompto observed.

"Let's check it out," Noctis ordered.

"I'll keep looking, but I don't think another one will strike before we've reached the first part of his trial."

The ride was uneventful and they didn't have to go deep into Deadeye's lair. A burning tree was waiting. Noctis got off Ciel, leaving Luna to keep the reins, which she managed, being a lot surer of herself now that she had used her Oracle power and started a covenant successfully. The guys stood back, unsure of what their prince was supposed to do. Noctis himself wasn't that certain. The wood cracked and burned, but he could feel the magic in the air. His hair was rising on his head. Suddenly inspired, he called the royal arms, letting them fly around him as he extended one hand. When his fingers touched the exact spot where the trunk was hit, he felt a spark running from his hand right to his heart. He shook, trying to resist the pain electrifying his nervous system. Lunafreya felt a similar shock running through her as Ramuh's voice pierced her eardrums.

 _ **Good. You two are strong enough to withstand my power.**_

She coughed and gasped, feeling her heart clenching in her chest. Noctis shook off what was left of the weird impression. Ignis and Gladio were staring at him, their eyes filled with worries, while Prompto had gotten closer to Luna, making sure she wouldn't fall off Ciel. The pain died down after a few deep breaths, but before that they set out, Ignis demanded if any of this was supposed to be normal.

"I understand this is far beyond the limits of my mind, but is this…"

"Covenant." Luna suggested.

"Is this covenant supposed to make you two… suffer this much?"

Noctis exchanged a look with his fiancée. He didn't like it either. But spelling it out made it look too absolute to his taste.

"Seriously, you almost looked like you were having a heart attack," Prompto added. It wasn't clear which of the royals he was talking too.

Maybe addressing this now would force Luna to admit what the covenants were doing to her. She looked a whole lot paler than him.

"Just gathering the royal arms is a taxing feat," Noctis explained. "There's 13 of them known, and my father never got more than 7. He never said it, but I'm pretty sure he thought gathering even one more would have killed him."

Gladiolus crossed his arms over his large chest, his brows raised with anger.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"Because I'm the only one who can still do it," the prince shot back. "And also because I don't like worrying either of you. Just like a certain woman I know."

Lunafreya blinked, sitting a bit straighter on her saddle.

"This has nothing to do…"

"You get hurt when the Astrals talk to you," Noctis interrupted her. "Sometimes, I can hear their voice too, but I don't understand them. Just now… _He_ talked to you. And I need to know what could happen if we go through with this."

"It was only seeing you in pain…" She tried.

But none of the guys believed in her lie. Ravus had warned her for a reason. His words were still clear in each of their minds.

"Luna, you were trained to be the Oracle. Surely you know what the covenants entail for both of us. I know they're testing me. But why would they test you too?"

"It's not a test," she sighed, shivering a bit as the thunder roared above their heads. "They are gods, Noctis. They're so far from our world, from our plane of existence. They need a link to us. Some kind of vessel to guide them down to our level. That's where I come in. They use my life force and…"

Those were the wrong words to calm him down.

Noctis pulled her down the bird, his breathing ragged, his hands shaking on her hips. She gripped his shoulders to steady herself, but kept a straight face. She wouldn't cry. She owed him the truth.

"No Lucis' king has forged any covenant in centuries, Noctis. If they did, it was merely one, not more. But the Scourge has gotten too strong. I can't drive it back alone. It's not that much to sacrifice if it means…"

"There's no way I'm going through with that! Are you even listening to yourself?!"

The guys exchanged looks, grabbing Ciel by her reins and moving a few steps away, giving them some privacy. They talked between themselves, hoping Noctis would be sane enough to walk out of such a challenge.

"Noctis, please… Try to understand. It's not like I'm going to die from this."

"You just said...!"

She tried to get away from his grip, but he followed her as she backed away from him, his eyes pleading with her to reconsider. He knew they were facing an impossible feat from the beginning, but if there was no hope for either of them... What good could it do?

"I knew I shouldn't have joined you. It's only making it harder for the both of us. Take the ring, find other places the lightning struck and wait for Umbra to…"

He shook her as gently as he could despite the anger roaring in his heart. This was why Ravus hated him so much then? He thought he would force his sister to die so that he could save a world that had never brought them anything but trouble?

"You are not going to leave," he said, voice too warm. "If you run, I'll find you. If your brother whisks you away, I'll hunt him down until I know that you're safe with me. There will be no covenant if it means…"

She saw pain in his eyes. More pain than when he was crying his father. Even more than when he'd thought he might never walk again. So much pain, his voice didn't hold. She gulped down the knot that was forming in her throat. Forced herself to breathe in and out. To look up in his eyes with nothing but determination. If she had had a choice, she would never force his hand. But she had seen too many people suffering to let him give up because of her.

"If you don't collect all the astrals' powers, the crystal won't recognize you as the chosen king. It won't give you the power to clear off the scourge and all my ancestors ever died for will have been in vain! There's no Oracle after me, Noctis."

"And I'm the last of my line. But we're young, Luna. They can't ask us…"

 _But they're asking us. We are the last one. We are their only hope._

"I know it's unfair. But I also know you can go through it, Noct."

"You can't make me do this. You…"

She thought he would shake her up again, but instead he backed her up against the rock wall, planting his arms on either side of her and pushing his forehead against hers. She could barely stare back in his eyes; she couldn't think anymore. His nose stroked hers. When he spoke, their lips brushed. Her hands tried to push him away, but she couldn't. If he told her what she thought he would, she wouldn't be able to stand her ground anymore. She would shatter and mend all at the same time.

"I need you… to stay alive Lunafreya."

Her full name hurt her ears. She loved him so much it hurt not to give him the response he wanted. She grabbed fistfuls of his jacket, unable to push him away anymore. She wanted to promise him so many things. She wanted to go back in time and set them on another goal than starting any covenant. She blinked, a single tear running down her cheek.

"I need you… to help me… save this world," she whispered, dreading his reaction.

He took a step back from her, not even processing her words. They felt like a slap in the face. She didn't let go of his jacket, following him. He shrugged her hands off, making an inhuman effort to snap at her right there.

"Either you run from me, either you stay and we work this out together! The covenants, saving the world, the empire, all that shit. But first we're setting rules!"

"Okay."

"Give me the ring," he almost barked at her, extending one hand.

She raised her eyes in shock, frozen in place. It wasn't a suggestion. It was an outright order. But it felt wrong.

"You don't have to…!"

"Give me the damn ring!" Noctis insisted. "You won't have any reason to stay with me and get yourself killed. You will have delivered it like Regis wanted. If you want to run back to the empire and your crazy brother, you'll be able to."

She wanted to tell him wrong. She wanted to snap back at him, but even though it was for the wrong reasons, she still needed to give him the Lucii ring. He had mentioned _rules_. As in multiple rules. She couldn't believe he would shun her just because she wanted to accomplish her duty. Slipping one hand into the inner pocket of her jacket, she took out the small ring of metal. Noctis winced at the sight of the thing, but took it from her. Holding it in his hand seemed to calm him down a bit. He sighed deeply, his shoulders hanging lower than she'd ever seen. When he looked back at her, his blue eyes were shining with tears.

"Now, Luna… If you stay, there will be no more secret about what the covenants or your magic does to you. If you're hurt, I need to know. If you're sacrificing yourself for anyone's sake. I-need-to-know."

She nodded.

"But the same goes for you."

"Okay."

His voice was frail. She was giving him hope but he didn't want to believe just to be deceived. What he'd just learned implied too many potential lies.

"Now, it's the last rule. Is there any way I can… take some of the burden from the covenants myself? Reduce the damage it does..."

She blinked. No king had ever…

"Noctis, there's no…"

"I love you, Luna. I need you safe. Not just for my sake."

Luna had never thought she could shatter from the inside and remain upright at the same time. Now _he_ was giving her hope. Now he was making her hope in a future that lasted longer than she'd dreamed possible. Was it wrong? Could she dream for herself, for both of them, despite all that was at stake?

"Noctis…"

"Is there a way?"

"I don't know. I've never asked..."

They stood in front of each other for a long time. He couldn't understand why she remained rooted in place. He needed her in his arms right now. But maybe he was asking for the impossible. Maybe she had gone through enough hurt and wanted to take the easy way out. He'd never say it to her face, but the idea seemed plausible. How else could someone face his own slow and painful annihilation at the hands of unforgiving gods with such resolve?

"Will you stay with us?" Noctis asked her.

She didn't answer, trying her best to accept what he'd said and to just push it to a corner of her mind. She wouldn't cry anymore. His tears weren't falling yet, but after thirty seconds of the tense silence, he insisted, too open to pretend anymore.

"Will you stay with me?"

She rushed into his arms, a strangled "yes" barely making it out of her throat. Noctis wasn't sure if it wasn't his imagination at this point. It barely felt real, but with the next roar of thunder, she realized he was really there holding her. He wanted her to lean as much as she could on him, so that they could stay together. He was ready to share her burden and her pain.

Their three companions awkwardly walked closer, needing them to clarify the situation. Noctis saw them first and blinked a few times. He stroked Luna's back, looking at each of his friends' expression.

"What's on your mind guys?"

Luna jumped slightly and looked over her shoulder, keeping her arms around Noctis's waist. Feeling him so close helped.

"I don't believe I like gods that force their chosen to die. I'm not sure I get it at all," Prompto started.

"Self-sacrifice might be a virtue in their eyes, but removing the source of the Scourge isn't the only thing we need," Ignis remarked. "There will be countries to rebuild and nations to raise back. If we end up without any leader, without anyone to guide the people forward, there will be anarchy."

"All in all, I think what we mean to say is that… We'd rather face awful odds than to let either of you gather a power that will weaken you in the long run." Gladiolus concluded.

Luna frowned.

"We've all been overreacting a little," she tried calming them down. "This covenant won't kill me or Noctis."

"But will one of them do so? Aren't we afflicted by this scourge because of one of the Astrals in the first place?" Gladiolus observed.

After all, it had been the rebellious Ifrit that had planted the seeds of daemonic activities in their world, thousands of years ago. Luna turned back to Noctis.

"We need the scourge eliminated. There might be a way to share… whatever burden the Six expect from us," she told him.

It looked far-fetched, but he would go with it over nothing.

"Okay. We'll start by finishing this trial." He decided.

 _And we'll see what it does to you._

His friends' eyes were grave and he gave them the most encouraging smile he could muster. They all got back on their chocobos, the thunder still roaring in the distant. Right as they walked back on the dirt road, a new shot of lighting ran right into the earth, close to the lake where Catoblepasses liked to spend their days. They sped through the woods and over rocks, evading most of the beasts they encountered. Ignis gave them directions, looking at the map whenever the terrain permitted him to do so, letting his chocobo follow Prompto's as he looked down. Gladiolus hated the situation. His king was suffering and pushing himself toward more suffering for the good of his people. And there was nothing he could do to save him from it, knowing full well that they needed Noctis to face his responsibilities.

This time, a rock had been stricken, fuming as they neared it. Noctis prayed to himself that Ramuh let him take the entirety of the pain needed. Luna had suffered enough. The pain was small for him and didn't seem to affect her. They pressed on, even though the guys voiced a few doubts. Noctis had red the same legends as Luna. His father used to have him falling asleep to them. He knew what was expected from him, as one chosen by the crystal at such a young age. Luna held his wrist as they trotted over the grass. She felt tensed and cold in his arms, but he could still feel her heart beating right next to his. He wouldn't lose her.

They met two dropships on their way, dismissing them quickly, the guys doing their best to kill most of the enemies before that Gladio could interfere. Luna watched over him closely during every skirmish, covering his back when necessary.

Night was falling when they found a small copse hiding in a trench of rocks. Noctis and Luna both prayed as he raised his hand to touch the birch tree. The voice filled his mind when he touched the stone thunder-shocked him, leaving him panting in the middle of zapping lightning bolts. His eyes changed for a second, turning red, possessed by a power that surpassed his very essence. And Luna, who was still riding Ciel, didn't feel any after-effects, except from her fears for him. She wondered how her prince might have done it, but also why an Astral accepted to listen to someone other than her. Unless they believed that her faith had wavered? When the lightning stopped zapping about, a thundering voice told her.

 _ **Maybe giving our powers to more than one would be better, for once. Keep moving forward, child.**_

Luna gave him a silent thank, opening her eyes in time to see Prompto signalling her to move Ciel to the center of the trench. They felt like celebrating. The guys gathered around for a picture with the five of them. Luna leaned forward, her hands on Noctis's shoulders, their cheeks almost touching. Most of their chocobos poked their head in the frame, kweeing happily. Somehow they knew all their running around was over for the day. It took some of the lingering tension away, doing something normal after all the revelations they had received.

They camped on the first lighted-ground they found, Ignis managing a veritable feast for them, knowing everyone needed strength. When he turned to the chocobo in order to feed them, he started sneezing and his eyes quickly watered.

"My… I had forgotten."

"What is it, Ignis?"

"I'm allergic to their greens," he answered with disdain.

Noctis rolled his eyes.

"Oh, I'll feed them, I'll feed them!" Prompto exclaimed, happy to have another reason to look after the chocobos.

Everyone of them seemed ready to pretend all that that had been said and done today was gone from their mind for the time being. Luna sat closer to Noctis than usual, chatting with him and all the others. She really wanted to return his confession, but was intimidated to do it around the guys. Both emotionally spent, they fell asleep, Luna lying against Ciel's side, Noctis's head in her lap. Gladiolus hadn't the heart to move any of them, so he covered them for the night, thankful the storm had ended almost as soon as Noctis's trial was done.

"Talk about crazy," Gladio spat out. "First our car gets stabbed, then we learn that his girl's ready to die to save the world."

"I think we could all use some time off," Ignis observed, sniffling a bit.

"I'll see if I can convince Noct to take a few days off in Lestallum. I still have to check on Iris."

"Maybe we could ask Cindy to drop us there while she takes the Regalia back to ha…ammer…" a violent sneeze interrupted their cook. "…head."

"Brilliant! I got that sneeze on film!"

"What?!"

Noctis and Luna remained asleep, blissfully or sadly unaware of the _friendly_ fight that erupted between Ignis and Prompto, with one Gladiolus laughing for the most of it. Seeing Ignis with his glasses crooked and hair undone was always something else.

To be continued…

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I wasn't planning for an outright confession about Noctis's love or about Luna's potential death from forging covenants for him. Both happened in the same chapter. And we have to remember that in the same day, Noctis got beaten up by Ravus and tried by Ramuh. Those names suddenly sound strangely similar. XD

Anyway, there will be a break for our little group, Cindy will appear next chapter, and so will Iris, and so will… Oh, I'll have you guess. But it's an important character, both in this fic and in the original game. Be sure to let me know if you think it was too soon for this revelation. I think on the contrary, Noctis needed to know what he was getting himself into and Ramuh's trial is like the easiest of them all, so it had to be the first. Now, the next trials will be very different from in the game and their impact on the story might change a great deal. We'll just have to wait and see how everything unfolds. Since I'm leaving to see my family and celebrate Christmas today, I'll be taking a real break for about... next week. Be sure to review to keep me motivated in writing more! ;)

Merry Christmas, have nice holidays and be sure to stay warm for those of you that face winter!


	10. Matchmaking !

Guys, guys, I need to thank you all a bunch for answering in so many reviews to last chapter. And all the hits and the faves and the follows. It's just getting incredible. I love you all for giving me feedback and I'm glad you like the story. This new chapter has less action, since we had a lot of action lately. There's also less fluff. It's because after going through so much confession and sweet time, Noctis and Luna needs to take some time to their own and think things through. Luna has some thinking to do and a few issues to face. And as I mentioned earlier, some characters must be introduced in the story. Without further ado, I'll let you read it!

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Unexpected

Chapter 10 – Matchmaking?!

Noctis let Luna try herself at directing Ciel on their trek back to the ranch. They had agreed to hunt any beasts they found on the way, so Gladio could prove them he was a hundred percent back in shape. Noctis guided Luna in taking the safest route to evade most if not every monster and they ended up fighting against three different battalions of MTs, but nothing else. Gladiolus still participated a lot more in their fights than on the previous day and was daring as he rode his chocobo.

"Let him be," Noctis told her. "He needs to prove to himself he's back on his feet."

Actually, he felt like he needed the same kind of speech. He might have gone through Ramuh's challenge, but he had still gotten his ass handed to him by Ravus. All the power in the world meant nothing if the empire could jam it with something as small as one mechanical arm. He was pretty sure calling on Ramuh wouldn't work if he was deprived of his warping power. He'd grown really dependent on it without ever realizing it, taking it for granted.

His father had told him again and again, "never enter a fight thinking you have the advantage, it's by underestimating an enemy that you meet defeat". Noctis couldn't help but wonder if Luna hadn't chosen the nicest of the Astrals to start with, so he would gain more confidence. But the fact she was here despite having delivered the Lucii ring to him had to mean something. She yet had to admit her feelings, although it was pretty evident even to him, and he tried taking comfort from holding her in his arms. Half their day was spent in travelling back to the ranch.

At one point, Luna wasn't sure of her gesture and tried to get Noctis's attention. She turned her face toward him, realizing he had been leaning a lot closer than she thought, their lips brushing for the second time in less than 24 hours. He seemed to fall out of a daze, backing a little from her. Luna wondered what could still be holding them back, after getting so close. Was he shy somehow? Unsure of himself? Did he think she might leave suddenly now that he'd taken the ring from her? She knew he had a lot of insecurities despite putting on a brave face.

"Hey, Noct," she whispered to him.

"Hmm?"

"I'm glad we're together like this."

The guys teased them for the rest of the ride, but for once, neither of the royals cared.

They stopped and ate lunch, enjoying the peaceful scenery and the impression the empire had little to no control in the region of Duscae. Lucis was a wide country, but Noctis kept realizing how underpopulated it felt. There were a few farms decimated all over Duscae and Cleigne, barely surviving the surrounding fauna; and it was on those farms that rested most of their food productions. A call from Libertus informed him of some kids' discovery of an underground mine that had been forgotten decades ago. The refugees had sent soldiers and hunters to secure the largest tunnels, enforced the structure and transferred most if not everything from Free Crown beneath the surface. The ruins on the top looked inhabitable and they had evaded a full battalion of marching imperial MTs.

"We'll need help securing the whole thing, but now we're much safer than we used to be."

"That's pretty awesome man. We'll swing by as soon as possible, for the time being, just repel the daemons with lights and keep up the good work."

"I won't fail you, your Highness. We heard of the barricade falling back to our hands. Good work on your side too."

"Thanks, Ostium."

That cheered him a bit more. Meeting Luna's smile at the news of Free Crown really made his day. The rest of their trek was easy and Wiz welcomed them back with a smile, seeing that every of his chocobos was as well as when they'd left.

Having a whole afternoon to kill, Noctis started with the one thing he'd been lacking recently. He took a scalding hot shower and managed to grab a two-hours nap by hiding in a pile of hay. Then he took another shower just because he could. Gladio was being social with the locals, arm-wrestling or politely flirting with a few female workers. Ignis avoided the chocobos' food stalls, managing to get their laundry done, and even made two or three wagers on the races of the day. Prompto took a handful of pictures and convinced Wiz to buy a few of them. The rest of the time, he played around with the chocobo's chicks. Luna took a long bath and simply drifted about, not exactly used to have time on her hands without some soldier or instructor ordering her around.

She invested some of her time in writing a letter for Ravus, choosing the words carefully. When Umbra appeared as though summoned by her very action, the young woman was reminded of how much she'd missed him. She buried her face in his fur, like she'd done whenever she was too scared or lonely. Her loyal dog pushed the notebook she'd shared with Noctis into her hands, refusing to take it back if he was delivering her letter to someone different than the prince.

"Okay then, fine, I'll keep it!" she laughed a his insistence.

Once the dog was gone, she thumbed through the book, going over the words she'd shared with a once young boy. They had both matured a lot over time, but every sentence from Noctis was a fond memory, even on the rare occasion he had tried being harsh. Although she had been as constant as possible, she wasn't always able to write back right away. Sometimes, Umbra even came back empty-handed and Noctis was left with no choice but waiting some more or writing her a new letter. He had worried about her all the time.

The fact she'd been with so many friendly and welcoming people lately was refreshing. Just as she thought so, she saw a movement in the corner of her eye. Raising her head, she noticed a dark wing vanishing behind a tree. Her blood ran cold at the idea the chancellor could be here. Was he looking for her? Or coming after Noctis?

She held the notebook to her chest, scanning the tree lines and slowly backing away from the road to get closer to the guys. She didn't need their protection, but they might need hers. In fact, they might not even realize the man was dangerous. If he was really here and not only a figment of her imagination.

"Lady Luna? Are you alright? You look as though you've just seen a ghost," Ignis inquired.

"Maybe I did."

She decided to let go of her worry and focus on something she could help with right now.

"Say Ignis, do you have any plans for tonight's supper? I think we should have someone else do the cooking. You've been working yourself ragged."

"There's no need for such concerns," he instantly objected.

"But you're always keeping yourself so busy, I get the feeling we never talk. And I need your help with something."

Now, his curiosity was piqued. Maybe he could ask her about the famous dessert Noctis had eaten in Tenebrae if that favor felt worthy of such a debt…

"What is it, my Lady?"

"I'd like to help Prompto with Cindy. I understand that he's really nervous, but…"

"The problem isn't how nervous he gets, but his lack of confidence."

Luna frowned and accepted to follow Ignis to the car, where he gathered the ingredients for their meal. It was hard to take him away from his portable kitchen.

"He's holding up pretty well next to you and Gladio for a civilian."

"I know and it's quite remarkable considering he wasn't trained at all," Ignis observed. "But Prompto can barely stand himself. I would say he's even more insecure than Noct."

"Why? He's funny, kind, compassionate and even cute."

"He wasn't always like that. He used to be pretty timid. And sometimes, I get the impression his liveliness is there… to compensate for something."

Ignis almost sounded more serious than his usual, which was way too serious even for Luna. She glanced over her shoulder at Prompto who had pulled Noctis to the side to take some selfies. She knew a lot about hiding things from other people. She knew how much it hurt and how quickly it destroyed.

"Compensating or not, he still needs love," she retorted stubbornly.

Ignis raised one brow. They were aligning the cleaned up ingredients now.

"And you think Cindy will give him love? He's not a tin man, sadly and I don't believe…"

"What are you implying, mister Scientia? Cid's granddaughter is perfectly capable of loving a human being over a bundle of metal on wheels."

"Prompto's crushes can be fleeting," he tried warning her.

"Maybe it won't be that kind of love… Maybe they'll both be looking for a good time and nothing more. It can't hurt if they're sincere about it, can't it?"

Her words hit a sensible cord and Ignis's knife slipped. He removed his endangered fingers just in time, trying to keep the well-buried feelings back. Being sensitive now of all time was far from productive. Luna saw his reactions, but decided to push him a bit more, taking over the vegetable cutting.

"By the way, I know for a fact that Cindy checked all of you guys out. Gladio's too muscular to her taste, but she likes cute boys."

Ignis wondered how many things two women could tell each other in the span of 30 minutes. He was pretty sure Luna hadn't seen Cindy for much longer than…

"She also told me you had the most…"

He cut her off by raising a spoon of the broth he'd been mixing to her lips. It was that or dying of embarrassment and he couldn't let her win so easily. She had caught him off guard, but it wouldn't happen again.

"How is it?"

Luna felt her throat burning but swallowed it down, happy to notice the man was looking slightly disturbed. She had made it her little project to crack down his mask of seriousness. Gladio, Noct and Prompto all seemed to have the same goal and the four of them still had to get a significant reaction out of him.

"…amazing butt she'd ever seen," she finished her sentence.

His glasses almost fell down his nose and it was quite hard for him to pretend he hadn't heard anything. He hadn't expected Lunafreya to be so direct or Cindy to seriously check him out and report it to someone. Seeing how embarrassed he was, Luna wondered if Ignis didn't lack the same confidence as Prompto when it came to women. He might be a little older than the gunman, but she wasn't sure serving a prince so zealously left him with time to fall in love or pursue such feelings.

"I was talking about the food," he declared, managing to regain his calm faster than she'd expected.

"It's… it's good. But maybe you should let me finish this."

For the first time in weeks of being asked the very same thing, he relented. Noctis eventually walked up to her, a puzzled expression on his face.

"What did you do to him?"

"I teased him a little. Why?"

"He's been mumbling by himself about fighting strategies non-stop for the last fifteen minutes. He never does that unless he's stressed out."

Luna rolled her eyes.

"There's absolutely no reason to panic at the idea someone likes his butt."

"What?!"

It took some awkward explaining, but as soon as Noctis understood that all Luna wanted was to give Prompto a chance of getting closer to Cindy, he calmed down and even agreed to help.

"He could tag along with her," he suggested. "I bet you she's going to need some specific parts for repairs and she could use a helper to collect them."

"The plan wasn't to turn him into her slave."

"I'd willingly be her slave," Prompto interrupted them, having had enough of sensing the glances Ignis and Gladio were shooting at him since both royals had decided to get on his case.

"There's nothing good that can come out of an unfair relationship. You deserve respect as much as anyone else."

Prompto seemed shocked she'd say that. He'd never implied he didn't want respect, although Noctis knew the guy hadn't the biggest ego in the world. Gladiolus interrupted the discussion before it could turn too touchy-feely to his liking:

"I'm starving," he complained.

Lunafreya felt the unease she'd created and tried to lighten the mood, although she couldn't stop from looking over her shoulders from time to time. The idea of Ardyn close by had returned to her mind, and somehow she realized that with his high position in the army, Ravus could get in trouble if she kept on refusing to come back. The newspaper article was still on her mind and to top it all, she knew how much Noctis was ready to sacrifice for her sake. Which was everything, just like her, but _she_ couldn't save the world. Her only royal arm was her trident and no Lucii blood ran in her veins.

 _Am I really doing the right thing for this world?_

Noctis tried to calm her, sensing her underlying anxiety, but she got so jumpy as the night slowly fell that he gave up. He knew she was deep in thoughts. He guessed she simply needed some time by herself. Their afternoon spent each on their side had been good, but Luna had been alone for most of her life. She was trying her best to focus on the others, to forget all that was on her mind, but it couldn't work. Having an entire world depends on your every decision was too heavy for a single person. That night, they slept in separated beds, Prompto taking the floor as he usually offered since Luna had joined them. It was really nice of him, but Luna worried a bit more about Noctis's best friend. Her thoughts were filled with pictures she couldn't see clearly. Faceless people, smiling down on her. She shivered herself to sleep.

…

In the morning, the quintet waited by the side of the Regalia. Prompto was a nervous mess despite all of his friends tips and cheering. Cindy drove her tow truck up to them, jumping off and complaining about the long road, flexing her arms and legs to feel less sore. Prompto was able to wave back at her, but Noctis felt the urge to barge in and take charge as he saw his friend gaping like a fish out of the water. If the poor guy couldn't go over the reverence he felt, the next few days would be the awkwardest of his life.

"Thanks for driving all the way out here," the prince started.

"No problem your Highness. It was actually nice to see new roads for a change. But what the hell happened here?"

Luna felt the same wave of guilt as when she saw Ravus fighting with Noctis. Thankfully, the prince gave his mechanic a look that meant he wasn't ready to breach the subject.

"Just check her up and tell me you can fix her."

Cindy motioned to raise the hood, but upon getting closer, she frowned and simply used Ignis' shoulder for momentum to jump on the car.

"Two morons have stepped all over the poor thing," she observed, crouching to inspect the hole in the motor. "And I'm gonna have to replace a lot o' things on the gal. It'll cost you an arm an' a leg."

She jumped back down, dusting herself a bit before to mess with her cap. There was something different about her, but the prince couldn't put his finger on it.

"Did you… Is that a new bikini?" Prompto asked.

The guys had trouble adverting their eyes from it afterwards and Luna couldn't refrain from smiling at the flush that took over Prompto's face. What could stand as Cindy,s undergarment was now a royal hue of blue.

"Oh yeah, last one got stained with oil an' it wouldn't come off! If paw paw dared to get any work done, I might save more clothes."

She laughed it off and gave a few orders to the guys, needing the Regalia well aligned. Positioning the car took about an hour of adjustments. When they were all hooked up and ready to set out, Noctis exchanged a look with Prompto, making sure he was still up for it. The gunman seemed ready to shake his head no, but Luna's convincing look managed to get him over his fears.

"Cindy… I was hoping you could give us a lift to Lestallum," Noctis started.

"As long as you pay my gas an' extra fee, I'll deliver y'all safe'n'sound."

"It would be greatly appreciated," Ignis thanked her.

"How long will it take to get the Regalia fixed?" Luna asked, feigning interest.

Cindy crossed her arms over her chest, the tip of her tongue coming out as she focused.

"With all the parts to replace, it will depend on what I have to do to get new ones."

"Maybe… you could use some help," Prompto offered.

He didn't look at her, nervously tapping his feet, but the young mechanic clapped her hands.

"I could always use an extra pair of hands. But I'll need to borrow yours for a few days, might even be two full weeks… Would that be alright with you, your Highness?"

"As long as Prompto's okay with it, I don't see a reason to say no."

"Okay then, get in the truck, city boy. Y'all hang back in the Regalia. Next stop, Lestallum! I'll check if I can't get anything for the poor gal there."

Prompto looked at his friends with terrified eyes, but everyone of them gave him a thumb up. It was all on him now to make it work. As they were towed on the road, Ignis sitting in the front in case Cindy needed them to change the steering wheel's direction, Gladio, Noctis and Luna sat in the back as usual. They waged on the chances of their little plan to actually work.

"Maybe someone else should go with them. How do we know how hard Cindy's errands will be," Ignis muttered.

"No, he has to get over his shyness," Luna argued. "If they go out in the wild, maybe will it be even easier for Prompto."

"And they shouldn't get attacked by dropships as often without me there," Noctis added.

"I can't believe I let you convince me in doing this. Cindy seems like a nice girl, rough and tough, my kind actually, but what if we have to put our _city boy_ back on his feet afterwards?" Gladio asked them, unable to silence his doubts.

"We'll see with time," Ignis retorted, feeling Luna's gaze on his shoulders.

The Oracle had set herself many goals. To heal the blight, but also to heal some hearts during her trip. The chamberlain lied back in his seat, crossing his arms. They couldn't tell what was going on in the old truck, but the man couldn't help his brotherly instinct flaring up. Prompto was like a younger brother, just as much as Noctis. No matter how petulant he could get, he didn't wish him to have his heart broken. He knew just too well how it felt.

…

Prompto felt his anxiety falling down as Cindy immediately put him to work. He had just closed the truck door.

"Grab a pen and some paper, we're going to list all the parts we'll need."

"Yes, ma'am!"

She laughed at his eagerness, but somehow, it wasn't mocking like he expected it to be.

"Alright, alright, first, there will be…"

She listed over fifteen different parts, from the windshield to the various pieces that came with the motor, suspension and some stuff Prompto wasn't sure he even knew about.

"Now, let's go back over it once. I'm pretty sure I remember what we got left at Hammerhead."

She drummed her fingers against the steering wheels, driving just a bit over the speed limits while he named each item on the list, checking a few lines when she already had the parts. That left them with 8 things to hunt for.

"Say, city boy, mind telling this gal what happened?"

"With the Regalia? It was crazy, really! We had just defeated Deadeye, a behemoth hunting down the chocobos in these parts, and we stumbled on Lady Luna's older brother… He'd already drove his sword right through the Regalia."

"The sick bastard! Who'd treat such a beauty like that?! It's not some mumbo-jumbo rock but a freaking car!"

"I know! Noctis almost punched him right on the spot, but Gladio and Ignis held him back."

She gripped her steering wheel with whitening knuckles.

"An' then the prince walked all over the car to fight it out with him?"

Prompto gave her a sheepish look.

"I guess he forgot himself for an instant. Ravus was really harsh."

"Harsh?! It takes a stone heart to stab a car!"

Cindy vented her anger at Ravus for a few more minutes, before stomping on the breaks as monsters crossed the road without any warning. The halt was so sudden, Prompto had to steady himself with the door's handle not to hit his head on the windshield and the mechanic took a deep breath, exhaling it out with a groan.

"Oh, that was too close. You should buckle up in case anymore show up."

He listened to her, although any car belt reminded him of constricting ropes and links that he'd rather forget. The monsters took their sweet time crossing, tumbling and latching at each other.

"You'd better know some good stories, city boy. The road back to Hammerhead is going to be long otherwise and my radio broke off halfway here."

He gulped, wondering if he could keep her interested during the six to seven hours' ride they had coming. She sniggered at his expression, punching him lightly in the shoulder.

"You can always listen to me ramblin' if you don't want ta talk. But few stories over the prince, your travels or the capital wouldn't hurt."

He laughed, wondering if her interest in Noctis might be a bad sign for him. Which girl would prefer a lame guy like him when she could dream of a dashing, dark prince? Sometimes, Noctis could be the worst wingman without even realizing it…

"Sure thing. I can even show you a few of the pictures I made."

He almost regretted suggesting it, but her interest seemed piqued.

"Oh right, you're always flashin' that camera everywhere! Got some blackmail material on film?"

"Not yet. I think."

They laughed together as Lestallum got closer in view, and somehow, Prompto wondered if this might just work. He felt a lot less nervous, which wasn't much considering how nervous he'd been, but still. It was progress. It had been a mere two hours' ride, what with Cindy driving a lot more daringly than Ignis would ever permit. Iris was expecting Gladio at the Leville and although the group felt pretty energetic after taking so much time off, they were all eager to regroup and enjoy some more time off.

Prompto exchanged a few words with the guys, accepting even one hug from Luna before jumping back into the truck. Cindy had quickly gathered the single auto part she could get from Lestallum, which meant they would have to hunt down for 7 of them. Prompto promised to update the situation with a few texts every now and then and before they even realized it, both of them were off to Hammerhead.

Their group fell silent for the first few minutes, what with Prompto gone. Luna linked her hand with Noctis.

"This town looks incredible," she commented, her eyes shining with interest.

"Yeah… It's pretty much the last one still standing despite the daemons and the empire. Let's see if we can find the Leville before Gladio lose it."

"I'm not about to lose it!" the large man protested.

"Liar. You've checked Iris's text about a hundred times on our way here."

After asking for their way and taking a few backstreets that would have made even Noctis nervous if this was Insomnia, they finally reached the hotel. Iris was sitting at a table outside, her arm in a sling, and she literally jumped at the sight of them.

"Gladiolus Amicitia! Why didn't you call me to let me know you were arriving today?"

He seemed ready to give her an earful about getting herself hurt but instead simply grabbed his baby sister into a bear hug, content to see her alive.

"You… crazy… hard-headed… girl!" he said, messing with her hair a little more with every new word.

"Ugh, stop treating me like a child!" she snapped, pushing him away, but she was smiling.

"Hello Ignis! Noctis, it's so good to see y…"

As she moved to greet the prince, she saw Luna standing right next to him. Dressed in her jeans and dark jacket, she barely looked like the Oracle, but somehow, Iris instantly knew. Her heart collapsed to her feet and Gladio mentally slapped himself for forgetting to warn her.

"La… Lady Lunafreya?" she stammered. "I… I knew you were still alive. So, you two meet up after all! Must I congratulate you about the wedding?"

She blushed as she asked it and felt ashamed to be thinking of it already. A mix of jealousy and self-derision filled her.

"Iris, is it" Luna greeted her. "I'm happy to finally meet you. There hasn't been… a wedding. The reasons behind it fell short. You've been wounded for a few days already, mind if I take a look at your arm?"

Ignis exchanged a look with Gladio, who was almost able to taste the heartbreak the young girl was going through right now.

"That can wait," the teenager decided. "I need to know what happened to every of you. My brother seems to have let many things off in his few texts."

"We've been through a lot, that's for sure. It's good to see you're alright despite the arm." Noctis added.

Her smile was bittersweet at best. Luna felt the tension and raised one brow, chancing a glance at Ignis. The tactician shrugged, refusing to add any fuel to that fire for the moment. If Iris had any illusions left of ever being loved by Noctis, they just had been doused.

To be continued…

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Cruel way to end a chapter, I know. But having it last any longer felt wrong. It was the light-hearted chapter our heroes needed before that we jump right back into heavy stuff. This fic is nothing but heavy stuff. More drama on the way and, we'll be jumping between Prompto's situation and the prince's retinue for next chapter. I hope I can write Iris and Luna's meeting well!


	11. She never actually said yes

This chapter has some heavy imagery in it. The Teen rating still totally applies. And we do have fluff, although it's not between Noctis and Luna. Our four guys will each have their own archs in the story. Gladiolus might be left out a bit, but I'm still going to get on his case. As you might remember, I've listed two potential pairings in this fic. NoctxLuna is the main one, and we will have some Ignis x Aranea before the end. But Cindy x Prompto… Well, I don't want to spoil it yet, but there are good reasons why Ignis and Gladio were a lot more unsure of this whole matchmaking deal than Noctis or Luna. As for Gladio, I kinda ship him with Holly in my head, although she's much older than him. I know they all should end up with someone. (In fact, after just rewatching Kingsglaive, I know exactly who Gladiolus will end up with. But I'm not telling! ) We'll wait to see how things go for Prompto with his mechanic for the moment. ;)

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Unexpected

Chapter 11 – She never actually said yes

Gladio suggested they sat down and they gathered at one table inside the Leville, soon joined by Jared and Talcott, his grandson. Luna was the surprise of the day for everyone.

"It's great to see you're fine, your Highness," the boy started.

"No need for formality," she smiled.

"As long as you stay polite, Talcott," Jared reminded him.

"Sure, sure, grandpa."

Talcott was a well-raised kid, already polite, but still as excitable as any boy his age. They quickly reported what had happened on either side. Iris was a bit subdued, able to see how comfortable Noctis was next to Luna. Barely no girl had a right to sit this close to him and there was a complicity between them that made her stomach turn despite her best intention. It might be the fact Noctis looked so much darker and harder than his usual. He had clearly suffered and grown since the last time she'd seen him.

"There's an entire camp of refugees in Leide," he told them. "They're hiding in a secret mine. We'll have to find some time to pulverize the daemons lurking inside and any vermin that could hinder them. Cor has organized what was left of my father's army. Soon, we'll be able to take on the imperial bases and clear them out of Lucis, one region at a time."

Jared nodded, giving his new king the information he had. Ignis led the discussion, sometimes asking Luna for information, since she had better knowledge of the empire's army. Gladiolus felt proud of Noctis, but soon realized how left out Iris was. The poor girl was staring down at her cup of tea as the men settled into more tactics and planning. Luna was watching her closely, understanding something was wrong. She rose from her chair, pretending she needed to clear her head and asked Iris if she could show her around.

Gladio didn't like the idea, but his sister jumped to her feet, happy to have a chance of feeling useful. Noctis had listened to what she had to say about the refugees being slipped into Duscae, but he'd clearly voiced concerns. Iris was starting to wonder if there was anything she could do. Lucis was her country too.

She led Luna outside, discovering she didn't have to force her smile around the princess. The blonde had a motherly expression that made her feel at peace despite the whole situation. She tried to hold on to some part of her jealousy. That woman might have been writing to Noctis for years, but she was a stranger and from the empire. She looked harmless, but maybe was it only to hide her real goal. The empire had been extending one hand while sharpening a blade behind its back after all.

"You can call me Luna, Iris. And I feel as though you have a great deal on your mind. Would you mind sharing it with me?"

"I don't want to waste your time," Iris answered her genuinely.

"Don't say things like that. You're a friend of Noctis and I can tell how much you care for his well-being. I've always wanted him to be surrounded by people who looked after him, and not only because he was someone important."

Iris bit her lower lip, feeling that doubting this woman would prove futile. Although the newspaper kept badmouthing her and branding her all kinds of names, she knew the papers were under Nifs' jurisdiction. She couldn't trust what she read, but she had always been able to trust in what she felt.

"I'd like to be more useful with all that has been going on lately," Iris admitted. "It feels as though all I've done lately was running."

"But you did rescue people on the way, even helping some getting here. Each life you saved counts."

The brunette widened her eyes, shaking her head.

"But there is still so much to get done. Noctis always had his head in the clouds and now…"

Luna heaved a sigh.

"I know. He's pushing himself, doing all he can to move forward. But it's been working so far. And he still needs all the support he can get."

That reassured Iris a bit. She knew a lot of things were going to change. She had been trying to clear up her head and her heart as she'd heard from the wedding, but with the attack, the running, her brother gone, and most of her friends lost or dead overnight… She had kept her feelings for Noctis, her last line of defense against what was happening around her. Surely, as long as their prince was fine, there could be hope.

"I hope the guys haven't been giving you a hard time," Iris voiced concerns.

"No, not at all. So, should we walk around, or would you rather I fix your arm right now?"

Iris turned away, gazing at the streets. She didn't want to need her help, but she also didn't want to be childish about it.

"I'll show you my favorite place around here first. How about you tell me where Prompto's gone to?"

Luna obliged, understanding she needed to break the ice a bit more before the younger Amicitia let her check her wound.

…

Prompto had slept in a hammock hanging to the garage's ceiling. He smelled of oil as he woke up, but since it was all that surrounded Cindy, he guessed it was just as well. The girl had her own room in the garage, as did Cid. Their kitchen was Takka's restaurant and the gunman ate some bacon and eggs to get ready for his day. The Regalia had been stripped down to a mere skeleton of metal. The body had to be redone and Cid hadn't sworn as much in years.

"We're going to need some metal from the mines. They've been abandoned for years, so I hope your arms can excavate some orichalcum ore."

"You mean to tell me the king used blade's metal for his car?"

"Nuh-uh, paw-paw did," Cindy explained, sending a glare at her grandfather. "And I really wish he hadn't. Can you call some chocobos? It will be easier to get to the mine that way."

Prompto rented two birds for the next three days, hoping they wouldn't need that long. Anything they needed to carry couldn't go into Noctis's infinite storage. Cindy refused to pack any camping stuff. She preferred travelling lightly, and didn't want to be out past dark. Prompto didn't _wish_ for them to camp, he would certainly die just from the anxiety of sleeping alone with the woman at a campground, but he stored a few more essentials with his ammunitions and snacks, just in case. Once finally set up, they jumped on two birds and crossed Leide's empty lands, going around rocks and evading monsters. Cindy had a crowbar to defend herself against beasts, but she was far better at running than destroying living things. Prompto knew taking anything bigger than the Sabertusks on his own would be foolish. He used his guns to keep the wild life away from them, only when they seemed ready to attack.

They made good time, reaching the mines in three hours, top. Venturing inside was a whole another thing. Cindy was shocked when they found a can of wax lying by the side of the elevator, but they still lacked the ore.

"I guess we're goin' down down." She said in a sing-song voice.

Prompto didn't ask if she was sure of herself. She sounded strong and confident as always. He might doubt himself, but he wouldn't doubt her. When they reached the lowest floor, he sensed something foul in the air.

"Better not stay too long in here," he sighed.

"Well said, city boy. Let's hurry up and find a mining spot."

She turned her flash light on, soon zipping up her tight jacket, the humid cold slipping through her bones. Prompto kept one gun ready, leading the way despite being terrified deep inside. He could hear things crawling and hissing. That orichalcum had better be here. They walked in careful silent, exchanging glances whenever the path split before them. Cindy would normally shrug her shoulders and let him decide. Since they kept updating the map on their phones, there was no reason to get lost or start walking in rounds.

The walls on either side of them were void of stone or any mining spot. Prompto was starting to wonder if they shouldn't have brought some explosives. He remembered a dozen ways of mining stuff. Like the kids forced to use their bare hands against unforgiving stone if they broke the equipment. He took a deep breath, pushing the bad thoughts away.

"You wouldn't have an orichalcum detector with you?" he asked, trying to sound playful.

"Nope! But we'll find a vein."

She tapped his shoulder encouragingly. They wouldn't give up before they'd tried all the way. Squaring his shoulders, he trudged on, trying to walk like Noctis would do when he led them straight to danger. If he could have warped-shot monsters in the face, he would have felt a lot stronger.

…

Luna barely registered the configuration of the city as Iris walked with purpose, aiming for the small ledge that gave a view of the Meteor. Insomnia had felt like a maze, and Lestallum, though smaller, was just as imposing for Lunafreya. She'd been brought to many cities and villages among the empire, but had never gotten the chance to explore or understand the architecture of their roads.

Iris leant on the stone rail, gazing out at the horizon.

"Although it's been burning for days, I can't help but still find it beautiful."

Luna nodded in approval. If she could look at that site without the eyes of an oracle, she might think it beautiful too. But she dreaded to hear it call her again. She hated the idea Noctis was ready to get hurt further when he should have been leaving that up to her. She didn't need saving. She was supposed to be supporting him. Pushing away the dark thoughts, she asked Iris how her healing was going.

"I don't… really know what's wrong with it." The girl started. "It was broken, but we used a few potions and even one elixir. The bone and muscles are all fixed. There's no visible infection, no swelling… I just can't… move it without hurting."

"How would you describe the pain?"

"I'll talk if you don't tell Gladio about it. He's already been far too worried about me for his own good."

"I understand. It will stay between us," Luna promised.

Iris tried raising her hand, just to ascertain it was still no good. The shudder that ran through her was almost painful to watch.

"It's as though my bones were about to pierce through my skin," she described, wiping her eyes off with her good hand.

Luna frowned. That sounded awfully painful and something she didn't encounter that often.

"How did you get hurt? You had to fight back MTs?"

"Yeah, but a man showed up. Real tall, human, white hair, an arm of red metal. I couldn't hold him back, I raised my arm in self-defence and after he'd struck, he suddenly ordered his men to pull away."

The oracle kept a straight face, thanks to years of training, but the news of her brother carrying this kind of power shook her up to her soul.

"What was his weapon?"

"A dark blade. I couldn't tell if it was metal or not. It didn't cut, simply bruised and broke. Light couldn't reflect over it."

Iris could tell that Luna knew something she wasn't telling her, but she saw something else than recognition in her clear blue eyes. A will to right every wrong she could. The oracle needed to know as much as possible and if it helped her, she would give her every detail she could remember.

"Can I touch your arm? I just need to make sure…"

"Of course," Iris answered.

Luna's fingers brushed over the sling, recoiling almost instantly.

"No surprise you're hurting so bad. That man infected you with the blight."

 _And not any brand of blight._ It was among the strongest Luna had met. How could Ravus even accept to enforce such evil? Was he still on her side?!

"What?!"

"It's okay, Iris," Luna comforted her. "I'll heal you with my magic. We should go back to your hotel room."

The girl accepted, feeling as though her world was turned upside down. How could it be the blight scourging the planet affecting her arm? She had no dark mark on her skin. And what did Luna know of this mysterious white-haired man that was on the empire side? She wanted to trust the Oracle, but suddenly, all her doubts were back.

…

When the goblin jumped at them, Cindy's scream was about as high as Prompto's. Thankfully, his hands reacted just as fast as his mouth. He fired an entire charger, backing away and pushing Cindy against a wall. The goblin jumped and snarled, shadowy blood erupting from its wounds. Prompto emptied his other gun on the thing, charging the first one in a matter of seconds. The movements had been imprinted in his mind. He could have disassembled and reassemble it in his sleep. Sometimes, he still woke up with the gun clutched in his hands, as though they could be coming for him. The daemon fell to ashes and silence came back in the mines, barely interrupted by the sound of the two young adults looking for their breath.

"That… was just so sudden. I wasn't scared." She told him, still flushed against the stone wall.

Prompto looked at her, his smile a bit unsure, but somehow giving her courage. That guy had a boyish charm. He took a step away from her, not sure where his arm had brushed or touched. The thought barely intimidated him. Keeping her alive was his priority right now. Cindy took her crowbar out and they went on. A check to his watch warned him that the night had fallen outside. Their stomachs were rumbling, but the mechanic didn't want to stop and eat. She wanted to get out and was too stubborn to give up yet.

One more turn, one more dead-end, they walked back to the last crossing they'd made, taking the other way. They had managed to steer clear from most monsters, but Prompto needed a breath of fresh air. They were both cold, drenched and tired. A glint in the dark had him raising his gun once again, but upon looking closer, they saw it. A mining spot.

"Finally!" Cindy swore under her breath, taking out the pick she had been carrying.

Prompto handed her one of his guns, taking the pick from her hand. He hadn't mined in years. He hadn't dug since he managed to get away. The first hit dove far deeper than expected. He hadn't been as strong back then. He still wasn't a force to reckon with like Gladio, but all the weight lifting and training had paid off. Cindy had set one of their portable lights on one side of the tunnel, standing guard on the other one while he worked. She forced him to switch with her after the first 20 minutes. She wasn't getting as good results as him, but she also didn't want him to be dead-tired when they'd get out. The tick-tock of the pick on the stones echoed around the cave. They tried talking at first, to feel less insecure, but it seemed worse. Anything living – or existing - here knew where they were. When Prompto shot at the goblin that materialized in front of him, Cindy gasped, closing her eyes. Heard a snarling on her right and felt like collapsing in a heap on the molt-covered ground. Instead, she raised the pick again and dug.

"Don't lean back," he told her.

Prompto took out his second gun, shooting on both sides of the tunnel. He was glad for having a second pair of guns on him, letting go of the empty ones to switch for his spares. It went on like the weirdest music they ever heard.

Clank! Bang! Clunk! Bang! Clank! A snarl, a bang, a clank, another bang and suddenly she couldn't hold the pick up anymore.

When the last gunshot was done echoing and jumping off the walls, Cindy kneeled and pushed her face against the cold wall, her shoulders shaking slightly. Prompto recharged the four guns and suggested switching places again. A shuddering breath came out of her and he could tell she was doing all she could not to panic. So he gave up the tough guy act.

"I'm scared too, you know. But it's going to be okay. I'm not getting hunt down by your gramps if I can help it."

Her smirk flashed brightly in the dark. They switched places and the mining started again. Prompto remembered the blood on the ground. His shoulders were burning, his whole back begged for mercy while his mind messed with him. But he kept the pick coming down. Tried to picture his father's face instead of the rock. With a final clunk, the piece of orichalcum came off the wall. They had been here for a full hour.

"Tell me it's going to be enough," he begged her.

"Believe me, it will," she pushed the gun back into his hand, turned off the light and they got running.

…

"There's something you're not telling me," Iris whispered, sitting on her bed, slipping the sling off her arm.

She held her fractured limb in place with one hand, trying to see something on her skin, any sign that would prove Luna's deduction right.

"I've seen what the empire does to people. I've had to treat their citizens and wounded soldiers. Sometimes, they even asked me to treat test subjects they'd... Please, just believe me. You don't want me telling you everything I could."

Iris trembled at the suffering she saw in Luna's eyes.

"Can you really heal it?"

"Have faith," the oracle answered, closing her eyes and leaning until their forehead touched. Iris wanted to back off from her, but the light and the warmth gathering around her felt too comforting to push the woman away. When Luna sat back, she looked more tired, but she was smiling.

"Try moving it."

Iris obliged her and couldn't hold back an exclamation of surprise. The awful pain was gone. She flexed her fingers, bend her arm, turned it around, tried giving a punch in the air.

"That's incredible," she marvelled

"I'm glad you think so," Luna smiled

"But where was the blight if I couldn't see it?"

"It was inside… At least I think so…"

Luna felt a wave of dizziness hitting her and Iris saw how she paled suddenly.

"Maybe you should lie down."

"No, I'm alright. I might just need something to eat."

They regrouped with the guys, who had already ordered meals from the Leville's kitchen. Noctis almost instantly noticed something was wrong with Luna.

"I'm okay, don't worry," she minimized her state. "I'm just starving."

Eating never really helped. She forced herself to sit straighter, to bear the most normal and natural expression she could muster, but what she'd learned over Ravus's deeds combined with taking that stronger branch of blight off Iris had shattered her strengths. She needed light, pure air and time and maybe even a blood transfusion. She felt feverish and dizzy. But she didn't want Noctis to know. She had put him through enough anguish lately. The words of Iris rang in her mind. _It feels as though all I've done lately was running._

Wasn't that what she was doing right now? Pretending she could have this life? People were suffering outside. Her brother was letting an evil into this world, only because he was hurt and angry. She was silent for most of the meal, answering questions when they were directly asked to her, smiling at Talcott, but she felt like a fake. Noctis's hand gripped hers, giving it a squeeze. She was alive for that brief instance. Alive and herself. But a happy Lunafreya wasn't what this world needed, a small voice told her from the back of her mind.

…

Prompto led the way back out, Cindy right on his heels. He had a gun in one hand, Cindy's hand in the other. She was so tired, she tried to keep up, but the flow of adrenaline was kicking down. They were afraid of splitting up by mistake and had silently agreed to keep this small contact not to lose each other. He hadn't managed to marvel at how this whole ordeal had made them closer yet. He just wanted to get out into the fresh air. The night was well advanced and getting back to Hammerhead sounded impossible. He still whistled for their chocobos to rush back to them.

Cindy's teeth were chattering together. He helped her onto her bird with weak arms and swung himself onto his mount, apologizing for pulling on feathers.

"So we're camping, huh?" Cindy asked.

"A fire would do you good."

He felt ready to collapse, but after reaching the campground, he still needed to get stuff done. He missed the guys, especially Gladio's skills for raising a tent in seconds. Cindy started the fire while he gathered all the survival material he'd brought. Enveloping themselves in safety sheets, they ate a few cups of noodles, the warm salty broth bringing sensation back into their body. Cindy had taken off her cap, staring at the fire, snuggled against her chocobo. Her dirty blond hair seemed to mix with the feathers. Prompto wished he'd dare snapping her picture, but restrained himself. His memories would have to do this time.

"Well, I hope the other parts won't be as hard to get," he told her.

She rolled her eyes.

"You bet I chose the worst one first. Although I hadn't expected losing my cool… Sorry about that."

"It's fine… I…"

"Nuh-uh, Prompto, there's nothin' fine about this. Normally, I'd go on those errands myself."

"In mines?" he insisted, taking note that this was the first time she'd called him by his name.

"Not in mines…" Cindy admitted. "But I guess I panicked with all the daemons lurkin'. Usually, I got my truck's lights to keep 'em away."

She swallowed and wiped her nose, clearly shaken by the idea of being out at night without her truck.

"But you still went. You're pretty amazing, you know," Prompto remarked.

She smiled at the compliment, not blushing yet, sniffling a bit.

"I'm freaking cold, city boy. Get your butt over here."

If she'd told him the same thing the previous day, he might have panicked and fumbled and refused entirely to move. But right now, he simply wanted to get warmer himself. They snuggled together between chocobo's feathers, Cindy sitting between his legs to be encased in more warmth. She was covered in goosebumps. She told him he smelled, to which he answered she smelled too. They laughed, too tired to mind the "harsh" words. Their mount simply pushed them closer to the fire, kweeing lazily. When the mechanic finally settled between his arms, her hair pressed against his face, Prompto wondered why he didn't feel excited or nervous. Panic surged when she toyed with his wristband, but she fell asleep before to pull it off and he thanked the gods for it. The stars above his head twinkled and he prayed for it to be a good sign. Halfway through, he fell asleep, his arms growing numb. He needed some peace of mind for once.

…

When dinner was done, Ignis retired for a well-earned shower he had forgone the last day in favor of laundry. Gladiolus had some catching up to do with his hunter's contacts and went outside, dialing on his phone. Noctis exchanged a look with Luna, who looked away almost instantly.

"I think I need some time alone. Praying and resourcing my powers," she told him.

Iris thought she understood and suggested showing him around the city.

"It will take your mind off things a bit."

"I guess it could help," he admitted.

He glanced back at Luna, who nodded her approval. She watched them leave and counted to ten before walking out herself. Gladiolus was staring at the direction his sister and prince had left in.

"Worried about what he'll do?" she teased him, noticing his phone was off. Had he been pretending?

The giant shrugged his shoulders.

"You're a lot more perceptive than Noct. I just hope Iris can accept what's right before her eyes."

"I'm glad she loves him," Luna whispered.

"What?"

"If he couldn't catch a few hearts, he wouldn't be a prince. And he needs so much love."

"I'm not sure I'm following," Gladiolus frowned at her. "You love him too, right? Aren't you jealous? Even a bit?"

It was her turn to shrug.

"I've spent all my life trying to be selfless. And although I can't do it when it comes to him… I'm happy that he could be loved by other girls, even though he might not have noticed."

"You're too kind for your own good. If you're not clear with the kid…"

"I know," she sighed, pausing for a long time. And just when the silence was about to feel awkward, she added: "I need some fresh air."

"I'm coming with you."

"No, it's fine. Try to relax. You still have a slight concussion. I won't be long."

At first, she simply wanted to clear her mind. But maybe was there some dark magic at work in the air? She followed the path Iris had walked with her earlier, crossing the main street and walking down both pairs of stairs. Her boots made little to no noise against the pavement. The meteor site was still burning. She could almost feel the flames trying to ensnare her heart. And right when she was making up her mind, a voice rolled over her shoulders, sending her years back in time.

"If it isn't Lady Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, in the flesh. How's the flesh doing?"

 _Ardyn!_ She didn't answer, gathering all the calm she could muster.

"I thought your brother was supposed to get you back to our emperor. Aldercapt isn't doing too well, you know."

His voice was like a violin's cords being rattled by the wind. A sound that wanted to remain melodious but hit all the wrong notes.

"Why are you here?" she asked him, keeping a stern expression as he stood next to her, leaning on the rail with a smug look on his face.

"I'm here for you, of course, pretty girl. Unless you want your dear brother to lose another limb. I wonder if he would get back on his feet as fast with a mechanic leg."

She closed her eyes, shivering despite all her efforts. Ravus hadn't suffered enough yet? Was it the reason why he planted the blight in Iris? She needed to know. She needed to see him. She needed access to Titan to get the covenant under way and she needed answers that she wouldn't get if she kept running from her duty.

The chancellor's hand covered her shoulder, his breath reaching her ear. He smelled like rotten meat.

"What will it be? If you come willingly, Ravus will be free to go on as he please."

She looked into his eyes, her anger showing, but didn't push him away.

"I'll come. But it's not for my brother."

"I know. You're all about duty. That's a real' good girl if I ever saw one," he chirped, giving her a playful tap on the head, as though she was a child.

She grimaced, but followed him, praying that Noctis could understand her reasons.

…

 _L.F. I love you more than I can say, Noctis._

To be continued…

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So here it is. A real cliffhanger. Next chapter is mostly written up, but needs some refining. Prompto's love life is taking over this fic, but I need to get over it for the guys to regroup and shit to get fixed. And I need to keep some advance on you, since school is going to start over. I'm still in my family, enjoying my brand new superfast computer. :D Since I had a lot of questions about it, there will be soft to serious smut in the story. My fluff can get borderline smutty. I just didn't want to write an M story, so I'll keep it soft. Or just very close to the line. XD Do you think Prompto has chances with Cindy?

How is her portrayal? I want her to be a strong woman, a bit childish but also hard-headed. I see her as someone who's really comfortable with her body, not an easy girl, but more like a young woman who's proud of her looks and assuming herself boldly. She's got the backbone to back it up and put any guy too interested back in his place. I don't want to jump in a debate over how she should have been dressed and stuff. I might deepen her character in the future, but I have a lot of trouble with her accent. I try my best until I just give up. I think I should rewrite every of her lines normally instead of trying. Any pointers to rephrase her lines would be welcome. I don't know where to cut the words to make it sound right.

Please review to keep me psyched up!


	12. Traitor or savior? Part I

I was afraid you would be angry or disappointed in Luna for her "decision" in last chapter. Luna is currently worried that Noctis might get hurt doing the covenants and taking all the pain to himself. He can't start them without her and the newspapers keeps telling everyone that she's let people off to die just to elope with her dashing prince. Moreover, Ardyn threatened her brother, who's giving the blight to innocent people for unclear reasons. If she go back to the empire, she might clear things up a bit and take some control back, although she's never had control on her life. I'm not saying it's the best decision for her, but explaining to you guys makes it easier for me to picture her reasons and the future explanation she'll gave Noctis. It might happen sooner than expected with the speed at which I'm writing this story. I've been unable to answer everyone because I'm devoting time to my family, still there for a few days before getting back home… But we've reached the point of 170 reviews after 11 chapters, which is simply awesome! Since this chapter was already written, I corrected it as much as possible to get it published. So here you have it. I hope it will help a bit with the latest events.

This title applies as much for Luna as Prompto. I was focusing a lot more on Prompto and Cindy in my first draft, but after giving it some thoughts, I decided to include more over Noctis' reaction to the situation. It was addressed, just not covered as much. As you can see, the chapter is the first part of a small arc that will revolve over Luna's capture. To develop everyone's character well enough and have something realistic from this story, this arc needs to be about three parts long. We will have fluff in next chapter. If some of you were disappointed in Prompto's lack of excitation about having Cindy in his arms, I'm sorry, but I've always understood Prompto as having fleeting crushes. What, as soon as he'd seen Aranae, he would seldom wonder if Aranea or Cindy were single or could be interested and it sounded like something recurrent. He might think that he loves Cindy, but as Ignis and Gladiolus observed, the young man lacks confidence. I think that he would be twitchy about being found out as someone from the empire and that he needs to distinguish his true feelings. Anyway, this chapter doesn't see the resolution to Luna's "kidnapping" but things are moving forward nevertheless. And action is back!

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Unexpected

Chapter 12 – Traitor or savior? Part I

Noctis had trouble focusing on Iris' voice. Something had been wrong with Luna since last night. They had barely talked about anything else than Prompto's potential love life. He understood she cared about his friend, but he had excepted her to say something else. Maybe return the confession he'd so bluntly thrown to her face. But she had asked him for time before. Surely with a little more time…

"Noctis? Could you at least pretend to be interested?"

He blinked, looking up from the food stall he'd been staring at for the last five minutes, totally spacing out.

"Sorry… This here is…"

Iris rolled her eyes.

"If you want to get back to the hotel and your princess, it's fine with me."

"Hey, don't get mad, now," Noctis tried to defend himself. "I got… distracted."

"You hate vegetables, don't make me believe you could suddenly be interested by…"

He poked her ribs like he'd done a hundred time when they were kids, instantly drawing a giggle from her. She was one of the most ticklish person he'd seen in his life.

"I didn't mean to space out. You got my full attention now."

Despite herself, Iris smiled. She led him over to her favorite restaurant, before dragging him to the power plant district. The air was filled with smoke and puff of vapors, and it was a little too hot for Noctis' comfort, but he let her incessant chatter fill his ears. Iris was like a female version of Prompto. That got him wondering how his friend was doing. He took out his phone and quickly checked his screen.

 _Off into some run-down mine to hunt for orichalcum with Cindy. Hope I don't piss my pants. D:_

He chuckled a bit, before to wonder which mine it could be. Not his people's new camp he hoped.

"Who's that?" Iris asked curiously, trying to check the screen.

"Prompto. Being as foolish as always."

That felt about right. He didn't want to worry about the man. He needed some peace of mind right now. Half an hour later, as he followed Iris down the stairs to the ledge and noticed a familiar jacket lying in an empty parking spot, he felt his chest twisting with fear.

 _No._

He rushed off and picked up the jacket. It was still warm. White sleeves, the white triangles around the hood. It smelled like her, and a bit of chocobos too.

"No way…"

Iris understood just as quickly as him. Lunafreya was gone. Worse, it seemed she had been taken. Both of them ran up the stairs, going each on one side of the road. A white stripped purple pink car was leaving. Noctis saw blond hair and warped-jump in the middle of the street, praying that it was her and that he could get her out. A gunshot answered his charge, throwing the few people around in a panic. Men ran about, rushing to their house, grabbing afraid children. Noctis was pushed around and did his best to keep an eye on the car while going through the sudden crowd. He was in the tunnel five minutes later. That was when the Nifs showed up. He heard Iris calling his name but couldn't stop trying. He let out his weapons, two swords, one spear and two buster swords. The royal arms burned his life force as he called on them. Only two he thought bitterly. Only two, but that was about seven weapons at once and he hadn't controlled that much even in training.

A mech on his left was pulverized by two spinning blades. He used his axe to destroy the MTs guns, running past both his weapons and enemies. If he used magic on the car, Luna could get hurt, so he dropped a fire spell in his tracks, setting the entire tunnel on fire. His legs burned but bullets and laser beams flared all around him as he ran. He had kept his engine blade and one buster sword around him as he warped forward. He needed a single hit and he could get her. Another wave of MTs dropped from the sky, raising like undead, smiling with eyes flaring in cybernetic life.

Luna was there, on the other side of that metal curtain. He saw a ship hovering by the bridge, a ramp waiting to take the car away. It was 500 feet away. He slashed and dashed forward, throwing thunder right over his shoulder, barely wondering if someone human had followed him. The soldiers were running after him, the metal hissing in the magic. A part of his mind had to control his weapons, ordering them to hit nothing but metal and stone. The toll on his body was taking. He felt magic surrounding him. Light that refreshed and healed. Luna's hand was on the car's window. The driver slapped her hard, her magic failing almost as soon as it had started. Even now, she tried helping him. He noticed the bullets on the ground, repelled by her light. She wanted to act as her shield and strength.

But where was his place in this? He needed to save her, but why had she put herself in danger in the first place?! Unless she hadn't… He tried to get a grip. Luna would never follow an imperial willingly, unless it was her own brother. She hadn't followed Ravus the other day, so why…

He jumped on a magitech's helmet, launching himself in the air. His sword flew in front of him once, twice. The magic was almost gone from him, but he was right above the car. Shifting and drifting on the last few feet between them and the cargo ship, Ardyn managed to turn them to the side so the prince could get a good look at his princess. Luna's head hit the window, her hair fanning around her face. She was unconscious now. Noctis saw her blood on the glass, his mind going blank with pure rage and warped once more, ready to drop on them. He never saw the blade coming. The hilt hit his chest, pushing him a few decimeters back. He couldn't catch himself, couldn't warp again. Next thing he knew, he was falling in the arms of MTs and the car was slipping into the ship.

Luna was taken. He hadn't managed to save her yet. Was he such a failure?

"Noctis!" Gladiolus called out.

Shaken up, out of breath, but entirely ready to take out the soldiers on the bridge, Noctis realized his friends were running towards him, going through the lingering fire, evading thunderbolts and tearing apart the robots still standing. His five left out weapons were lying down on the ground. Controlling them any longer would mean endangering people. He raised himself, not caring for the cuts and bruises he'd gotten. Instead he trashed the remaining MTs before either Gladio or Ignis could catch up to him. When they finally reached him, he was throwing his buster sword at his feet, barely controlling his anger.

"Iris came to warn us… Where's…"

"Good grief, Noct, you could have gotten yourself killed!" Ignis snapped.

"She's gone!" the prince snapped back. "She was right under my nose and they still managed to take her. How did all those soldiers even got here? Is this city any safer than Insomnia?!"

Iris was walking through the devastated tunnel, despite Gladio's warning glance.

"Is everyone okay?" she asked.

She knew it wasn't the right thing to say. She knew it was wrong, but she couldn't help but notice the gashes on Noctis, the traces of bullets which had grazed him. His eyes focused on her, keeping most of their anger.

"Did she tell you anything?" he asked. "You're the last one who seriously talked with her."

"No… She healed me… I thought she should have lied down."

Noctis frowned and Gladio crossed his arms on his chest while Ignis used a potion on his prince despite his few rebuttals.

"What was wrong with your arm anyway? Luna wouldn't get weak from a simple wound," the prince asked her.

Iris had always refused to lie to Noctis, so she admitted the truth, despite the fact her big brother was right there.

"She diagnosed I was afflicted with blight. It was… inside the wound, right in the bones. She seemed ready to collapse but insisted she only needed to eat."

Noctis swore under his breath while Gladio literally panicked.

"The blight? What kind of blight is that!? Where did you caught it?"

The wall had kept most citizens of Insomnia protected from the illness. But the Amicitia's children had still lost their mother to the blight. Ever since, Gladio had grown wary of anything related to it. He grabbed Iris by the shoulders.

"Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I just learned from it!" she reminded him. "And it's healed now. I'm fine!"

She pushed him back, hoping she could find the words to calm down Noctis, who was still lost in anger. He had called back his weapons one by one, his hand shaking a little more as he absorbed each of them back with his powers. His eyes met hers and he almost lost it.

"You really weren't happy to see her around here, weren't you Iris?! Did you tell her something to convince her of running away?"

The words weren't thought through, the prince was hurting and just lashing out, but Iris felt her heart breaking a second time. And she answered to his fire with more fire…

"You seriously believe I'd do something like that?! She lied to you about being okay! She's been in the empire clutches for years, you don't think she could manipulate either one of you? Maybe was she already planning about running away. She knows where the refugees are and…!"

Noctis raised one hand, too far gone to realize what he was doing, but Gladio stopped him with a slap of his own, almost sending him lying on his back.

"You're not going to threaten my sister!"

"Luna would never…!" his voice broke and his energy left him altogether.

Luna wouldn't want him to hurt Iris just because he was hurt. And he had his own doubts, although she would never follow someone that treated her badly. He covered his face with his hands, trying to keep all the pain on the inside. He had been through loosing his father and Lunafreya wasn't dead. The empire wouldn't…

"She said she'd stay with me," he thought out loud.

Ignis gripped his shoulder, understanding what the young man was going through.

"Right now, all we know is that she's been taken against her will," Ignis declared. "Let's gather intel and get you some rest. You won't do anyone any good in this state."

Iris seemed ready to argue, but bit her own tongue at the look Gladio gave her. She might be his sister, but Noctis was his friend and they'd both crossed a line.

…

In the morning, Cindy got up without a comment about the fact she had spent the night between Prompto's arms. She wanted to get back to Hammerhead, grab a shower and get working on the orichalcum piece they'd gotten. He felt a bit shyer than in the morning and wanted to wash up as much as her. The ride back was in comfortable silence. He started worrying about what Cid could say as they got closer, but the old man had much more cursing against the Regalia's poor state than the fact his grandkid had slept out with a man.

It might not be the first time it had happened for all the gunman knew.

"Next part should be around Longwythe peak. You think you could check it out by yourself while I take the orichalcum to a friend?"

Frowning a bit, the young man accepted. If he wasn't ready to give her the benefice of the doubt, he'd say she was trying to avoid him. In the same afternoon, after sharing a meal with Libertus and going through a far too long trek by his lonesome, when Cindy literally looked past him when he walked in with a smile, his ego was more than a little bruised. But he let it go once more. She was elbow deep in grease and busy with fixing cables and metal pipes on a car more sophisticated than one of his father's experience.

He'd been thinking far too much of his earlier childhood lately and needed to focus on the present and all the good things he'd managed to do with his life. But when he received Noctis' text mentioning that Luna had been taken, he felt like seriously losing it.

 _I'll come back right away._ He typed.

The answer was almost instantaneous.

 _There's nothing we can do right now. We need intel. Focus on getting the car done._

 _Man, how are you doing?_ Prompto insisted.

 _I Don't…_

 _Know_

"Damn!" he snapped.

Cindy finally seemed to notice he still existed.

"What is it?"

"Luna was captured by the empire. The guys could really use the car to get around faster."

Her eyes widened in shock.

"I… I need more time. It still misses 5 parts."

"Where are they?"

"There should be one close to Galdin Quay. Another one in the sewer beneath Insomnia. I say we keep it for last. I might get paw-paw to catch the third one for us. For the two last ones, I need access to an imperial dropship."

"How is it going to help us?"

"They got more technology than anywhere in Lucis right now and I should be able to find what I need to get this gal working right."

Prompto tried to get his head around it. Getting through an imperial battalion all by himself sounded pretty much impossible.

"The only dropship that touched the ground so far was so run down, I doubt there's anything left. But we could always check it out."

"Okay. Get ready. We're off to Galdin Quay. If we hurry, we should be able to make it to Duscae's pass before nightfall."

They ran out from the garage and barely packed before jumping on the backs of their chocobos. Cindy was still wearing too short shorts and her jacket, but the sun was harsh and Prompto almost wished for a cap of his own. Once again, they evaded monsters and managed to reach their destination in record time. The part was kept by the vendor of Galdin Quay, which meant they merely argued on a decent price. They saved enough to buy themselves dinner and took the time to sit down and take a breather. There was no news from Noctis, which certainly meant the prince had no idea where Luna had been taken yet.

"He must be beyond himself with worries."

"Are those two together yet?" Cindy inquired.

"It's… complicated." Prompto admitted.

It was the first time Cindy asked him about the pair of royals, despite having asked a hundred questions about Noctis and the group before.

"But it's pretty clear they love each other," she said. "I sure hope they can work it out."

"Me too."

He couldn't help watching her a little more seriously afterwards, wondering if _they_ had something to work out.

"Say… Were you evading me this morning?"

Cindy rolled her eyes, wanting to pretend it was all in his head, but he noticed how she tensed in her seat.

"The fact I slept in your arms last night mustn't get to your head, city boy. I was cold. You were cold. We'd both been through a lot."

"I know. But if you feel bad about it…"

"I don't feel bad about it. I feel bad about going all weak and scared before that," she admitted, her eyes glaring at her food.

"I was scared too," he tried reminding her, but Cindy cut him off.

"My paw and ma, they were killed by daemons on the road. I never face those things unless I'm sittin' in my truck. I thought I was a lot stronger than that, but I felt taken aback and weak… I wasn't able to do anythin' to help."

"Not for very long," Prompto recalled. "And if you hadn't been there, I don't think I'd manage to keep my cool."

That made him sound way too much like a weakling, but the blush on her face was worth it.

"Love how honest you are. That's rare around these parts," she added, looking out at Galdyn Quay's clients.

His smile hurt his cheeks as he felt his wristband scrapping against his skin. Was there really something like an honest man around these parts?

…

Luna had accepted to follow him, but at the last instant, when Ardyn held the door to his car for her, ushering her in the first row of the passenger seat, she hesitated. When he pushed on her shoulders to get her inside, she fought back, hating the feels of his hands on her. And at that point, the man simply lost it. She could feel the blight lurking inside him, she could feel the darkness almost leeching at her from the other side of his skin. He hit her head against the hood once, managing to grip both of her wrists in one. She tried calling her magic, tried opposing all the resistance she could muster, but the smell coming from him was nauseating and she was already weak from healing Iris.

"Growing a rebellion in that pretty little head, are we? You should know better."

He stripped her from her jacket, scrapping her neck, tearing Prompto's modified shirt, grabbing both of her naked arms, his nails almost leaving marks on her skin. The darkness was stronger, covering everything, denying her lungs the air they needed. Her voice was stuck in her throat and horrible visions of people suffering beyond repair filled her mind. He pushed her inside the car, not caring if she collapsed into the driver seat, unable to hold herself right. He simply pushed her once more to sit himself and start the engine, leaving her in a heap on her seat.

"You don't look like an Oracle," Ardyn commented. "We'll have to work on that."

When she saw Noctis running after them in the mirror view, her throat turned dry and she felt like jumping off the car. She had wanted answers, but it didn't seem she would get them here. The chancellor willed the doors to lock and laughed at the prince's attempts.

"That pup is serious about you, isn't he? I can't wait to see the look on his face the next time we three will meet."

He stopped laughing when he realized the young king might just catch them. Luna kept her eyes on Noctis, trying to remain quiet and unmoving. She didn't want to let it show how much she cared for him, but her right hand was plastered to the window and her magic surged from her heart, wrapping around the prince to protect him when she saw the bullets aiming for him. She lost consciousness from the next shock and awakened half an hour later. Their ride had taken them to the closest imperial base.

Ardyn dragged her to a dark cabin, ordering her to strip and change clothes. She did with trembling hands, feeling his eyes on her the entire while. This wasn't new either. He'd chose a white, beautiful dress for her, something that would make her look gracious and hinder movement. But since he always took her to suffering people in need of healing afterwards, she didn't hate the dresses or their color. She did hate his staring and his smirks. She was on bare feet as she walked out of the cabin, his hand giving her some support. The dress was sleeveless, almost too tight to breathe and stopped at her ankles.

"Now, I hope your tea is ready."

Some camomile tea with honey was supposed to give her strength. She swallowed the full drink in two shots, hoping to at least get warmer. But she still felt cold as he had her walking through small hangars, makeshift office of commands, until reaching a full battalion of MTs. Lunafreya had never treated more than one magitech soldier at once. She tried counting them, but couldn't. She couldn't see straight yet. 30 of them. Unmoving, except from the slight moans of pain coming from beneath the metal.

Ardyn had her standing in front of one soldier, removing his metal face. Beneath, dark flesh oozing green blood from every pore was contorted in a mask of pain. The skull had shrunk to the size of a fist. The body holding it up had the same grotesque proportions. Luna tried not to let out a gasp of horror, but the pain she saw in the empty orbits made her stomach churn.

A hiss came from the magitech soldier, previously human, now half daemon half rotten flesh.

"Kill… me…" it begged.

And Ardyn simply smiled, before to give Luna the order she was dreading.

"Make them last longer, Oracle."

That couldn't be what the Six expected from her. She was supposed to take away the blight, to help reduce the Scourge. This was an abomination and…

"I'm not… strong enough right now."

"I don't care. Fix only one of them a day if that's what you can do, but you won't have rest or food until one is fixed."

She saw the glint of his smile reflecting on the polished armors. Understood he wanted to twist her powers, to corrupt her as much as he'd been corrupted. She knew too little about Ardyn yet, but she dreaded learning anything more, even if it meant helping Noctis.

Gazing up at the magitech soldier, wondering how long he'd been suffering in a flesh that tried to destroy itself, in a cage of metal that held him or her up… She apologized and prayed in silence, raising a trembling arm.

She usually needed to touch the beings, but her magic recoiled in her veins, rushing back to her heart, making her gasp and hurt even more. Her prayers turned to commands.

 _Buy me time. Just this once until I can stand by myself and get away from here._

The light fanned out as a few stars shone in the sky. Her breathing turned to awful, raspy sounds. The dark skull covered with tortured, wrinkled skin was changing shape. A horn sprouted on one side as the soldier cried out in pain. The empty eyes reformed themselves, human for a few seconds, before to glint with a silver light that wasn't human, could never be human. Never again. Luna felt the blight almost taking root in her own flesh, but kept her defenses up long enough. After what felt like hours, the dark flesh stood straighter. The wrinkles, moans, green blood and hisses were gone. He flashed bright, sharp teeth at Luna in a threatening snarl. She collapsed to her knees, shuddering, gasping and fighting against the tears. This was wrong. This wasn't the answers she needed. This might kill her faster than any covenant ever could.

Before to know what Ardyn would ask of her next, she lost consciousness, leaving the Chancellor staring at his line of MTs.

"Such wasted potential," he sighed.

He motioned for two soldiers to pick her up. It seemed she had reached her limits. As soon as she'd woke up, he'd got her working again. Verstael's toys were getting weaker and weaker, breaking down too fast to even drop on the prince's head. They needed real daemons. The kind that would make any nightmare look like a rainbow in the sky.

…

Noctis was still far too lost and angry to be left alone. Ignis dragged the prince all over Lestallum, forcing him to cool down enough to interrogate people with him. A few passersby had reported seeing a girl just like Luna being manhandled by some creepy man. Ignis got working immediately, rounding up all the hunters in the city. Iris didn't remain idle, using all the recent contacts she'd made and the favors she was owed. At eight in the morning, Gladio almost knocked the prince out, shoving him in a bed, reminding him that he wouldn't do any good to Luna if he had no strength to battle her out of the empire's clutches. Noctis did sleep, but he woke up before twelve, texted Prompto without thinking, before to check on things. Ignis had intel about two currently running imperial bases. The first one was closer to the meteor site.

"If Lady Lunafreya was taken to either of them, we'll find information on her in their main drive. But breaking into an imperial…"

"I have Ramuh's power now," Noctis reminded him. "And we've gotten stronger."

"We're one man short," Gladio reminded him.

"Maybe you could take me with you instead," Iris suggested.

The three friends had been keeping to themselves, planning things out in the room they'd shared, not knowing that Gladio's sister was in the hallway, her ear stuck to their door, waiting for the right moment to barge in.

"It's out of question," Her brother warned.

"But I need to do something! It's for my sake she made herself weaker."

Noctis' face closed a bit more, his teeth almost creaking together. But Iris was doing a lot of efforts right now to go back on the words she had used. If he didn't agree with her now, their friendship might be entirely lost. As much as he was hurt, he saw the girl as a younger sister and couldn't lose her. He was losing far too much people as it already was to push them away himself.

"You can come with us, but if you don't hold your own in the fights, we're leaving you at some nearby camp. I'm not putting you in danger if I can help it," he decided.

"Then just leave her here!"

"Gladio, you said it yourself, we're one man short," Noctis threw back to his face. "Leaving her here would mean taking the risk she runs after us on her own."

Ignis sighed, muttering that for once, the prince was right. Iris looked determined enough to rush out and rescue Lunafreya all by herself. In about an hour, they'd set out together to rescue Lunafreya Nox Fleuret for the empire once and for all. Noctis took the time his friends used to gather all the curatives they could to visit Luna's room. He found their notebook beneath her pillow and opened it, wondering why she hadn't left the book with Umbra. Going over the latest words, he noticed a new line in her handwriting.

 _I love you more than I can say._

His heart was a freaking mess as it was, but it hurt and mend all at the same time.

"Dear Luna… Why couldn't you tell it to my face?" he wondered out loud.

At least, one thing was sure in his mind. She might have been thinking of leaving, but she would come back to him. She hadn't pushed him away when he was trying to rescue her. If he could find her, this time, he'd convince her to stay. He'd even kneel if he had to!

Their group was uneasy, parting with Jared with more recommendations than either of the young men thought necessary. Talcott wished them all luck and they called their chocobos, knowing that Prompto and Cindy needed more time to gather all the parts to fix the Regalia. Ciel had answered the call and seeing her gave some hope to Noctis. He wouldn't walk out of the imperial base without his princess.

To be continued…

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Although Prompto might be the weakest in the party, I don't think Noctis was expecting Cindy to drag his best friend down mines and sewers. Cause we have sewers coming in next chapter. I hope you liked how things turned out. Iris and Noctis might clash again before reaching the first imperial base. Let me know what you think guys. Your reviews really help in building this story. ;) Luna and Noctis will interact again in chapter 15, but be sure to stay tuned, because we'll see both of them and what they're going through while separated.

As always, reviews are welcome. I'll try posting one more chapter before new year. If I don't, I wish all of you one happy new year!


	13. Traitor or savior? Part II

So many reviews! Thank you everyone, thank you, seriously. I'm not mad if any of you are angry or disappointed with Luna. Although I defend her decision, I don't approve of it either. I managed to slip some interactions between Noctis and Luna in there, despite still needing a third part to conclude this arc. I've been meaning to have a mountain of fluff in chapters 15-16 and those that follows and the reunion between Noctis and Luna is something I've wanted to write since I started this fic. During the game, I kept having the impression that Luna was not only paving the way for Noctis, but also running too far ahead of him, leaving him in the dark. So I needed to get that attitude out of the way so their pairing could advance after clearing things up. I've gone through all the advance I had over you and can't tell when the next chapter will come. At least, I think the last chapters I updated were not too filled with mistakes. I also need my NoctxLuna fluff.

Ardyn might try redeeming himself next chapter, but I couldn't make him nicer. My theory over what's inside the MTs needed it and such a corrupted soul couldn't help himself but try to corrupt Luna. That said, we still see Prompto and Cindy. I might revisit the chapters later on to fix her speech, thanks for the offers, but since I want the story to advance, I don't want to press anyone at this time of the year. So here I give you another chapter. I'll be sure to answer the reviews soon! For now, chapter 13!

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Unexpected

Chapter 13 – Traitor or savior ? – Part II

Cindy hopped off her mount, almost immediately kneeling in front of the dropship's carcass. The metal had bent and twisted, and there didn't seem to be much left to discover. Prompto gently asked the birds to wait for them, just to see her pointing at the other side of the blockade.

"I thought I saw somethin' back there. Mind checkin' it out?"

"Sure."

He knew she was stressed out. Working under pressure was one thing, but thinking that the safety of the only Oracle left in Eos might depend on how fast she could get the Regalia back on her wheels… That was something else entirely. He'd rather not be ordered around so casually. Being her slave didn't sound like fun. It wasn't a question of pride or any memories of the bad treatments he'd received before. Mostly, Prompto felt as though all she saw in him was a pair of arms and legs. Warmth and comfort if she happened to be cold. The city boy who tagged along, but not a real person.

He was about to stalk off when she gasped.

"Wait up! Tell me if I'm seeing this right."

She was leaning over one MTs' corpse. She had opened a few panels on the armor, revealing a darkened arm. Prompto took a few steps closer and stopped when he noticed the barcode on the wrist.

"Is that really… some kind of code? Or a tag they use to identify them?"

"I don't know. I can barely make out the lines. You think… maybe he's been charred?"

The lies burned in his throat, but he didn't want her to understand. Although he didn't sound as curious as he should be. His voice had turned emotionless and Cindy swallowed, unsure what it could mean. Unless… The idea almost scared her.

"He doesn't smell like burnt flesh. And I would know, mind you."

She turned the soldier's arm around, careful not to touch the stretched-out skin, only manipulating his glove and armor.

"Careful not to catch anything," he whispered.

As he walked off, Cindy was watching his retreating back. She didn't see him clutching his wrist band, but she saw how tensed his shoulders were. He was a skinny bundle of nerves, and he kept a secret from her. If not from everyone. She'd be damned if she didn't find out before the car was fixed.

In the end, he found one intact panel of commands, beneath which Cindy wrestled a catalyzer that should work in the Regalia after a few tweaks and the right amount of cables to fix a few delicate parts. She checked her phone, noticing the sun falling down. Their chocobos were growing restless.

"Paw-paw got the piece I wanted. If we can get through the sewers and collect the battery I need from the system down there… Ya might be able to drive the gal back by tomorrow afternoon."

Prompto didn't mention he had no idea if he could drive the Regalia on such a long distance. He had a license, but he wasn't good with manual cars. Shifting sounded too much like changing appearances and he'd worked hard to remain human.

"Want to ride all the way there?" he suggested, swallowing down his worries.

"You bet. I have to save your ass at least once, city boy."

…

Noctis had them riding for six full hours. When they stopped, their inner legs were begging for mercy, their bottoms hurt, and Iris almost tripped on her feet. The chocobos dropped right around the camp Ignis and Gladio started putting up. Noctis was pulling the tent out of thin air and Iris couldn't help but stare at him as he had all their camping stuff materialize. When she'd been younger, she'd looked up to her brother with shiny eyes. Now, the only one she admired seemed to be the young prince. And although she was still a bit angry with him, she felt pulled right back in.

Ignis watched over the pair, doubting letting Iris near Noctis was helping her. When he took out the first ingredients for tonight's supper, Iris jumped on the occasion to make herself useful.

"I don't need help," he warned her.

He hated seeing people mess with his kitchen.

"No, you need a break and I need to busy my mind. Either you move, or I'll make you," she teased him.

"Let's work together then. Noctis will need some meat tonight."

"Gladio will need some too."

They glared at each other, ready to compete as they always did when cooking was in question. Gladio suggested some training to take Noctis's mind off.

"I should call Cor and get some soldiers to defend Lestallum. Half of Insomnia's survivors are there."

"Leave that for tomorrow, okay? You destroyed the MTs yesterday and I need to see that kind of fighting spirit for myself."

Noctis wasn't as enraged as he'd been, but he complied and fought Gladio, understanding the man wanted to have a talk with him further from camp. Night was already well fallen when they crossed blades. And somewhere throughout their fight, the tall man proved he had just as much pent-up anger to vent out. By the time they were done, they were both drenched in sweat, but feeling a bit more energized.

"I owe you an apology," Gladiolus admitted.

"Why?"

"For slapping you the other day."

Noctis chuckled at that.

"I owed a punch for even thinking of raising one hand on Iris. She's like family…"

"You know… how she feels about you, right?" Gladiolus asked, running a nervous hand through his brown hair.

The prince frowned a bit. Gladio and him were never big on talking about feelings. That was more Prompto's thing and then again, Prompto would never get in that kind of talk with the bodyguard around.

"She thinks I'm stupid for being in love with Luna or something…"

Gladiolus heaved a desperate sigh.

"I thought you had matured in the last few days… But you're still as dense as ever."

"What does that mean?! I just said it was fine you'd slapped me in the face. Another prince would have you hanged!"

The big guy laughed.

"You can be such a kid sometimes."

Noctis didn't know why, but the remark made him feel better instead of worse. Maybe was it Gladio's laugh. That sound almost reminded him of his father. He missed him more than he'd thought possible.

"So, what is it I don't understand?"

"No, I won't say anything. You're a lost cause," his shield muttered before walking back to their campground.

The young man had a few doubts about what Gladio meant. He wasn't blind and cared a lot more than he let on. But he was surer than ever of what he felt for Lunafreya. Even _if_ he could get over the impression that Iris was his "adopted" younger sister, he wouldn't be able to turn a liking into love. His father had led a lonely life after his mother's passing, never taking another wife and the prince wasn't sure Regis ever had other lovers. He was too busy defending his kingdom and fighting a battle their ancestors had lost long ago.

"Don't stir it like that," Ignis was telling Iris.

"Focus on that oil, you're going to get burned!"

Their cooking antics never got old. Noctis plopped down in a chair, taking out his phone and checking for texts from Prompto.

 _One piece left to collect, man._

 _Where's it at?_ He typed back.

 _Worry about finding Intel on your princess :P_

 _Dude!_

 _Whoa, type-riding is going to get me killed. See ya!_

Noctis wondered if Prompto was doing fine. He was surely forcing himself to sound playful. The man cared way too much for his own good.

"Hey Iris. What was it you said the last time Prompto tried to hook himself up with some girl?"

"Not looking. Car crash in the making."

The guys exchanged sorry looks over Iris's shoulders. She had always been harder on the gunman than either of them. Whenever Noctis made a new friend, which was rare in itself; she'd be suspicious about them. The prince hoped he could get her to like Luna eventually. Her doubts about the Oracle's intentions almost hurt him, but he felt his own mind filling up with questions.

 _I won't doubt her. But I will need answers._

…

The sewers were worse than the mines. One wrong step and they were sliding down slopes of stale water, falling in the gooey hands of flans and hobgoblins. Prompto didn't try to fight the things they met. They ran and crawled as far away as they could. Luckily, the flans didn't like moving. The hobgoblins proved more difficult. Cindy busted one's nose and Prompto was happy to be overcharged with munitions, his bullets eating through flesh and limbs. After going down three slopes and meeting the first electric panel, they were covered with dirt, scratches and bruises. They shared a potion, Cindy wiping her gloved hands over his pants without even asking. Being this dirty was pushing it, even for her. Her cap was caked in mud and so was her hair. Prompto had dared to snatch a picture once, having to apologize profusely afterwards, swearing it wasn't of her. It had been of the place. He wanted to remind Noctis of making the sewers a little lest infested with vermin once Insomnia would be taken back.

"This isn't the right one," she groaned, pushing the plate of steel back in place.

"Let's keep going. It's already midnight."

They remained close to each other, Prompto leading the way in case monsters jumped in. He had pushed her back and thrown her on the floor at least four times already and was well over the fact he touched far too much skin whenever he grabbed her to get her out of the way. Cindy was good at envisioning his reactions and usually ducked before he even told her to. Still, she was growing more tired with every new turn they took and Prompto himself wondered how much longer he could endure this. When they slid down two slopes at once to fall through a hole in the ground, they both cried out. Cindy reached up instinctively, managing to grab a small metal pipe. Prompto barely gripped to her waist, having nothing else to grab on.

"Oww."

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"No, don't… Just… Find us a way out," she begged, holding on the best she could.

One angry snarl coming from the bottom of the hole made them both shiver.

"Can you see whatever made that sound?"

"No, I…"

His hands were starting to slip. He couldn't exactly claw at her and as drenched as they were, her working belt was the only grip he had on her.

"Hey, I just got an idea! I might cushion your fall."

"What? You're not thinking of lettin' go. Prompto!"

"I can see a door down there."

"I won't fall to my death," she warned him.

"And I won't stretch perfect legs by hanging on forever," he retorted.

Neither of them was exactly thinking straight at this point. Cindy felt his hands slipping past her hips, his fingers brushing against her goosebumps covered thighs. Her fingers were growing numb and she knew she'd follow him soon. She tried to hold on long enough to hear him hitting the ground. To hear his voice still working, to know he was still alive. To hear something other than the monster that seemed to be waiting beneath. She couldn't muster the strength to look down. When her arms gave up on her, she couldn't even scream. Much to her surprise, the reception didn't break anything. Something had cushioned her fall, something scaly but not as bony as her city boy would have been. Prompto's hands grabbed her shoulders and pulled her away. Her ass hit the water on the floor and she recoiled at the sensation. But then the snake with a human face and a hundred tentacles raised itself in front of her and she decided that being wet and uncomfortable was nothing compared to this new fear. She looked around for the door Prompto had mentioned. Saw a small arch. Too small for that daemon to follow. The hands on her shoulders shoved her to the side as a cloud of green smoke filled the air. She covered her nose with her hands, despite the violet goo on her glove.

The room was shaking around her, and she shook with it, her teeth clattering together. Was it from the cold or the fear? Her crowbar felt more ridiculous than ever. She dove to the corner to evade the snake's tail trashing about and noticed a frog jumping frantically towards her. It took her half a second to register what that meant. Prompto was a frog. That daemon wasn't just toxic. It could turn them into frogs. She grabbed the frog without thinking, although the grossest thing she'd touched as a little girl was uncooked tonberry's meat.

She half crawled backward, half swam and managed to get in a corridor too small for the awful creature, holding the frog to her heart. Prompto croaked, his eyes bulging a bit and she eased her grip, trying not to let him slip. Then, she crawled a few more meters back only to have the creature further from her.

"Holy…!"

Prompto's new "ribbit" was strong enough to cover her swearing.

"How am I supposed to get you back to human…"

Going over her arsenal, she realized she had no remedy or maiden's kiss. Which helped her realize what she could actually do!

"Don't get any ideas now," she warned him, waving a finger at the frog.

Cindy tried wiping a spot from all the slime and sticky liquid the thing was covered in, to no avail. With a dreadful sigh, she puckered up and kissed him on the head. The result was almost instantaneous. A full-grown young man was suddenly sitting in her lap, still covered in slime, but bearing crimson cheeks and ears, her lips stroking his right eyebrow. She backed up a bit, feeling a smile on her face at the sight of the disheveled gunman. He might be panting and flushing and feeling embarrassed, but he could defend her better in that state.

"Are we even like this?" he asked her, a devious smirk on his face.

"I hope we are. But a thank you would also be appreciated," she observed cockily.

He got up, his legs a bit too similar to cotton candy to his taste, but still holding him up.

"That's a pretty maiden if I ever saw one. Thanks."

She blushed at the compliment but decided to ignore it. She had just spotted what they had been looking for. At least she hoped it was it. A new panel was waiting, and behind it, the battery she would use to power up the Regalia's motor.

"Finally! Now we just have to get out…"

A violent snarl shook the entire wall of stones and they backed up, wondering if the daemon from earlier hadn't given up on them. It might not eat that often with how deep down the sewers he was. A few metal bars blocked the only tunnel in the room. Prompto took out his gun and made small work of them. Cindy wondered if a gun should really do such damages, but decided to wait for a better time to ask him. They snuck between the bars, pushing forward in the dark. With every new step, the water seemed to move faster around their feet.

"Is it me, or is this… growing stee…per!"

By the time she had finished her sentence, they were both free falling. This wasn't a slope that would lead them deeper inside this time. The air felt warmer and warmer and as they bumped into each other, either the feet of one getting under the other's back or their hands gripping at the wrong places as they tumbled, and sled, and fell… they found themselves outside, falling down a cascade of muddy water until they hit a dark lake of human trash. When Cindy resurfaced, she looked ready to kill someone, but Prompto was just happy she was still alive.

They walked out of the "lake" and tried to get most of the dirt and unmentionables off themselves. Prompto tried calling the chocobos back, but even after three whistles, no sign of yellow feathers or deep brown eyes. Cindy was studying the scenery.

"I think we're outside of Leide," she observed after a while. "Surely a tunnel or something should get us back."

They were in a natural trench of mold and mud. Getting over it took them about fifteen minutes, but their efforts were rewarded with a sight they hadn't expected. The ocean was waiting about a mile away.

"Fresh water!" Cindy called out, raising her hands up in victory!

"Salty water," Prompto tried reminding her, not as excited as she seemed to be.

"I don't care. I need to FEEL clean!"

She took off into a run, which meant he had to follow her. If he had known what would happen next, he might have kept his distances.

…

Lunafreya batted her eyelids, trying to fight against her drowsiness. She had been sleeping and aching intermittently. A cool hand run over her forehead. She thought she'd recognized Gentiana but her voice felt too hoarse to say her name. Gentiana had frozen the doors of her cabin. Everything was cold in the room, but it didn't reduce the fever Luna was running.

"They've forced you to work against your very nature," the older woman told her. "If you ever try to heal something like that again, I doubt the blight won't take you. Your soul needs cleansing."

"H…ow?"

Gentiana's hair turned almost white as she smiled.

"Ramuh told me about the young king's prayer. I know I had promised to forge an alliance with him. But you need strength too. And I want to give my brothers and sisters the right example."

She took Luna's hand in hers and the young woman felt renewed strength in her limbs.

"Then… You think Noctis and I should share…"

Gentiana nodded.

"But the fever will get worse before falling down. Although your family protected me, I can't protect you from the price of the covenant."

"I don't need protection. I have my faith."

The white skin turned blue as Shiva accepted to reveal herself once and for all.

"You might never feel warmth again," the goddess warned her.

Luna smiled in answer. She hadn't been warm in years, except when around Noctis. Shiva bent down, her hands holding her burning forehead. A pulse of light ran from her dark eyes to her neck and to the tips of her fingers. The light burned and froze and burned more, making Luna scream as she trashed on her bed.

Miles away, Noctis almost fell down his mount, a voice murmuring to someone other than him, a voice he'd heard before in his head without understanding. It felt as though an invisible hand was toying with his brain, scrapping a lobe, poking one side and tearing through his thoughts. Luna's voice reached his ears and he hunched over. If what he was feeling was a quarter of what she was going through… He dreaded the thought, his friends gathering all around him.

"What's wrong?"

"Noctis?"

"It's Luna… She's hurting. I think she's trying to forge a covenant on her own."

He winced, until the awful scream in his mind receded and the pain subdued. Iris looked puzzled, but Noctis pressed them on as soon as the crisis was over. Gladiolus couldn't make small talk and Ignis was too worried to even try. Even with Prompto there, they wouldn't have managed to cheer up the prince. Too much was at stake.

They reached the first base half an hour later. The sun was bright in the sky and it seemed doubtful they could sneak in without catching anyone's attention. Having only four people meant caution was their only choice.

"Let's see if we can find a breach somewhere." Noctis suggested.

They walked around the perimeter, careful of potential surveillance cameras while the prince raked his brain for a way to enter. There were a few smaller exists than the main gate, but although not guarded, the doors had no handle or lock to crack open.

"I could warp through a wall and open an emergency door for you guys."

"It's too dangerous," Iris protested, but Gladio could see how frantic he was.

"I'll agree with it if you promise to get us inside as soon as possible. You might be strong, but you're not invincible."

"It's a promise, guys. Now, be ready to kick some Nifs' ass."

Iris watched in stupor as the prince hurled himself through a wall without leaving a trace. If she didn't know better, she'd think this man wasn't even real. Noctis warped killed two soldiers as silently as possible before breaking open the closest door, letting his friends inside. He felt nauseous and feverish somehow. He tried blinking the sweat out of his eyes, but the boxes and walls around him got blurrier. Luna's voice spoke to his mind.

" _I'm sorry. I made a mistake, Noctis."_

" _Where are you?"_ he asked right back, unsure of what was going on. Were they linked somehow? When had it happened? How…?

Gladio frowned and the prince understood the connection he shared with Luna was invisible

She gasped in surprise.

" _You can hear me?!"_ she marvelled.

" _Luna, where are you?!"_ he insisted, this time careful of not uttering a sound

" _I don't know… Not far. I can feel your magic close."_

He wanted to know what his magic could feel like to her, but there wasn't time. His friends were looking at him as though he was crazy, and he needed to get moving, to lead them through the base.

" _I… felt you screaming earlier…"_

" _I'm… I'll get better, Noct."_

" _I'll find you."_

" _Please, don't rush like you did yesterday, don't get hurt."_

" _I hurt since you're gone, Luna."_

" _I didn't mean to…"_

That pinched at his heart. As though she meant to say she hadn't been taken entirely against her will.

" _Tell me you didn't run back to the empire, thinking you could solve things on your own. They kept you prisoner for twelve years!"_

" _I didn't want to leave, Noctis, you must believe me. He threatened my brother and usually, Ardyn always bring me to people needing my help. I…"_

Her voice turned to a scream and he gritted his teeth. Who was that Ardyn? He couldn't put a face on the name, but he'd heard it before. The empire's chancellor? Was he the one hurting his Luna right now?

" _Luna, what did you do?!"_

"Noctis, we have to keep moving," Ignis warned him.

She wasn't answering anymore. Noctis blinked, coming back to reality, unsure how long he'd been gone.

"I'm all here, it's fine," he told Iris who seemed ready to shake him to make sure he heard them.

They swiftly exterminated the soldiers from the base, going one makeshift corridor and control room at a time. The first working computer they found saw both Ignis and Noctis typing away at his keyboards, hacking as well as they could. Prompto was better than either of them, but they were almost inside the empire's database when Gladio cleared his throat.

"We've got company."

"Keep looking," Noctis ordered his chamberlain, invoking a sword without a second thought.

He heard the sharp intake of breath from Iris as she peeked outside. In the hangar, his metallic arm glinting red, his face a mask of annoyance, Ravus gave orders to his mix of MTs and human soldiers. They'd found a corpse and were growing restless. Noctis saw his father's sword on his belt and saw red, walking out of the control room to face the Fleuret's oldest. With a groan, Gladiolus followed him, Iris right on their heels.

"Find the intrud…" Ravus had started, before to spot the prince of Lucis. "How did _he_ got in?!"

"I've got a question for you, Ravus Nox Fleuret," Noctis cut in, his voice sharp with anger.

For some reason, the soldiers kept their guns down. It might be the deadly glare both men exchanged across the ten feet separating them. Everyone in the base could tell those two were rivals. Even MTs knew better than to stand between rivals.

"Since you've gotten through our line of defense, you're entitled to some spoils of war," Ravus retorted.

"Where is your sister?"

The white-haired man frowned, his annoyed expression turning to pure wrath.

"You've _lost_ her? I give you two days and you lose Lunafreya?! Not to mention you've already replaced her with a younger model!"

Iris wanted to protest, but Noctis summoned his entire arsenal, shards of concrete rising as metal lunged and glinted in the air between both men. Ravus unsheathed Regis's sword. The sight was enough to fuel back all the rage the prince had felt as he saw Luna taken away.

"I knew you couldn't protect her, rotten prince," Ravus groaned, flexing his mechanic fingers.

A wave of power rushed out from his arm, pushing Iris backward, erasing the royal arms. Swords and spears clattered to the floor, but Noctis didn't care if he couldn't warp. At least, every weapon was at his disposal. Luna refused to speak up in his mind and he was so afraid her voice might never come back. Ravus seemed too far gone to worry about his sister for the right reasons.

"I'll tear you apart!"

"Like father like son. Come and kill me if you dare!"

To be continued…

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Now, I know, I'm being mean with another cliffhanger after the last two chapters. But the fact I'm already updating should cheer you up a bit. It's like… three times in the last 24 hours? And we will have a Ravus against Noctis fight where Noctis might take his revenge. Fluff and heartbreak for Prompto next chapter, more action and some of Ardyn's origin story according to my personal theory. Be sure to review !


	14. Traitor or savior? Part III

The fact we reached 200 reviews really made my day. I want to thank everyone for reading, following, faving and mostly, commenting. Your feedback helps and makes me want to get as much writing done as I can. Since I'm still on vacation for a week before school starts again, I hope I can get chapter 15 done soon. For now, have the last part of the Traitor or savior arc. ;)

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Unexpected

Chapter 14 – Traitor or savior? Part III

Prompto hated sand. He hated it with a passion. What he didn't hate though was seeing Cindy throwing off her jacket and shorts, jumping out from her boots and giving up on her cap to get into the water, not bothering a minute about the idea monsters could be waiting inside. She yelped at the coldness, before laughing and grabbing handfuls of sand to scrap at the dirt all over her skin. She started with her legs and… Prompto averted his eyes, feeling wrong thoughts and impulses growing in his mind. It wouldn't be wrong if the girl was his girlfriend, but she wasn't, and he doubted she ever would.

He removed his jacket, and his boots, trying to survey the empty beach. Weren't there any giant crabs waiting around? Or scorpions? Or maybe an imperial dropship flying by? He had to remain on his guards. Looking up, he saw that Cindy was scrapping at her belly with the sand now. Her hair stood on ends, a solid mass of dirt and tangles. She looked beautiful, awfully beautiful. He tried rolling his trousers up, before deciding that he would feel a lot better without it. His boxer might serve as a bathing suit and it wasn't as though Cindy wasn't the epitome of sexiness already.

"Hey! Get over here!" she called for him.

Prompto knew for a fact his guns wouldn't like salty waters. He wasn't sure he wanted to be defenseless even if nothing dangerous seemed to be around. Cindy walked up to him after taking a dive, trying to run her fingers through her hair and failing.

"I need help and we really could use a break, don't you think. Just drop your stuff and come here."

Prompto hesitated a few more minutes before complying, leaving his guns on his pair of trousers, taking off his dark shirt. He might have his own collection of scars, but since Cindy looked quite sure of herself and okay with showing off her body, he guessed he just needed to pretend he had the same assurance. As he walked toward her, he kept glancing around, looking for potential trouble. Everything seemed quiet.

"Do you always have to keep that wristband?" she mused.

"Sentimental value," he pretended as her eyes fell on his lean chest.

The water's level reached their navels and he was barely larger than her, but his muscles were still defined. She noticed the scars, mismatched in sizes, made by either syringes or scalpels -not that she could tell-, the burns, the redness and blotches here and there. A very thin, but surely soft down of blond hairs that continued beneath his boxer. Cindy smiled at him and he blushed, but held her eyes.

"You're going to burn up under the sun," she teased him.

"Pretty sure I'd never manage a tan like yours."

"I've got some tough skin. But despite being paler than a peach, you're not too hard on the eyes."

"I thought you needed help, not eye candy," Prompto shot back, hoping it would help the knot building up in his throat.

"Could use both. But yeah, my hair is going to get worse at this rate. You help me rinse it a bit, I'll help with yours."

The operation wasn't as smooth as she'd expected, but they still managed to remove the worse of the grime, slime and dirt from each other's hair. The water felt refreshing, even though the salt would hurt eventually. Cindy wasn't sure she wanted to care about it right now. She'd been through enough pain and fear. She wanted to feel alive. More than alive, she wanted to feel warm and connected with someone. She was mostly clean now, having dived beneath the surface at least twice.

"Maybe we should get back to the…" Prompto started.

She could tell he was scared by what she could be planning next. He was also worried about his friends and Lady Lunafreya. And she wanted to worry too, but her own life had been at risk. As much as she wanted to pretend it hadn't scared her, the mines and the sewers had put her nerves through a lot. Now they were supposed to find a way back to Leide and she should have been saving her strength. She should be thinking about a hundred things, but she didn't want to think anymore. Not now. Not for the next minutes. She stroked his ribs with her fingers, knowing the effect it would have on him.

"Can we just take some time off… I need… arms around me."

Prompto was too willing to oblige, instantly wrapping his arms around her. He wondered if that wasn't wrong. The last time a pretty girl had fallen so quickly in his arms, it had been a prank and Noctis had to revert to threats to get him out of his apartment. But Cindy's hands gently slipped around his shoulders, her fingers looking for knots to untie in his back. The worst knot was in his throat. Her nose touched his and he felt her breathing on his face and neck.

"I'd thought I'd take you on a date before…"

"Come on, man, we've been through literal shit together. You might not know my favorite color, but this doesn't have to mean anything."

That hurt, but Prompto told himself he could be casual if it was the only way to get affection from her. Her lips tasted salty and bitter. Their breath was just as dreadful, so they didn't linger on it, focusing on the sensation of their wet skin sticking together in places, sliding in others. Prompto was usually sweet and soft with girls -in his dreams-, but his goddess of the gears was tough. And maybe his nerves had been put through too much to remain entirely gentle.

He embraced her as closely as possible, one hand cupping her face, the other going down the small of her back, before to grab her butt. She moaned against him, her lips parting, welcoming a fight for dominance. And they barely fought. A break for air, another kiss, almost desperate, and a dozen more as he lifted her in his arms, forgetting the many plans where he'd envisioned kissing her. Her legs wrapped around his waist. He wanted to touch everything, to take everything, if it meant she'd get closer. A few cuts made them wince and their moans were half pain, half pleasure. He tugged on the strings of her top, his lips following her jawline, his tongue lapping the salty taste off her neck. This was too much at once. Cindy shivered and clang to him even more, her hands messing his hair as she scrapped at his scalp.

It was when she pulled on his wristband that he felt tugged back to earth. He froze and she whined in protest, still balanced by his arms, her legs tightly wrapped around him.

"I won't lose it," she swore, biting his earlobe playfully, but Prompto couldn't let her learn the truth. If anyone knew, it'd be over with his life. He needed her off him.

"We're going to get robbed or killed if we don't get back soon."

"What's so wrong with that wrist of yours?" she asked bluntly.

His eyes hardened a bit.

"You don't… Let's stop this now, whatever game you're playing, Cindy."

Her face turned serious, but her fingers didn't loosen their grip on the band, even after he lowered her to her own feet. The sea water around them felt too warm now.

"You wanted to see me naked, but I can't see your wrist?"

"Let it go," he asked.

He didn't want to push her around, not his goddess, but goddesses could be cruel. She ripped the band right off. He wondered if she'd played him from the start. His hand moved to hide his paler skin and the mark that branded him different. Why had he thought this could work? How had he…

Her green eyes were wide and filled with fear suddenly. Soon, the eyes he'd learned to hold back would be nothing but hate.

"That's a barcode, right? Like the MT back at the barricade."

She'd toyed with him since she'd seen the soldier's arm. She would tell her grandfather and the guys. She'd ruin everything he worked so hard on. He might be sent back to Nifelheim. He'd die a slow, painful, solitary death. His heart swarmed with venom and he threw it right at her.

"Yeah. If you want to buy the goods, you can even scan the price! About 5500 gils. Freshest piece of meat around."

He turned his back on her, stalking his way back to the beach. Cindy couldn't look at him the same as before. The feel of his lips on her skin lingered, but it felt like an awful bite. He was part of the empire. She needed to understand how he'd gotten inside Insomnia, but somehow, it changed her entire view of the cute city boy.

"You lied to everyone!" she called after him, running to catch up.

He pulled his pants on, angry at her for making him all hot and bothered even once. He should have seen something like this coming from miles away. Getting close to any girl was taking a risk. He could have tried burning off the code, but it wasn't just a tattoo. Hacking his hand was the only way to be rid of it and he needed that hand to fire his guns at beasts and daemons. Not to mention people.

Slipping his shirt back on was harder. His skin prickled where she'd touched him. His mind was going over the situation. He couldn't kill her. He'd never kill another human being before. At least, not willingly. Her hands grabbed his shoulders.

"Prompto, you seem like a good guy. I'm… I'm shocked, but…"

He shrugged her off angrily, pushing his jacket into his bag. His guns glinted under the sun. He could always pretend she'd been eaten by something. The thoughts made him sick to his stomach. He liked the girl. He freaking liked her and now she could…

"Prompto, look at me, please!"

He did, noticing a mole on her left hip, not even pretending he wasn't sizing her up.

"You can't tell the guys," he warned. "You can't tell anyone. You can't understand what I've been through."

"You need to tell me if you're a spy. All those dropships falling on you guys…"

He clenched his teeth, feeling how close he was to just snap at her.

"If I was, would I leave Noctis alone while he's fighting against the empire? Would I risk my life to get his car fixed up?!"

Cindy bit her lower lip, shivering in front of him. He wanted to hide in her arms. He wanted to kiss her just once more and pretend she didn't know.

"I won't tell any one of 'em, Prompto. But you need to be honest with me here. I've been trusting you with my life and you've done an impressive job up till now."

He gulped down, his fists clenching a bit, waiting for the question that was coming.

"You mentioned a date and if you had any intentions, serious intentions… Were you thinking of telling me the truth eventually? Or would you keep hiding it?"

"You should see how you're looking at me right now. I can't…"

His voice broke and he averted his eyes from her, anger growing up inside.

"Answer me, Argentum. Would you keep me in the dark?"

The sun was falling over his shoulders, which were slumped, and she could barely make out his face. But his eyes were cold as he voiced his answer:

"I wouldn't tell you. Ever."

She looked hurt but mostly disappointed.

"So you don't trust any of your friends?"

"I wanted to start over fresh. My mother gave up her life to give me a chance to grow up here, without having to be turned into one of their human weapons."

Cindy realized how deep that scar ran and had no idea how to make him realize hiding would only make things worse. If she pushed him too much, he might do something they'd both regret. She shrugged on her jacket and slid her shorts back on, giving him time to collect himself. The fact she had voiced a single fear of him being a spy meant a lot, but Prompto wondered how things would turn out.

"You really won't tell Noctis? Or Cid?"

"I won't. But I think you should. I'm not stupid, I know you care about your friends. But the longer you wait, the worse it might be when they learn the truth. I've tried hiding truths to paw-paw all my life and it never worked."

The tip was sound, but the situation was far too complicated for Prompto admitting being from Nifelheim without expecting repercussions. And he wouldn't be any help to Noct or the guys if they started hating him.

"You're being awfully nice about it," he sighed.

"That's because you didn't take me out on a date. If you'd done so while hiding something that big from me… I think I'd skewered you with my crowbar."

She looked serious and behind the teasing, he noticed the hurt. Cindy might appear easy-going, but she wanted honesty from her relationships. Now, she didn't know what to think about the secret she'd uncover.

"Let's get that battery back to Hammerhead," he suggested, hoping they could brush it off.

Cindy agreed, but refused every gesture of help he gave her. After crossing a tunnel back to Leide, they made camp, each remaining silent as they ate and prepared for bed. She snuggled to her chocobo, her teeth chattering together but never asked for him to keep her warm. Something had been broken with the truth and Prompto worried how worse it could be with his years-long friends. Telling them was out of the question. As the saying went, what someone didn't know couldn't hurt him…

…

Gladiolus charged at one side of MTs, making sure his prince wouldn't have to worry about enemy fire. Iris raised her fists, hoping she might make a difference, only to feel Ignis tugging on the waistband of her skirt, a dagger already in one hand.

"Keep us healthy for now," the advisor asked her. "Stay out of their line of fire."

It wasn't said to diminish her, but she was a fifteen-year-old girl in the way of three well-trained fighters. Noctis's sword clashed with Ravus' in a flurry of thunder.

"You think you're cool, being more equipped than a Galhadan knife."

"I hope you didn't give up on that arm only to get even with me or my father," Noctis bit back.

It was the wrong time for a fight and they both knew it deep down. Ravus might command the army, but he was more a symbol than anything. And he couldn't help a man that had lost his sister in so little time. Noctis had given him a chance to talk. Now they would let their swords do the talking. Steel clank and swooshed. Both men spun and collided, letting out their respective anger with every parade, every feint. Noctis pretended a retreat to attack with even more strength. Ravus switched hands, using his prosthetic as a shield. The prince's weapons were lying around them, motionless but waiting to be used. Noctis kicked a spear up, grabbing it in midair. Ravus tried to punch him in the face, but the spear was already swiping at his feet, forcing him back. On either side of him, Noctis could glimpse his friends, fighting with all their might against the MTs. He was dragging them in a dangerous fight because of his own rage.

Gritting his teeth, he hurled the spear at Ravus's head. He knew the man would dodge. He was only buying himself some time to help Gladio and Ignis. Rolling on the ground, he picked up one of his swords and drove it into a soldier. A mix of circuits and green blood started oozing from the wound. Noctis raised his other sword over his head, catching the blade swung at him just in time. Ravus might have gotten the upper hand if Iris hadn't thrown herself at him at this moment, breaking his stance and balance. Noctis wheeled on himself, noticing the look on Fleuret's face as Iris punched him square in the stomach. He flinched backward, a dark smile on his face, his voice coming out short and hacked-up from his lack of breath.

"All healed huh? So my sister can fix… even that sort of blight."

"You…! Why would you even propagate such a thing!" Iris bit back.

The guys understood before that he'd even taken out his second blade, one that was dark and matt. Ravus had infected Iris himself.

"You can't even begin to understand, little girl. You think everything's either black or white."

He crossed his blades in front of him, both pointing in different directions. Silver and black. Light and darkness. Health and blight. Noctis rose to his feet, but a dozen guns clicked, red dots covering the young girl back and stomach.

"No one moves," Ravus warned. "You're in my camp of operations. You lost my sister and you da…"

A violent bark interrupted him, quickly followed by an howl that made every of them shiver. Ravus looked up, and the MTs stationed on the surrounding metallic platforms looked around for the source of the noise. Noctis suddenly felt his link with Ramuh awakening. His magic was still gone, but the Astral had granted him power that was independent from the crystal's strength. He let the thunder strike every platform, grilling the soldiers, leaving only Ravus as an opponent. Metal carcasses dropped, almost drawing a circle around the five of them.

Another bark preceded Pryna and Umbra's apparition, the white dog running up to Iris, moaning and whining as though in pain. Umbra went for Ravus instead, barking angrily at the sight of his dark sword. Everyone stood still, taken aback by the surreal scene. Ravus sheathed his blight-infectied weapon, his face darkening even more.

"It took losing a limb for her to care," he grumbled under his breath. Umbra came closer and nudged him in the knees, his barks turning to insisting whines.

Noctis met Ravus's eyes as the man next spoke, his voice higher:

"Luna is in grave danger if Pryna ran all the way out here. We should postpone this fight."

He carelessly held Regis's blade in the crook of his metallic arm, taking the letter from the black dog. Iris gathered Pryna in her arms, hoping she could find where she was hurting, Gladio and Noctis instinctively moving forward to stand between her and Ravus. Ignis inspected the base, looking for any remaining soldiers. Except for the dogs, everything was silent around them.

Unfolding the single page of paper, Ravus scanned his sister's handwriting, paling a bit.

 _Dear Ravus,_

 _I hadn't heard from you for months… Seeing you the other day wasn't enough, but you need to understand. Noctis needs me to save this world. And as much as I want to get things done on my own, I also need him by my side. I've held on for 12 years, training myself, healing those I could and doing what the empire asked of me. You've suffered a lot more to keep me as safe as possible, and I am grateful, brother, believe me. But my life is no farce._

 _Your life can't be ruled by anyone other than yourself. You lost one arm already, Ravus. Don't go losing your heart and your mind in a quest that isn't yours to achieve. I don't want us to be strangers to each other and enemies even less. You're my family, Ravus. I know you hurt. I don't want to believe the empire could ever change you from the brother I love. I know you must have a plan. If you'd rather be alone to see it done, I'll understand. I just can't see the two men I love the most at each other throats._

 _Be safe,_

 _Lunafreya Nox Fleuret_

He looked up, his throat too tight. She'd never written to him before. They had feared the empire would snatch any message they could send each other. His whole life had been nothing but fear since the day his mother died and now… He felt ready to crumble apart at the idea he could lose all that was left of his family.

"Caelum," Hh started, his voice tenser then he'd want it.

"It's Luna, isn't it?"

Ravus's eyes fell on Pryna who looked weak and too fragile.

"My sister has a will far too strong for her mortal body. She always pushes herself. If Pryna is in this state…"

Both men gulped down, refusing to think of what it could mean.

"She's not here, Ravus. Was she taken back to the empire?"

"Who took her? MTs?" the tenebrean prince asked.

"She mentioned a man… called Ardyn."

Ravus raised one brow but didn't lose his cool.

"He wouldn't take her back to Aldercapt," he thought out loud.

And it might have been better for her health at the moment… He'd heard of dreadful experiences the Chancellor was doing at the other base in Duscae. Ravus sheathed Regis's blade and crossed his arms.

"You have to find her, Caelum. I'm pretty sure your freaky magic can get her back on her feet."

Noctis doubted it, but he wasn't going to argue.

"What are you going to do about it?"

"I'll draw the MTs out of Ardyn's base for you. And cover up what happened here."

So they had one more base to break in. And they would somehow have Ravus's help. Noctis shot a look at Pryna who hid her muzzle in Iris's shoulder. Luna had better be okay, or he didn't know what he would do.

…

Luna was lost to a feverish nightmare. Noctis had been hovering above her a moment, his voice calling her name. She tried moving but her entire body was nothing but pain. Ardyn walked into her Spartan room, rolling his eyes at her shivering form.

"Remaining asleep to stay away from the weakened daemons, huh? That's pretty clever."

He tried checking her pulse and removed his hand quickly, as though getting frostbite. Luna wasn't cold, she was burning up and moaning incoherent words in her sleep, but Shiva was protecting her from him.

"We never got along, the glacean and me. You never stop to amaze, Lady Lunafreya."

She recognized his voice in her daze. Fought against the weakness in her limbs to get away from him, but remained still as he sat on the corner of her bed, careful not to touch her.

"I saw a twitch, I know you can hear me, Oracle. I might have pushed you too much, haven't I? I've lost my hand at taking care of people."

He took a remedy out from his coat, opening the bottle and leaning it just over her mouth. Her lips were already parted, her breathing still laborious from the covenant's after effects. The liquid slipped in the air, a few drops staining her dress and her face. Most of it went down her throat and she felt relief as the fever lowered. She was too numb to move, her eyelids barely swatted open and her eyes couldn't focus on him, but she felt more conscious.

"Wh…"

"Shh, little girl. I'm not going to hurt you now. Never strike someone that can't stand on his own two feet... Just lay down and listen for a bit. I feel like telling you a story that could answer some of your questions. Now, would you rather hear about an astral or about myself? Although both share pretty similar intrigues."

Luna managed to focus one eye on him, her brows furrowing.

"Me it is, huh? I owe you as much, as a fellow healer. Don't glare, I truly was a healer once. With powers that were mine and mine alone, not given to me by ancestors or a crystal. Although there was a crystal involved, but I'm getting ahead of myself here."

Luna doubted she could find anything that made sense in Ardyn's words, but she was too weak to hide from him and had never denied someone's need of talking before. Even when their soul was as dark as his.

"If I start from the beginning, I must mention my wife. She wasn't a beauty, she was beautiful to me, of course, although I can't even remember her face or her voice now. But, as cheesy as it may sound, she was mine."

His tone changed, and he removed his hat, letting it hang low, almost touching the floor as he turned his back on Luna, talking in slow, deliberate words. She noticed a tension in the air that had nothing to do with the aura the chancellor normally exuded.

"She loved me enough to face the worst pains. People's judgement. Bearing my children. Siding with me against an entire world. I can't recall her name, but she was… the queen of my heart."

Luna felt her throat tightening. Was this man… sad? It had to be a lie, a charade like everything else he'd say, but he went on with his story:

"I held many responsibilities back then. When people started dying from an epidemic, I discovered a way to heal them. And I became a savior, at least for a time. My wife supported me, treating me as nothing more than a man when others revered or feared me. She gave me a son and I had more purpose than I'd ever thought possible. But my miracles brought fear and doubts. A family started whispering to my people's ears. They slowly convinced themselves I was a monster for overcoming an illness that killed without mercy."

She closed her eyes, able to picture herself in such a place. Remembering the few times when mothers had brought her their deceased children, asking her where she'd been when they needed her magic.

"Our son was perceived like some monsters' spawn, a seed of evil. They took him away and killed a toddler as though they were heroes. I kept healing people nevertheless, hoping they'd understand their mistake. My wife's heart was broken, but she told me to move forward. We both thought they would eventually see through the lies. I had raised defenses around our house, but it wasn't enough. One night, I came home to find my wife gone and people waiting for me with swords and pikes."

He paused, and Luna started feeling sorry for him. Even that monster could reach her heart. She tried to remind herself what he'd done to Noctis, what he'd put her through, knowing that suffering never forgave bad actions.

"What would you do to the wife of some monster, Lady Lunafreya? Surely it was a witch, or worse, a monster herself. Maybe had she been the cause for the darkness keeping me safe from their blight?"

Luna gasped at that, unable to process the idea the illness he'd once healed was the blight. Only people from her family had managed…

Ardyn turned his head back, gazing at her, a self-derision smile on his face. He looked tired and worn out, but he was a man who finished what he started.

"Wonder if I found her? It would be the romantic way to conclude such a sorry tale, right? And find her I did."

His eyes turned dark and hatred overcame his features.

"They'd used her up like a whore. Worse than a whore, worse than an animal. She didn't recognize me, she barely looked human. I couldn't bring myself to halt her suffering and she died in pain. So much more pain than whatever you've been through in your short life."

Luna feared he'd strike her, but he simply grasped at her sheets, his shoulders trembling a few seconds. He closed his eyes, focusing on different thoughts, managing to soften every of his features until he could open his eyes again and stare at her, the ghost of resentment in his pupils.

"There are no monsters among men. We are all monsters. As gentle as you look, as caring as you are, even though you're shedding a tear of compassion for my story right now, you can be tainted, just as I was. And if you won't, then your dear Lucian prince will cross the line to save you."

He got up, raising his hat as if to hide from her after saying too much. Instead, he covered his eyes and gave her a smile that chilled her bones.

"I'll send soldiers up to give you a blood transfusion or something. Shiva never understood that human people had limits," he stated matter-of-factly.

Luna tried reaching for the Astral with her mind. She needed to confirm if what she just heard was true. Shiva was silent and with her silence, the princess realized Gentiana was gone. She should have been scared. But she felt more prepared than before. Understanding the chancellor was a big step and her strength was slowly coming back to her.

When Noctis would come to save her, she might already be up. She didn't want to bring him down or hurt him anymore, even if it was with good intentions.

To be continued…

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The ending of this chapter sounds a bit abrupt, but I don't want to linger with it. Prompto's talk with Cindy isn't entirely to my liking, but it's close to what I wanted. Should she have gotten angrier at him? Does Prompto sounds too harsh? He lived a very lonely life before daring to talk to Noctis and then setting himself awful goals to have the right to befriend the prince. I mean, all the selfie-shaming was half-incredible, half-horrible. I wonder if it was not a two-way self-consciousness. He was fat, but he could still have felt confident despite his shape. What I mean to say here is that by forcing himself to lose weight, he might have been trying to change himself from the person from Nifelheim that he was. A mental and physical purge. That little ray of sunshine might just suffer from anorexia, seriously. He's too thin to my liking, but he's grown a lot from spending time with Cindy. He just needs to get his issues under control and fess up before Ardyn forces him to by tricking someone into throwing him off a train.

Talking about Ardyn, this story just now is close to my headcanon for his past. I have some more theories for him, of course, he wouldn't spell everything out to Luna. And he won't appeal to Noctis when he'll tell him of the reason why he hates Lucians' kings. I never really got around to understand what was his origin story despite all the talk he did in chapter 13 and 14. So this might not be accurate with canon, but this is the land of fanfiction after all.

I really wanted to publish a new chapter today, so that I could get started on the reunion chapter. I can't tell you what will be in it, except for the Regalia's return, another attack on another base – which means a new character jumping in the story- , and the beginning of a fluff/angst-fest for Noctis and Luna. XD


	15. What are you running from?

For this chapter, we have a reunion coming and some backstory hints here and there. But most of all, we have Noct/Luna fluff. I must thank you all for the amazing reviews and supports this story is getting. I saw a short comic made on chapter 9, I loved it! If anyone is inspired to create arts from this story, please let me see the result through links in PM. I should try drawing one or two scenes myself eventually, but my drawing skills are nowhere near my writing. Guess I practice more in one. XD I'm still wondering a little if things won't change about the pairings in this fic. Mostly for Prompto. Maybe he could eventually make up with Cindy. Thoughts? Without further comments, here is the new chapter:

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Unexpected

Chapter 15 – What are you running from?

Having slept for a mere four hours in the early morning, Prompto and Cindy managed to reach Hammerhead by ten in the morning. Cindy then pulled a straight 10 hours of work on the Regalia to bring her back up to shape. Cor had sent soldiers to meet up with the young gunman so they could bring real reinforcements to their king. Prompto had greeted them awkwardly and couldn't wait to get into the Regalia and see his friends again so he could dive into action and pretend his interlude with Cindy had never happened. He couldn't really determine what his feelings were about all that had happened. The mechanic had been true to her words so far, Cid bearing no suspicion over the young man hanging around the garage.

"Okay, y'all, I got her up and purring. She's got the strongest lights I could get, which means you can set out right now to regroup with the king. But if you treat her bad, I'll find you and kick your ass."

Cindy threw the keys at Prompto, not looking him in the eyes a single time.

"It's on your tab, Argentum. I'll need payment as soon as the princess is rescued."

"Sure thing," the gunman answered, realizing he missed the way she'd called him city boy before. That too had been lost, with a few far-fetched dreams, but he brushed it aside. He would mope when the time was right for it. Turning to the soldiers sent by Leonis, he flashed a smile. "Who among you knows how to drive manual?"

..

Luna had received a blood transfusion and eaten a heavily meat-composed meal that brought most of her strength back. She was still emotionally spent and trying to figure out how she had talked with Noctis despite being away from him. Shiva was silent, her influence gone now that the Covenant was complete. The young woman pushed her food platter to the side and used her hands to raise herself to her feet. The floor felt cold under her soles, but she walked the four steps to her cabin's door, cracking it open as delicately as she could. Sneaking a glance outside, she noticed most of the action around the base was focused on the main gate. The decaying soldiers had been lined up to a wall, while the fully functional MTs were filling up dropships sitting just outside. A dark cape over one white uniform caught her attention. Ravus?

Before she could lean out to verify her assumption, Ardyn joined the officer, his dark clothes hiding the soldier. She held back a sigh and focused on what was happening closer to her. Her cabin was on the further wall from the main exit. Mechs waited against a picket fence on her left, while a few makeshift rooms lined up on the right. Some spaces left between each room were so dark, she bet she could hide in the shadows. The metal platforms above her cell were surveilled by three MTs patrolling as methodically as computer's algorithms worked. Luna took a deep breath, readying herself to step out into the early morning air.

She needed to get out of here before Ardyn asked her to fix more rotting soldiers. She could tell Noctis was getting closer to her, but she wasn't going to wait for him like some damsel in distress if she could regroup with him before. She kept a close eye on the soldiers and rushed as soon as they were all turning their back on her, diving for the cover of darkness in a matter of seconds. She had been running from imperial eyes for about twelve years and had gotten incredibly good at sneaking around. Unfortunately, after slipping between the wall and the first room, ducking her head as she darted from one patch of darkness to another, Luna felt a wave of drowsiness running through her. She had been terribly sick and weak a few hours earlier. She had been talking nonsense for an entire day. She steadied herself for a moment, pushing her head against one cold metal pole. She might be free from the oppressing feeling of the Lucii ring and far enough from Ardyn to breathe entirely freely, but she still needed time to recover. She might have a concussion of her own after being thrown around Ardyn's car.

 _Breathe,_ she told herself. _You don't need strength when you have will._

Getting back up, she resumed her sneaking out of the base, allowing herself breaks whenever her head started turning too much. If she could only get away from this nest of blight, she would feel truly better.

…

Ravus had confirmed to Ignis the base's location before leaving in a ship.

"It's half a day's ride on chocobo's back and I can't blow my cover yet," he had warned.

Iris doubted they could trust him, but they had little to no choice. Exiting the empty base, they quickly decided what to do. Umbra was following Noctis, looking up worryingly at Pryna. The dog was still whining, her tongue hanging to the side of her mouth.

"She's in a lot of pain," Iris sighed. "We should take her somewhere calm and…"

"There's no time for that," the prince cut her off. "Pryna has always been a reflect of Luna's health. If she's in this state, Luna must be even worse."

The Oracle had described to him how the dog had once taken ill after she'd skipped eating for two days, trying to convince the empire their latest decision was wrong. She had been a really young Oracle back then and hadn't tried such a dangerous feat again, but Noctis remained certain that Pryna shared a close link to the girl. It would explain why the dogs were both holding on so well despite being 13 years old already.

"Actually, it might be a good idea to get yourself somewhere safe where you can look after Pryna." Ignis observed.

"You're not seriously thinking of sending Iris back to Lestallum on her own…" Gladiolus protested.

Noctis's phone buzzed, Prompto warning him they were on their way with the Regalia and three back-up soldiers from Cor.

 _Where should we meet up?_

"Let me call Prompto, guys. I'm sure we can manage something."

Finding a rendezvous point was easy, just as getting there on time. But resting up and waiting didn't sit well with Noctis. Pryna was getting somewhat better and Iris was arguing with Gladiolus about him being too fatherly with her. Ignis himself jumped as their voices rose to a level which alerted even beasts nearby.

"Well, someone has to be right? It's not as though our father was still…!" Gladio clenched his fists, unable to finish his sentence.

"You don't know that!" Iris protested, tears filling her eyes.

Noctis felt sorry for his friends. If Clarus was anything like his son, the man had died before to let his king do so. The fact they both ignored the truth was a worse torture than what he was going through. He cleared his throat, getting a few steps closer to what was left of the Amicitia family.

"Iris, what Gladio is trying to say here is that he needs you safe. If you want to fight, we can find you tutors and train you and equip you, but you need to give yourself time. I know you've already trained, but you can't…"

The young girl crossed her arms over her chest, doing her best to keep a straight face. She was sitting on one of their camping chairs, trying to stand her ground against either of them.

"Can you really ask me to leave either one of you alone when I've lost so many people already?" she asked, the tears rolling down her cheeks.

Noctis looked away, Gladiolus shaking his head, angry at himself for putting her in such a state.

"You need to believe in us a little more. Isn't that what sisters do?" the prince asked. "I'm not planning of dying anytime soon, not until Lucis is back on his feet. So wait for us, take care of Pryna. Ravus could have killed you or infected you again if it hadn't been for our little friends' intervention."

Iris had to admit the diversion couldn't have arrived at a better time, although she was ashamed of needing it. The Amicitia family was nothing but strong burly men. Her mother had been strong too and she herself looked so damn frail. She wasn't happy about it but looking at each guy's faces, she understood she should relent this time. If only for the sake of Pryna.

"I always believe in you, Noctis. And in that big oaf too."

Gladio cracked a smile, letting the friendly insult wash over his back.

"Don't let Ignis out," the prince reminded her, unable to believe he could be playful at such a time.

"I wouldn't want to boost his ego," she retorted, winking at the chamberlain, who pretended to ignore the jab as he always did.

A triple honk preceded the entry of the Regalia, her nightlights blazing, the dark body reflecting the rising sun. Noctis felt a smile growing on his face. This car had always meant the return of his father and warm hugs. Now, it was filled up with soldiers, Prompto jumping right out to clap in their hands. Ardyn's base was in sight, and they would be able to drive away as fast as possible once Luna was back in his arms.

"I need one of you to stay here with our lady Amicitia," he started.

"Don't call me that!" Iris protested, giggling despite all her efforts not to.

"Has she been crying? Guys, I leave two days and you drive every girl away?" Prompto joked without thinking.

Someone might have declared he was projecting his own problem on his friends, but they didn't mind his bad attempt at humor.

"If you could actually escort her back to Lestallum right about now on those chocobos, I'd feel even better," Gladio told the young soldier.

The man nodded and Iris was sat on a bird, Pryna securely tied to her chest. The soldier rode his own chocobo and vowed to keep the young girl safe. Umbra yapped as they left and Noctis understood how the dog felt. He'd been missing Luna even more in the last few days than he'd done during the 12 years they spent apart.

"Okay, everyone. Let's get closer to that base and devise a plan for our attack."

The men cheered and Noctis took the lead, closely followed by his friends.

…

As the sun rose higher, the imperial camp had lost about half his soldiers to Ravus's request. Ardyn was far too patient not to be hiding something about the whole deal.

"Destroying a Lucian base of new soldiers. Now I wish my spies would have found such a thing themselves. You're sure you don't want to take Highwind with you too?"

"I'm sure, Chancellor. She's been stationed to this base and is very specific about her work. If we want to keep her spear in our ranks…"

"Fleuret. You're already taking two thirds of my men and 29 of those left are good for the gallows. Don't push your luck."

Ravus felt his eyes on his metallic arm and gave a forced smile. Ardyn's mood might be as changing as the wind, but he wouldn't mess with fire any more than necessary.

"Would it feel better if I brought back Cor Leonis' head?"

The chancellor smirked, his hat covering his eyes an instant.

"Sounds like a nice addition to Aldercapt's attic."

A few minutes later, Ravus was leaving the base in his personal ship, followed closely by two dropships. Noctis saw it as the signal but exchanged a look with Ignis, feeling that something was wrong with the direction the ships followed.

"They're going to Leide," Ignis stated.

"I hope his help doesn't imply stabbing us in the back," Gladio groaned.

"It wouldn't surprise me. He hates Lucis too much."

But Luna came first. He would worry about the diversion Ravus had patented once he was sure she was safe and well.

"Listen up, soldiers. We're hitting them hard and fast. I'll warp into the base and let you in. Prompto, Ignis, you're looking for Luna. The rest of you and I will be wreaking havoc on the imperial soldiers."

Ignis raised one brow.

"I think a softer approach…"

"I don't care, Ignis. We get in, we kill as much Nifs as we can, we take Luna out."

The three members of Noctis's retinue knew this could end badly. The princess had been against him killing senselessly and he looked ready to hit the imperial as hard and angrily as he'd been when he pursued them in Lestallum.

They agreed to follow his orders and silently promised each other to keep an eye on him. Running on pure wrath couldn't be the way of their king. Noctis let Gladio take the lead of the men, warp-jumping forward till he could literally shift into a wall. On the other side, he found himself stuck between a tent and the very wall, with barely enough space to move. He struggled to the side, gasping for air as silently as possible. Any noise he made was covered by the moans coming from MTs lined up against the wall right next to him. His instinctive reaction was to strike them down, but for once, it felt wrong. They stood unmoving, emitting gurgling sounds from behind their frozen smiles. A few red eyes weren't even lit and he frowned, feeling something foul and _not right_ in the very air.

 _I need to get Luna away from here,_ he thought.

He found the exit, texted Ignis to signal them where they should head and went ahead, wondering why there wasn't any more activity around this base. Had Ravus seriously managed to get every MTs out except for defective ones?

Metallic heels clicked on the floor. Noctis went for cover. He might look ready to rush ahead, but he needed to ascertain what he was up against. The armor-clad woman that walked out the corner surprised him. Her clothes were half efficiency, half provocation. Silver hair, a red lance hanging on her shoulder, balanced with ease. He could almost feel the strength emanating from her. She eyed the line of MTs with a grimace.

"I can't believe I'm paid to watch over his broken dolls," she whispered to herself.

"Highwind!" a voice called out.

The woman whipped her head around just as Gladiolus, Ignis and the others slipped into the base.

"What is it?!"

"The Oracle has gone missing!"

Noctis thought his heart stopped beating entirely.

"Where's Izunia?" the mysterious woman asked, pushing the mask down her nose.

"He's gone too!"

As if that wasn't enough, one of the defective MTs raised one arm and grabbed Prompto's wrist, eliciting a sharp cry from the young man, which got the imperial woman's attention right away.

"I think I understand what's going on now," she sighed, swiping her lance at the wall of soldiers.

Their armors slit open, blood and dust of flesh raining out while they collapsed on themselves. Noctis jumped out of his hiding spot, just as Gladiolus pushed Prompto to the side and rushed into the fray himself. Both men almost hit each other's heads, since the woman had vanished from the spot she stood in previously. It was Ignis's warning that saved them. She had just jumped, higher than Noctis had ever thought humanly possible.

"Above you!" the advisor yelled, throwing a dagger upward in a loop that forced the woman into altering her course.

She landed with grace nevertheless, her spear digging a hole in the cement. She rose quickly, her weapon drawing wide circles in her hands as she deflected Prompto's bullets.

"Now now, I'll get to you, scaredy cat. How many… ?" She turned on herself, spotting every opponent as quickly as possible. There didn't seem to be any reinforcement coming for her. "A cute prince, one brawly man, one too thin, two crowns guards and…"

Her eyes twitched at the sight of Ignis, who frowned, unable to detail her features with the helmet over her face, holding his dagger up in a defensive stance.

"I'm not getting paid enough for this," she complained.

"We're not really charging, seven against a lady?" Prompto asked.

"You think I'm alone, huh?"

It was then the guys noticed that the broken MTs were moving towards them, either on their fours or dragging one of their halves with them.

 _I'm so having nightmares over this,_ Prompto thought.

The fight that followed was the most chaotic Noctis had been through yet. MTs got in their way, pushing against their feet, grabbing their legs, shoving and moving beneath and around them. If they lost balances, they would most certainly be suffocated by the dark matter that was slowly covering the floor. All the while, Highwind jumped too high to be reached by trouble, plunging and diving toward either of them with her deadly lance. The only one who managed to stop her attacks was Noctis and his arms were getting number with every shock. He couldn't use magic on the magiteck parts without hurting his friends and soldiers. But he might be able to slow down that warrior a bit. He took aim and warped into the air, his sword clinking against her spear.

"I hope you're not afraid of heights," she told him.

They parried and fought in mid-air, free falling as they took hits, feinted and blocked. Noctis knew where every part of his body was, he had been falling after warp-jumps for most of his training, but the feeling wasn't entirely exhilarating. They landed still locked in combat, but the mysterious woman was clearly in a league of her own. She had stamina and moved quickly. Each time they reached the ground, either Gladiolus, Ignis or Prompto jumped in while Cor's soldiers took care of the MTs. In the middle of his sixth jump, Noctis managed a solid kick in her stomach, denting her armor one inch inward and getting slashed in answer. As she fell faster than he did, he managed to look around and spotted a white dot running in the grass, half a mile from the military base.

"Luna!"

He warped without thinking, getting himself onto one of the metal platforms, ready to launch himself to the field if it meant finding her after all this time. But guns blazing reminded him he wasn't alone. Looking down, he noticed Highwind was holding her right side, using her lance as a support to back away from the guys. A trail of blood followed her. Cor's guards had almost gotten through every last piece of MTs. They were winning.

"Guys, can I let you wrap this up? I'm pretty sure Luna is out there."

"You what?" Prompto asked, kicking away a magiteck arm that was trying to make him stumble.

"Go!" Gladiolus retorted, his sword hitting the woman's lance.

The imperial fighter fenced him off and aimed for the prince as he warped jumped left and right, but Ignis blocked her, not to mention the MTs were now attacking without discrimination. The sun had reached the middle of the sky and Noctis doused himself with ether to have enough magic to catch up with Lunafreya. He had to be careful as he aimed, but two warp strikes later, his doubts were confirmed. Looking pretty much as she'd done after running from Insomnia, his fiancée was wearing a stained white dress, her hair loose around her head, her feet bare in the grass.

"Luna!" He called out.

Looking over her shoulder, she saw him, warp-running forward, covered in bruises and blood, but alive and fighting for her sake. Was it wrong to feel content, to take pride in knowing how far he'd go for her? _Of course, it was!_ She chided herself, almost wishing for an Astral to call her right now. Being selfish wouldn't help anyone. But being selfless had brought him here and gotten him hurt. Shiva had made a covenant with an oracle instead of the chosen king. What she thought laws of her universe were collapsing. Her heart wanted her to just admit her feelings. Her mind wanted to justify self-sacrifice, because denying it now meant all she'd been through already wasn't necessary. A rumbling on her left had her summoning her trident in self-defense.

The fact the light still answered her meant she wasn't entirely changed. Maybe the past sufferings were the price to be worthy of her powers. Maybe she'd paid enough in the name of others.

Noctis's sword hit the garula charging Luna, merely pushing it to the side. She leaped forward, rolling on herself, raising her trident. His left arm slipped around her waist. For someone who hadn't trained enough according to Gladio, he managed to lift her with apparent ease. He moved so fast she wondered if he was warping, but he was just backtracking to throw a spell on the beast.

"Don't…" She pleaded. "I think I scared it."

Noctis let the fire erupt in the grass, making the garula run away. All he wanted right now was to look into her eyes and make sure she was safe. But a motor running above their heads grabbed his attention. Looking up, he saw a man dressed in a large and dark coat, holding his hat as the wind blew madly at him. Ardyn was standing on the edge of his ship, looking down on them, his expression unreadable. Luna tensed up even more in his arms, her trident rising as though an attack could come.

"Is that Nifelheim's… chancellor?"

"Ardyn Izunia," she confirmed in a whisper.

The man gave them a salute, as though he couldn't care less of the state his base was in or that fact the two royals had been reunited. Luna didn't let her trident vanish to nothingness until the ship's door closed and it was too far to spot in the sky anymore, feeling Noctis's breath in her neck. He was so on edge, it was a miracle he didn't lose it right there.

"Luna…"

She felt the tears welling up as she wondered which question would come first. She had so much to tell him, so many warnings to give, and excuses to make and things to explain, but her throat was dry and tied up.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

She tried taking a step back, but what was left of her energy faltered, and he kneeled next to her, holding her closer, guiding her face to the hollow of his neck, gathering her up as though she was made of glass. She couldn't tell which one of them was shaking.

"I wasn't running from you," she whispered, her voice shaky.

"Luna, I didn't…"

"No, lis…listen to me. I thought… I convinced myself I had to get things done on my own. I had pushed you too hard. You shouldn't carry that ring yet and…"

"Luna, the ring was hurting you."

She gasped, because it was the truth and because she hated herself for being weak. He gave her some time to regain her countenance, looking around them for potential threats. The small valley looked peaceful. The road was half a mile away. Luna's back felt warm under his hands. Her soles were raw and her dress was stained with dirt and the remedy used to treat her fever. Noctis pried her from him, needing to check if she was hurt, or at least if he could fix it with some potions. She tried to sit up as straight as she could, needing one arm to keep herself balanced. There was a bruise on her left temple and marks on her shoulders, looking too much like fingers to ease any of Noctis's fears. Before he could ask anything, she gave him a frail smile.

"I'm not making any sense, am I?"

"There's no need to talk right now," he ushered. "We need to get you back on your feet."

She blushed a bit, sorry for the worry she caused him. Appraising his own state, she noticed the gash on his leg, her smile falling upside down.

"You were so reckless as you pursued us on the bridge."

She cupped his cheek with one hand, trying to wipe away some dirt. There was so much love in the gesture, Noctis felt his heart twitching at the idea he'd almost lost her.

"I've been helpless far too many times before," he sighed.

He brushed her hand away, insisting on giving her a potion and one elixir before to exchange any more words. She relented, feeling a bit stronger afterwards.

"What is it you need to get off your chest now?"

She didn't know where he kept all this patience, but Luna was grateful for it.

"I… I got scared, Noctis. The trial with Ramuh. Your prayers working better than mine. I've prepared myself to get the covenants going for you, never to see you hurting in my place."

"Haven't you been hurt enough yet?! I mean…"

She shook her head, refusing to linger on her sorry appearance.

"I know you mean to protect me and I'm glad for it," Luna told him. "But the only thing I could give you was suddenly gone. I panicked. Please, don't get mad at me… When Ardyn showed up, saying people needed healing… I thought I had a chance to clear my head."

"You followed him?"

"Only for a moment. He had threatened Ravus, but I was torn up inside. When I tried to get away…"

Her eyes closed tightly shut as she tried to hold back the memories and Noctis felt any anger dying down. If she needed punishment, it had been served.

"You can't go and sacrifice yourself for my sake, Luna. I thought you heard me the first time."

Their eyes met, both filled with hurt, doubts and more than anything else, excuses.

"You love me," she whispered. "And I love you so much, Noctis. Even more than when we were kids."

"Then you understand where I'm…"

"We'll both forge covenants now. Shiva has bound herself to me last night. I think she linked us together to help with the process."

"What?!"

"I was running a fever and Ardyn had… My powers were almost gone. She could renew my strength, as long as I took up the covenant. We'll share the Astrals power and the pain that comes with it. That's what Ramuh meant…"

This time, Noctis grabbed her by the shoulders, making her wince and barely easing his grip.

"How fair is that? You hurt a little more with every person you heal!"

"And you get stabbed by your ancestors' swords for the sake of people that never even cared about you!"

"Then the Astral are making us even with the whole covenant bullshit," Noctis declared. "But I can't do all this without you, Luna."

"I can't either."

Admitting it out loud was like lifting a weight from her shoulders.

"That means you gotta stick with me. You might not have said yes last time I asked…"

"I did. I'll stay by your side," she cut him off.

Noctis wondered if he could even smile. She was here in his arms, she was vowing not to leave again, but she looked so hurt. She'd been messed around and this was only two days spent with the empire. She had been there for 12 years.

"Now, I can't help but think you might be hiding something else from me."

He tried to sound more playful than accusative, but she understood the trust between them was fragile right now.

"What do you want to know?" she asked, her voice steadier than before.

"Everything."

She blinked, a smile growing on her face.

"You'll have to be more specific, Noct. I'm thirsty and famished and… your friends have to be somewhere."

He knew she was mostly right, but the guys had things under control. He trusted them and that mysterious woman had been heavily hurt. She'd run or be finished off and he wasn't sure Luna needed to see it. He wanted to make sure no doubt was left between them. He wanted to be certain she wouldn't run away again. He wanted her to trust in him, to believe he was strong enough to listen to whatever she'd kept for herself before.

"Start with the connection Shiva made. Is it… permanent?"

"No, it's…" she blushed. "She knew I was really weak when the covenant started. I needed something to hold me through the worst of it. Your voice…"

She couldn't say more and he couldn't find any words to express how touched he was. So he retorted with the only word still making sense as he pulled her into his arms.

"Luna…"

…

The MTs were all done for and Prompto was starting to wonder how a single woman could keep five men on their toes for so long. Cor's soldiers had been flung to the side, Gladio was forced to do nothing but defend himself and Ignis had been strangely withdrawn from the very beginning, ever since she'd given him a weird look while sizing them up. The so-called Highwind officer was still getting tired. This felt more and more like a losing battle, but she couldn't accept to leave just yet. Ignis had studied her moves and uttered a few strategies, but he couldn't push away the weird impression she gave off. She was a graceful, nimble athlete, using everything around her to keep up with them. Her lance could strike two of them at the same time, even deflect bullets. Her reflexes were lightning quick, her instinct almost inhuman and after three quarters of an hour spent fighting her, he swore under his breath. He had been analyzing her far too long to still be missing parts of the larger picture. And something was definitely amiss.

He chased after her, jumping and rolling to the side whenever she struck, trying to put a name or a face on her earlier reaction. His doubts scared him. It couldn't be…

Whipping around, she swiped at the air over his head, before to trust her spear forward. He deviated her assault, crossing his daggers. They were both panting at this stage and Prompto had no more bullet to offer supporting fires. But the hazel eyes Ignis saw under the mask were enough to convince him he'd been right. His hold on the daggers nearly slipped and she stood her ground, kicking off her helmet, sweats trickling down her temples. The blood on her armor shone too red and his eyes focused on the exposed face. Silver-gray hair, the pale skin, the determinate look, one adorable nose. Could she really be alive?

Years had passed, but she looked as fiercely beautiful as ever.

"Ari…?!"

"Don't!" she cut him off. "It's not my name anymore."

She held her side, threatening him with the lance as she took two steps back.

"I think it's time for me to go solo. No salary is worth this much extra hours."

Ignis lowered one dagger in answer. Running after her wouldn't help his liege, but…

"Who are you now?"

"Try hiring me if you want to learn my name, Iggy."

She had saved her strength to jump out of the base, soaring so high, it almost looked as though she was flying. Ignis took a second too long collecting himself. Prompto was already up the stairs and tapping on his shoulder.

"Are you okay man? She didn't petrify you or something?"

Shrugging him off, he tried putting on a straight face to no avail. The shock was simply too strong.

"We should look for Noctis."

"I know. But you clearly knew that woman, _Iggy_. You look as though you've seen a ghost."

"And you exposed us when we could have remained out of sight," he angrily retorted.

Prompto would have been hurt normally, but he wasn't sure if Ignis was really angry at him or simply too shaken to take any teasing.

"Let's round up this base first. Make sure nothing is left here that could attack either of us or Noctis," Gladio suggested.

Ignis saw his chance to search through the imperial data. It might even give him the new name Aria used as an alias.

…

After gulping down another potion to make Noctis happy, Luna swore she truly needed nothing but a bath and some rest to get better.

"Okay. We'll regroup with the guys and…"

As he motioned to get up, she pulled on his collar, shaking her head.

"Wait. You need healing and…"

Her hands fell to his chest and the words remained trapped inside. She needed more of his arms. She wanted to be selfish, if just for this once, but it scared her. He took her hands in his, trying to control the multiple effects she had on him. Her bruises were gone and she wasn't as pale, but she needed peace and his heart was anything but peaceful. He needed assurance of her being there. Couldn't it be a mirage, some part of her magic? Her fingers entwined with his. She was sitting in his lap, his shirt wet from her tears. She had to be there, but he couldn't take anything for granted, not anymore.

"You are not using magic on me after nearly dying," he warned.

She hadn't meant magic, wasn't sure her magic worked entirely right yet. She would have to tell him about this too. She might need a full week to tell him everything on her mind, but his eyes told her they had more than weeks before them. She smiled, guiding his hands on either side of her face, scooting closer to him until their foreheads touched.

"Be honest with me here," she asked him.

Their chapped lips brushed as her arms wrapped around him and he shivered despite how much he tried to tamper down his feelings.

"You need healing."

The kind that made his heart bleed and flutter. That kind that gave his voice the power to keep her sane and alive through pain. The kind which was both selfish and selfless. Their breathing had already mingled, but his next words made her shiver despite the sun still shining over them.

"Hell yes."

He pulled her closer, his lips locking with hers, not minding the pain. Luna didn't tense up, didn't freeze either. To both their surprise, she answered, pulling him back to her as soon as they'd parted. It started sweet, tasted salty and felt almost too pure. But they weren't kids anymore and had been hurt too deep. She needed mending as much as he did. Her hands gripped at his jacket and he held her like he always meant to, their lips trying to tell in dance all that had been hiding in their hearts. Two more kisses later, most of the awkwardness was already gone.

Prompto cleared his throat, feeling awful, but somehow entitled to burst his best friend's bubble.

"I know I had said I wouldn't be jealous, but now, I'm actually jealous," he declared.

The couple parted only to look over Noctis's shoulders to the four men who all had smug looks on their faces. Ignis was too lost in thoughts to give much attention to what was going on at his feet.

"Come on, guys!" was Noctis's first reaction. "I mean… Okay, that wasn't very kingly of me, leaving you to defeat all of them."

"Sir, it's our job to defend you and Lady Lunafreya."

Luna tried to scoot away from Noctis, not sure this demeanor was appropriate at the moment. Noctis held her in place, managing to raise himself up while holding her in his arms.

"We should head back to Lestallum before nightfall."

Throwing a glance at Ignis, Noctis wondered why his friend looked so lost. Noticing the extended look, the chamberlain pushed his glasses up his nose.

"I think we should leave this base under surveillance," Ignis suggested.

Cor's soldiers offered themselves immediately, convincing everyone by saying Cor had sent more reinforcements in case things turned ugly.

"If we establish a camp here, Duscae should fall under Lucian's control soon."

"That whole thing felt too easy. It's lucky we had Ravus on our side," Prompto observed as they walked off to the Regalia, leaving the soldiers behind.

"Ravus?" Luna repeated.

"Your brother received your letter in the middle of us trying to take his imperial base," Noctis explained. "He decided to help and drove out most of the MTs before we got in. The bastard still has my father's sword though."

Luna fell quiet at that, wondering if she'd get a chance to learn what was going on with Ravus. She had learned a lot, but there was still so much to uncover. Feeling Noctis's eyes on her, she gave him a fragile smile.

Ignis offered to let the driver seat to Noctis as they reached the freshly repaired Regalia, but the prince refused.

"I know you've been missing her more than I did."

Sitting back in the leather seats was like greeting an old friend. Nobody commented on the fact Noctis kept an arm around Luna. He had treated his gash with a potion and Gladio crossed his arms behind his head.

"So, everything's back to normal. Or almost. Are you two officially together now? You'll need your own tent?"

"Gladio!"

Luna's laugh surprised every of them.

"It's good to be back with you guys," she whispered.

As Ignis pulled out of their parking spot and onto the road, everyone felt as though they had catching up to do.

"Say, Prompto," Noctis started. "I know you went in mines and stuff, but you never said anything about what happened with Cindy."

The gunman deflated and the questions surged from everyone. It might be a long ride for him. Unless he managed to raise once more the subject of the Ari…something warrior and put Ignis on the hot seat.

To be continued…

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Next chapter will cover some Ignis's flashbacks about the mysterious Aranea, Prompto's report on the operation "Seduce the goddess of the gear", Noct/Luna fluff, some angst and… surely more Noct/Luna. I need a lot more of it!

Those poor guards sent by Cor. They felt like such NPCs! At least, I gave them purpose with protecting Iris or guarding the base. Not sure if their presence is needed. At least, they won't get killed when Ravus attacks Cor's base. Such a nice way to help someone, isn't it? D:

Did you like Noctis and Luna reunion? I can't help but believe Prompto cut in way too early, but the chapter was getting so long and damn…

Anyway, this might be the last chapter of this week, school is coming up, I've got classes to prepare and essays to write. Really wish I had a time turner or could control stitches in time. How the hell does Ardyn control stitches in time?


	16. Reminiscing

So I'm officially procrastinating on school work. And I needed Ignis's backstory written down a bit. I love that guy. I loved him so much before the game was even out, when I first heard his voice, I went under shock. XD And if you wonder, no, I haven't played the game in French. I can't stand the French voices. Call me difficult. It's my French Canadian prerogative. Anyway, this is really the last chapter before a few days, not to say a full week. The fic is not one month old and she's got 16 chapters already. I'm so glad for the holidays. But they're pretty much over. TWT Have a chapter that covers a lot of heavy shit. I had mentioned an angst-fest. It starts now.

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Unexpected

Chapter 16 – Reminiscing

 _Sitting on a bench, the seventeen-year-old Ignis was gazing at one of the last parks in Insomnia._ The prince was training with Gladio and for once, the young man had time off. He kept a busy schedule, but also planned breaks here and there. He needed to escape the royal academy and kitchens every now and then, no matter how obnoxious he acted. A freshly cooked meal was waiting next to him on the bench, wrapped like a doggy bag. He'd been waiting for fifteen minutes before hearing her steps amongst the never-stopping hubbub of the crown city. Aria was as old, or to word it accurately, just as young as him. She jumped on the bench, clapping him on the shoulder, her worn-out boots covered with a mixture of mud and dried blood. Typical of the slums' streets.

"You could pretend you're surprised," she told him, sitting on the back of the bench, refusing to act properly.

He chuckled lightly, throwing her a glance. Her hair looked clean, but her clothes had seen better days.

"You should swing by my place sometimes. The washing ma…"

She cut him off with a sneer, still refusing his charity.

"If I look too clean, they'll take me for a pretender and rip my head off."

As if anyone could. He leaned back on the bench, extending his long legs in front of him. Aria was careful not to gesture to the doggy bag. She was a proud girl, tough as nails, almost as unreachable as Ignis made himself.

"Hungry?" he asked.

Her stomach betrayed her, grumbling loudly.

"I'm only eating your food because I know you need a proof taster before giving anything to that little prince of yours," she defended herself.

He doubted he saw her often enough for that, but simply gave her the doggy bag.

"Go ahead. Risk your life," he teased her.

"I hope you've put some vegetables in there this time. I'd kill for some…"

Lifting the lid from the plate, she fell silent. He'd made her favorite. Looking up, Ignis noticed a quiver in her eyes, and how she hurriedly brought the fork to her mouth. He knew she ate scraps and bits where and when she could find them. She couldn't find work because of the tag on her wrist, branding her an imperial. She had been on the streets ever since her parents died, taking refuge in Insomnia before King Regis closed the city gates to the outside world, unable to sustain any more people than those already inside.

She ate and he stood by her, wishing he could do more.

"You look constipated," she mocked him.

"I'm thinking, thank you very much."

"Why does everything sounds official when you talk?"

"My voice's low, I can't help it," he reminded her.

His voice had broken earlier than most boys he knew. Maybe to help him realize the responsibilities he had in front of him. She munched at her food, moaning with content as she swallowed the last bite. That sound always stirred something deep down, but Ignis forced himself not to fidget or stare at her. She shot the doggy bag into a nearby trash can, dangling her legs a bit. Her leather pants cracked against the wood.

"You know, Iggy…" she started, toying a bit with his nickname before letting her voice turn serious. "Maybe we should stop this…"

"What? Why?"

He looked up, half turning towards her. She was playing with a button on her jacket. Her shirt was stained and he noticed a bruise on her neck. He just wanted to whisk her off the streets for good and let her enjoy a normal life. But she'd hate him. She kept pushing his help away, repeating she didn't need saving. Either he took her as she was, or she'd stop meeting up with him.

"You can't keep treating me special," she explained. "The gangs are starting to believe you're my boyfriend or something."

That word on her voice felt almost right. He wanted to ask what she would want if she could make such a choice, but knew better.

"I'm your healthy food dealer," he objected. "That hardly qualifies as…"

"I know I'm not your type of girl," she cut him off. "You'll get in trouble if we keep this up."

He didn't mind trouble if it meant being around her. But his mind wasn't focusing on the right parts of her speech.

"What's my type of girl?"

She laughed at that.

"Come on, Ignis! Your type must wear skirts, wash up twice a day and have complicated hairstyles… with legs that never ends so she can kiss you without breaking her neck. Oh, but surely kissing is improper, isn't it?"

He felt his ears heating up and hid his embarrassment behind a scold. Aria had legs that seemed never ending, no matter how short she was compared to him and he found himself staring at them a bit more than property permitted all the time.

"I wouldn't care what she wears," he told her, arms crossing.

"Don't be defensive. I'm getting sidetracked. We should stop seeing each other. Sooner or later, you won't have time for this anymore."

"I can make time."

"You'll get hurt if you come back to the slums."

She sounded nervous and he wanted to remind her he was a fighter too. He always had at least one dagger on him.

"Are you… in any kind of trouble... because of me?"

"You really think you c-can influence my life that much?!" she stammered back.

Aria never stammered. He got up, turning around to get a good look at her face. She looked anxious now and his heart missed a beat.

"Aria…"

She held back a shiver and Ignis understood he was done for. She wasn't his type. There was no type. He just loved her.

"Don't say my name like that," she asked, forcing her voice to sound angry.

"Then tell me what's going on."

She got off the park bench, wrapping her arms around herself and started walking off. He followed her, careful not to touch her or bump into her. Aria always needed her space.

"I got into a fight with a gang of Accordo's refugees. They've pretty much taken over my usual turf."

"Change turf," he suggested.

"You know it doesn't work like that. I can't pretend I'm a boy anymore. If I don't end up in a cartel, I'll have to go mercenary."

Mercenaries didn't stay in the city for long. They hunted and risked their life all over the world. The other option was unthinkable but he knew she'd been approached more than once.

"I could find you work at the citadel," he tried again.

She raised her wrist to his face, reminding him of the very reason why she'd ended up on the street.

"I've said no charity," Aria reminded him.

"It was never charity."

Her hands turned to fists but she heaved a deep sigh.

"I don't want things to change. I don't want to need help."

"Take it," he suggested. "I mean, by force. If you demand, you're not…"

"It's just playing with words. I could pretend I'm breaking into your apartment and raiding your shower or your fridge, but you'd be too happy to oblige without even asking for any sort of payment."

"So what? What's so wrong about it? When you broke your ankle…"

"You took advantage of me being wounded. Not gentlemanly at all," she protested. "And your apartment feels too cramped."

"I've known you for four years, Aria. You can't ask me to leave you if I can…"

She groaned in frustration before to dive into a back alley like she'd do whenever she wanted to get away from him. This time though, Ignis decided he couldn't let her be. Insomnia was far too big to risk never seeing her again. He rushed after her, soon breaking into a run. It didn't last long. She let him catch her, barely fighting back as he grabbed her waist and turned her around.

"Tell me what you really want," he asked.

She was looking for her breath, her shoulders shaking a bit. She closed her mouth, her lips thinning as she hesitated.

"Aria," he pleaded.

He never let his voice soften for anyone other than her. And despite her toughness, it always worked. She took off his glasses, putting them on her head. That meant she wanted his undivided attention and for him to be himself in his answers. Not the obnoxious advisor in training.

"What we have now…" she started. "It's not enough anymore."

He dared hoping, despite the fact such a relationship might not work. Her blue eyes asked for an answer, the right answer.

"It was never enough for me," he confessed.

She smiled. A real, full smile. The problems with their future hadn't changed, but she wanted to make sure. Now, she might be able to make the right decision. He pulled her closer, amazed that she let him.

"I guess it means I should find myself a skirt."

"I like you like this."

"Do you now? So that's what all that staring was about."

They laughed, agreeing to feel light-hearted right now. The morning would come, filled with obligations, dangers and heartache, but the night was _theirs_.

…

Ignis focused intensely on the road, trying to tune out the many memories flooding his mind. Aranea Highwind. Aria the tomboy. Aria who'd made him feel so wrong and so right, Aria who hated decorum, but liked him all the same. His Aria was alive. And she hated him.

"Seriously Prompto, how did it go?" Noctis insisted.

"Well. It was no more than three days and she was all work…"

He looked too fidgety to be telling the truth and Gladio gave him a tap on the back of the head.

"Spit it out," he ordered the gunman.

"I kept her alive. We fought a bunch of daemons too, so I guess all the training I got from following you guys helped."

"Can you talk to her now?" Ignis asked, wanting to avoid suspicion by joining the conversation.

Maybe it would help with the memories eating him up.

"Of course. It… It went too well actually."

"How can it go too well?" Luna joined in, much to Prompto's embarrassment.

This kind of things was supposed to stay between men. At least, it felt easier to talk about it with only the guys around.

"She didn't seem interested in anything serious."

"Wait a minute, here. She was okay with fumbling around? How did you pull that off?!" Gladiolus asked.

"I saved her life about four times," Prompto retorted, flashing him a dark look.

"I want details," Gladio insisted.

"I was a frog the first time she kissed me," Prompto admitted.

"That's actually pretty romantic," Luna commented.

"I think she found it gross."

"But you kissed more than once," Noctis pointed out.

Luna couldn't believe the conversation they were having.

"Half-naked. On a beach. And it went south from there. I'd rather not talk about it," the gunman moaned, covering his face with both hands while Ignis sighed.

"How did you even got on a beach?!" Gladio asked.

It sounded like ideal conditions, but Galdin Quay was on the other side of the continent compared to Insomnia.

"Insomnia's sewers led us to the border of Leide. By the way, you should really clean up those sewers," Prompto added, giving the prince a pointed look. "They're infested."

Noctis blinked, surprised to be reprimanded for something he had no control over and as he saw Gladio opening his mouth, Prompto decided he had endured enough questions.

"What was the deal with you and that imperial chick, Ignis?"

Their driver tensed, a change almost invisible to untrained eyes. Noctis frowned.

"That crazy jumper?" he asked.

"Her name is Aranea Highwind," Ignis supplied.

"But you know her. I've spoken up for it to be fair, but she looked really pissed at you," the gunman observed.

"She has every right to be," the advisor sighed.

Lunafreya shook her head, grasping for the parts she was missing.

"How did you know her?" Gladio pushed on.

They all needed the diversion, but it was pretty clear this discussion wouldn't make any of them feel better. Ignis remained silent a moment, before voicing what he dared of the story. Maybe naming a few memories would make the others go away.

"She used to live in Amnesia's slums. She robbed something from me when we were thirteen. We… stayed in touch."

Gladiolus raised one brow, immediately inquiring:

"Was she… your _community service_?"

Ignis's shoulders sagged a little. He had needed excuses to get away from his job. Noctis did the math and remembered what it meant.

"Aria? That Aria?! I thought she was…"

"I know. It seems she's alive," his advisor cut him off.

Prompto cursed under his breath.

"You're leaving a lot out right now. What the hell happened?"

Squaring his shoulders and gritting his teeth, Ignis looked stubbornly forward.

"I'll give you the short version. She fell off a cliff and I left her for dead."

Four pairs of eyes were now looking at him and their weight wasn't making it any easier.

"Man, that's way, way too short!" Prompto protested.

"And I don't feel like talking about it, dammit!"

He drove faster and the remaining of the ride was spent in uneasy silence. Luna looked up to Noctis, clearly worried. It felt as though half of the guys were traumatized or going through shock.

"We can't leave them like that," she whispered to him.

"I'll deal with it," he replied.

He had no idea how he could help Ignis feel better. He remembered how he'd been acting at the time, right after losing Aria. His advisor had been completely lost and confused. He'd burned food, got late at meetings, forgot stuff, fluked an exam at the Royal Academy, scrapping his perfect record. Noctis had tried all kinds of things to understand what had happened. He even convinced a maid to cheer him up, which ended up in the worst fight he ever had with his chamberlain and only a few answers.

Ignis might only need time, but Prompto could clearly use some cheering. Reaching the bridge meant reliving the moment when Luna had been taken away. It was hard for Luna to see the burns' marks on the bricks. She fought back the pain and sorrow, wanting to focus on the people that needed support right now. They had gone through hell all for her sake. Their driver seemed ready to hop off the car and rush to their hotel, but Luna caught him by his sleeve.

"I owe you thanks," she tried.

Ignis simply looked embarrassed, his back stiff but his shoulders drawn inward.

"There's really no need. You should get some rest."

"I will," Luna assured him. "But first I think you need a hug."

The poor man simply froze and Luna took her chance. He remained rigid for the first few seconds, his eyes worryingly looking for Noctis's disapproval or approval. The prince shrugged, knowing what his fiancée was aiming for.

"Whatever you did in the past, don't be too hard on yourself," Luna told him.

The awkward hug ended, Ignis smiling just a bit.

"I'll just… go on ahead, tell Iris you're all okay, book us some rooms."

He looked ready to say more but thought better and walked off. Prompto shook his head, not believing what he just saw.

"Ignis was rambling! Is my mind playing tricks on me? Or maybe I hit my head…"

"I saw it too man. You know something we don't, Noct?" Gladio asked him.

The prince doubted giving his partial knowledge of the story might help, but seeing their curious looks, he sighed:

"He loved that girl. It took him months to get over her death and if it's really her now…"

Their jack of all trades might close himself even more.

"The way she talked, she was going rogue. We might see her again and Iggy will have a chance to sort things out with her," Gladio offered.

"But he said she fell off a cliff," Prompto reminded them.

"Let's try not to rub it in," Luna interfered. "We are all tired and maybe all he needs right now is space. Although I wouldn't give him too much space."

"You know, Highness, we're big boys," the shield said. "You don't have to take care of us like this."

"You're getting a hug too," She retorted, managing a smile.

Gladiolus might be thinking his macho-meter was in danger, but he accepted the friendly embrace, not wanting to appear as stuck up as Ignis.

"Thanks for always looking out for everyone," she whispered to him.

He patted her back in answer, trying to understand where the girl found the strength to still be standing. She appeared so frail right now and potions could only get you so far.

"Don't make the prince so anxious again. At least, not about you getting kidnapped."

"I don't plan on being kidnapped again."

"Good."

Prompto wondered if his turn was coming and if this was just a special occasion or if Luna would start giving them daily hugs. The prospect was frightening. The small wall he had raised around himself might not be strong enough to hold on against such tenderness. He stood back, half-sitting on the Regalia, exchanging a confused look with his best friend. Noctis had to admit that even though the whole thing looked a little forced, the guys needed the attention.

"I hope you don't leave out our little sunshine," the taller man teased.

"I won't," Luna answered.

She almost stumbled on the two steps she had to walk, but Prompto caught her.

"You might be giving good advice, but you should really listen to it and stop pushing yourself," he observed.

"I'll be fine. I wanted to apologize for pushing you after Cindy."

"Wait, it's not…"

"Seriously Prompto, whatever happened in the last few days, we're here for you."

His throat tightened as her arms wrapped around him. He felt like crumbling in her embrace, but surely she'd collapse right there. The poor woman was still a mess.

"I blame your exhaustion for sounding so cheesy," he joked before to let out a hint of truth. "But if you keep it up, I'm going to cry like a little girl."

The Oracle saw through the ring in his voice and ruffled his hair, a weird, half chuckle half sob coming from her. For a second, Prompto wondered if she could tell what he was feeling.

"It's okay," she told him. "Men can hurt and cry too."

When she finally walked back, Noctis was there, giving her support and wondering if she really should walk by herself. His friends gave him a look, both thinking he should focus on her.

"We'll look after Iggy," Gladiolus offered.

…

Iris had wanted to talk to them for hours, but as soon as she saw Ignis walking in, his jacket slashed in places, his stance different from usual, half-guarded half gone, she understood something was wrong. He told her about her brother, her prince, Prompto and Lunafreya all being fine, but she barely believed it.

"What happened to you?"

"I need a shower," he retorted, walking up to the counter.

She doubted he even heard her question and crossed her arms over her chest, Pryna close on her heels as she walked out of the Leville and waited by the plaza. A few minutes later, the rest of the band showed up, looking just as worn out. Pryna almost jumped in the air at the sight of her mistress.

"What… How did she get here?" Luna wondered out loud.

"Umbra and her interrupted your brother from killing your fiancé," Iris stated, not realizing how bad it sounded before that the words were out.

Lunafreya kneeled and caressed the dog's head, deciding it wasn't the time to question her fiancé's rivalry with her older brother. Thinking of Ravus hurt too much and she hadn't much endurance left for pain.

"Oh… Well, that's a good girl. She looks great," she added, looking up to Iris. "Thanks for looking after her."

Iris couldn't believe that woman was for real. She seemed so forgiving, still gentle and poised despite how awful she looked.

"Mind looking after Pryna a bit more?" Noctis asked her, escorting Luna inside.

The girl nodded, still full of questions and worries for every of them. Her brother and Prompto ordered food, Gladio promising he would give her his account of what had happened, forcing her to sit next to him at their table. She squirmed and tried to tell him she'd already eaten, but gave up after seeing Noctis helping Luna up the stairs. The pair disappeared behind the door to his usual room, which had an adjoined bathroom and Iris understood any of her hope was gone. Her brother noticed the anguish she tried to keep at bay, poking at Prompto's ribs to cheer herself up as the boy leaped off his seat.

She was going to need something to keep herself busy if she was to survive seeing the lovebirds together.

…

Noctis had previously collected Luna's stuff, which amounted to her extra clothes and their notebook. She was taking a well-earned bath and he sat with his back against the wall adjoined to the bathroom, his eyes on the ceiling, talking with her to make sure she wasn't falling asleep in there. He might have left her alone, but he'd been too worried to separate from her so soon.

"So who controls Nifelheim? Aldercapt or his chancellor?"

"A little of both. They're covering such a large territory already… If it wasn't for the technology they have, I doubt they'd…"

She winced, taking a deep breath and Noctis closed his eyes tightly.

"Everything okay?"

Her voice was flustered as she gave him the affirmative. One of her raw cuts burned as she tried to remove the dried blood from her skin. The situation was a bit intimidating, although he had no way of seeing her. The door of the bathroom was barely open, only so they could hear each other, and the young prince respected her too much to invade on her privacy.

"As I was saying, they can't control this much population through a single man, no matter how powerful. The blight started in Nifelheim. Their expansion was first meant to find untainted lands," she explained.

"But they taint every new territory they find."

She remained silent, wondering if it was the right moment to speak of what Ardyn had done to her. Just thinking of the man made her skin prick wherever he'd touched her and she didn't want Noctis running inside. She was far too raw to be this exposed. Especially with someone that made her feel as self-aware.

"Give me a minute, I'm getting out," she told him.

A moment later, she walked out of the bathroom, wearing her nightgown, hair still dripping a bit. He noted how her neck was redder than the rest of her skin, as though she'd scraped at it with water and soap. He didn't comment on it, hoping she felt better. There were two beds in the room, but they were large enough to welcome more than one and she hadn't voiced her question about it yet.

"You should get cleaned up too."

He got up, feeling stupid for being just as embarrassed as her.

"If you want your own room, I'd understand, it's just…"

"You don't want to let me out of your sight. I understand Noct. I'll just snuggle under the covers and try not to drift to sleep right away."

"Order some food," he suggested.

How did they manage to sound so natural? Maybe was it the few weeks spent on the road together?

Stepping into the bathroom, he was met by his reflection in the mirror. He was still covered with the green ooze. He threw off his clothes with disgust, pretty sure that none of Ignis' washing tricks would work on those stains. He took a brief shower, not even waiting for the water to get warm. He could tell Luna had still something on her mind. She always had something on her mind. Instead of being snuggled in the covers, he found her sitting on the bed, legs folded underneath her, her open hands lying in her lap. Her lips moved but no sound came out. She was praying.

When she opened her eyes, she jumped at the sight of him.

"Are you sneaking up on me?" she asked.

"No, I didn't want to disturb you in case you were already sleeping," he said.

"Come over here. There's something I need to tell you."

He sat next to her, taking the hands she offered and holding back her serious gaze. His eyes were so intense, she felt ready to shy away.

"I'm listening," Noctis encouraged her, seeing her hesitation.

"First, you must swear to me you won't worry, freak out or get mad."

He frowned and she waited until he nodded his half-hearted agreement.

"Ardyn tried to taint my powers. I don't think he made it… But something felt really wrong."

Noctis clenched his teeth not to interrupt her as she went on:

"The MTs from the empire. Do you know how they're made? They're humans that were changed into daemons inside the armors. It's actually… the final stage of the blight, but each new oracle has had to keep it a secret to prevent world-wide panic. The men turned daemons are more resistant to shocks and can even muster magic. The blood coming from them is not… oil or…"

"How is that…? Damn! What about this ties in with the bastard trying to taint your powers?"

It was a lot to swallow and Noctis didn't think the guys were ready to learn the news. It put a lot of death into perspective. His mom had succumbed to the blight too according to Regis. Every daemon might even be…

Lunafreya shuffled closer to him, so she could slip her arms around his back and draw reassuring circles over his spine. He embraced her instantly, refraining from pulling on her gown to make sure there was no trace of blight on her. What could a taint look like?

"They've been… _manufacturing_ …"she clearly hated the word as she spoke it. "…so many soldiers that the hosts are getting weaker and less resistant. They shift and warp and eventually… they rot."

An uncontrollable shiver ran through her and Noctis swore another time.

"He asked you to heal one of them?" he deduced.

Her head shook the positive and he sensed the mix of fear, resentment and guilt coming from her.

"There's a limit to what I can do. The soldier I treated… This can't even be called treatment. Noctis, I made him worse," her voice broke down and the poor prince hated himself for being so helpless.

"Luna, Luna you would never make someone worse."

"But I did!"

"And it's on that monster, not you. Don't blame yourself."

"I don't know if I'm still able to heal you or the guys. I managed a covenant with Shiva, but that's only because she had disguised herself as Gentiana and been with me for all those years."

She didn't want to panic like that. She didn't want to add to his worries, but he owed the truth and if her powers risked backfiring, he would be the first warned.

"You summoned your trident without problems today. The light was all around you, Luna. There was nothing dark or tainted about it."

"I hope it stays that way."

"It will. We're working together now," he reminded her.

The gaze they exchanged was bittersweet, but Lunafreya sighed and broke the distance between them, stroking her cheek to his.

"I'm sorry I worried you."

"Don't be," Noctis told her. "I'm sure I worried you plenty already."

"That you did."

They didn't laugh, but they felt somewhat better. He yawned first, reminding them how tired they were.

"We should get you under those sheets," Noctis sighed

"Are we sleeping apart tonight or…?"

Since she didn't finish, he gently nudged her.

"Which one would you prefer?"

"I like being in your arms" she confessed, blushing a little too much to her liking.

"I think I'd feel better if we stayed close."

They parted to pull off the covers and slip into bed. Snuggling close, Noctis wondered if he could catch any sleep with the new knowledge he'd learned. Luna felt restless too and judged they could have a conversation until either one of them fell asleep.

"Where do we go from here?" she asked him.

"What?"

"What are your plans for tomorrow?"

"Checking on the guys and renting rooms for a few more days. We all need a break."

They drifted a bit from there, trying to guess what could have happened with Prompto and Cindy, or where Umbra had run off to after interrupting Noctis's fight with Ravus and following them to the base where Luna was kept. The young king tried coaxing from her more details about what had been done to her, but she tensed and asked him time whenever he did. They reached a point where they just wanted to forget everything scary and awful they'd learned, their breathing slowing and consciousness almost fading, when Luna remembered some of the nightmares she might have. She turned around in his arms, moving enough to wake up entirely.

"I almost forgot…"

Her voice sounded tensed and he wondered if he could take any more bad news.

"What is it?"

"It's just… I've never slept with anyone… Not this close. Not since my mother died. I'm worried I might… push you away in my sleep. If I do, it's unintentional and it's not against you or…"

"I move in my sleep if that's what you're getting at, but I'll do my best not to push you off the bed," Noctis tried to lessen her warning, not liking the ideas he was getting.

Her eyes shone with fear that she'd rather not say out loud.

"It's not that. I know it sounds stupid, but I'm afraid I could… mistake you for someone you're not while unconscious."

Noctis tensed next to her as the notion got clearer. There was something else, something deeply rooted.

"Is it because of the imperial that…"

Her breathing had turned quicker despite all her efforts to remain calm and Noctis let his imagination run wild.

"Once, Ravus tried waking me up. He's always been rough, I think it's a defense mechanism he has, but I lunged at him, thinking he was…"

"Luna…"

Now he sounded horrified and she closed her eyes, wishing she had the nerves to say things straight, but all the strength she already used made her weak, or maybe was it the fact she felt so dirty next to him.

"I was not… They wouldn't go that far. If I hadn't been the Oracle, they said I'd be an Oracle breeder and maybe Ravus would have too, I don't want to think about it," she shuddered, and he looked ready to kill someone, but her hands gripped to his shirt. "Noctis, all they did was stare when I got changed or mess around with me, really."

"Mess around? What kind of sick person would…!"

He wasn't even sure if holding her was the right thing to do now.

"I'm mostly over it, Noct."

"If I had been able to run next to my father that day, you wouldn't have had to go through that."

The very idea hurt, because if he hadn't gotten wounded in the first place, they might have never met at all.

"Don't blame yourself," she pleaded. "Don't be afraid of being around me. I don't fear you Noctis. Only myself."

"Luna, it's… It's a lot to take in," Noctis muttered. "If you'd told me how you were treated, we might have gotten you out before…"

"We can't change the past. You kept saying I shouldn't keep secrets from you. And I'd rather be with you every night, but I thought it fairer I warned you. I didn't mean to sound like that."

"Luna, you can be scared and afraid. You don't have to be strong all the time. Not with me."

He held her closer and her hands stayed between them, either to keep him next to her or be ready to push him away. He couldn't tell anymore. All he knew was he could never forgive something like this.

"I'll keep you safe now," he whispered.

"And I you."

He chuckled against her neck, hoping her shivers could stop before they'd break him. He wanted to be strong enough. He wanted to fix all the evil she'd been through, but the more he learned, the more desperate he felt. As she finally drifted into sleep, she managed to utter words that mended his heart a bit.

"I always feel safe with you."

To be continued…

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Okay, this chapter was not so much fluff as complete depression. But that makes one more thing out of the way for our couple to grow and evolve. I know Luna had been brutalized by the empire. Part of her story was cut from the game because it was "too dark". I don't mean to make this a dark fic. But the Nifelheim empire is a dark, dark place. And I can't have Ardyn being the only bastard from the empire, when he's not even from the empire himself. So, we had our angst-fest. Real fluff next chapter.


	17. Falling in and out of love

I've decided to put extensive flashbacks between two italic sentences. Ignis had me so inspired and I needed this segment to be complete, so it lasts 10 pages and 10 full pages of italic would drive me crazy. Italic usually means thoughts or letters for me. I hope you'll like this new chapter. :) We have smut, soft, gentle smut and also some fluff. I don't think getting any more explicit could fit with the rating of the story. But I'll let you give me your advice on the question.

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Unexpected

Chapter 17 – Falling in and out of love

 _It took about a week and a half for Ignis to have an afternoon off._ He warned Aria through their usual code. Over the years, they had developed a system through which they could both reach the other. Ignis was transferring any mail to the citadel, his mailbox exclusively serving to exchange notes with his friend, now almost girlfriend. Aria never wrote much, although she did well for someone unschooled for so many years.

 _Next Wednesday, 1:00 pm_ , said his note.

 _I'll be raiding your bathroom for 30 to 45 minutes._

He wished she'd also tell him if she was safe, but that was akin to doubting her and Aria had drilled into his head the fact she needed no help, no saving, no protecting, not even a prayer. The young man was perfectly on time getting back to his tenth story apartment. Aria had taken the emergency ladder to reach his balcony and was waiting by the window, a mysterious bag carelessly thrown on her back.

"Yes, I brought my laundry, and no, I don't want you putting your nose in my clothes while they wash."

He'd washed most of her meager wardrobe when he didn't salvage some pieces, but it was all for the sake of helping him knowing how to serve the young prince better. A real sacrifice on her part.

"Hello to you too," Ignis gritted her with a smirk.

"Just don't steal a peek, okay?" she asked warningly after starting the washing cycle, having mixed all the colors despite how much the young man hated it. "I'm going through a full transformation for you and I want it to be a surprise."

She poked him on the nose, stole his glasses while he gaped in surprise and ran right to the bathroom, leaving him to his own devices. Aria rarely looked as mischievous before and Ignis had no idea what she could have in store. They had flirted sometimes, never too openly, but today was their first official date as a couple. The shower started running and the advisor permitted himself a few minutes of fantasizing about what could happen, before setting out to find his spare glasses and put some order in the place. Of course, there wasn't a speck of dust anywhere. His books were neatly shelved, his father's daggers shining on the living room wall and the few pictures scattered around were all straight. There were no dirty dishes in the sink, his clothes were orderly aligned in his closet and after a full five minutes of looking for an occupation, Ignis sat down on his couch, mentally reciting tomorrow's lessons for the prince.

He had been growing a little more restless as his free afternoon got closer and he wasn't sure letting his thoughts run wild was a good thing right now.

He heard Aria humming in the shower. The girl had a soft side she tried to deny so hard all the time. Looking around for something out of place, Ignis's eyes lingered on his late mother's picture. Both Scientias had died early, his father in the line of duty, his mother from a bad cold turned into a pneumonia a few years later. Being allergic to potions and remedies had been her only fault and he'd stopped resenting her for it, although life had been lonely. Now that he had Aria for the time he wasn't looking after Noctis, he wondered what could change. He already felt different whenever she was around. Self-conscious in a way that differed from all the standards he was trying to keep.

Day-dreaming was not among those standards, so the teenager got up and went to the kitchen, pulling open the fridge and inspecting what he had. Another girl might have preferred to go to a fancy restaurant, but Ignis had developed cooking talents that made him on par with most chefs.

"Iggy, I'm coming out, turn your back to the living room."

"Would you stop being so mysterious?" he asked her playfully.

"I had to switch plans at the last minute and go for long sleeves you know? All because some stupid…"

"Are you hurt?"

He forgot about the order she'd given him and walked up to the bathroom door, getting a good look at the apparition standing in his small living room. Aria had cleaned up, braided her hair to one side, exposing her slender neck. She was wearing a black dress with long sleeves, her skirt closing in multiple folds over her mid-thigh, leaving her long and bare legs exposed. Her feet were bare, her nails clean and short. The top of her dress was looser than the bottom, showing a tasteful amount of cleavage. She held his glasses in one hand, twirling on herself once for better effect. The sight of her half-naked back woke multiple thoughts and sensations in the young man, who tried to focus on her eyes and her face before he'd say something wrong. She looked so normal and still so herself. His eyes noticed a patch of dark on her left shoulder, surely a bruise and worry took over hid admiration.

"Is that…?"

"Ignis, I don't want to see potions. I have a cleavage…" she pointed it before going on: "and those are my bare legs, no pants, no nets. I don't even know how I can wear underwear without it showing through."

That helped him in realizing how nervous she felt, although she tried sounding confident. In two strides, he was standing right next to her, gently prying the glasses from her hand to put them on a side table, focusing his eyes on her. He owed her some teasing.

"Am I supposed to inspect this? I think I'll start with the cleavage…"

"Moron!" she chided him, her hands grabbing his shoulders as though to push him away.

"Don't put so much emphasize on it."

He motioned to wrap his arms around her, only to be halted half-way.

"Be fair with me. I've never dressed up for anyone in my life."

Honest Aria was more dangerous than playful Aria. He thanked years of practicing a solemn expression for not blushing beet red.

"You look beautiful."

Gently lifting her chin, he stole a kiss from her, so happy he couldn't hold himself back any longer. She felt more feminine than usual, but hadn't lost either her boldness or her attitude. She kissed him back, asking for more, no words, just more. When they parted, their smile reflected on each other's faces.

"Now you go get changed. I'm not going out with a royal academy student," she chided him.

His formal uniform was pretty dashing, but since she'd put so much effort and thoughts over this, he owed her the same.

"You are, technically speaking," he still pointed out, slowly disappearing into his room.

"Your graduation is in a month or so, isn't it?" Aria called after him.

His lack of answer meant she was right. The idea of this change brought her nothing but unease, so she tried to focus on the here and now. The young woman moved the side table a bit before to lie down on his couch, throwing her arms over her head, just enjoying the fact she hadn't to worry about any threat. Her eyes snapped open as she realized what kind of get up the young man would wear if she wasn't more precise in her demand.

"Try putting on something casual," she demanded out.

"Your attire is _not_ casual," came his instant reply.

"I don't want to see a tie on you. It looks like a leash."

Five minutes later, Ignis walked out, a dark-blue shirt beneath his not so casual jacket. The pants were between chic and casual, and his shoes shone. She looked him up and down critically, jumping to her feet. Black certainly looked good on him.

"Loose the gloves at least."

"Fine, my lady," he retorted, replacing the table she'd move without even thinking. "Are you going like this?"

"I've snatched myself some wicked heels, but I'm gonna need help to put them on."

Ignis doubted high heels were a good idea, but as soon as he'd served as a support for her to step into the shoes, he had to admit she'd made a pretty sharp choice. Those four inches made her just as tall as him, while giving a curve to her long legs and sounding strong against the floor. Powerful steps signaling a powerful woman.

She gave him a smirk, opening his jacket and loosening the first two buttons of his shirt. Her fingers on his chest made him want to keep her right here for the rest of the day. Both in and out of her dress. He'd fantasized about her before, of course, but now it seemed way too possible for his usual control to be trustworthy. And the last thing he wanted was to cross the potential, yet invisible line she still set between them. There had to be a line. Thankfully, she crossed her arms behind her back, taking a step back and leaned her head to the side, giving him another critical look that made his back stand straighter, like a soldier being reviewed.

"Are we modeling for something I'm not aware of?" Ignis inquired.

"Nope. I just think looking messy really suits you."

This time he blushed, even if he tried not to.

"What's next on your list?"

She shrugged.

"There's no list, Iggy. I thought we should try normal stuff. Like going to the mall. Sight-seeing. But no movies."

She didn't add what really felt wrong about movies. Losing any of the few precious hours she had with him in silence, staring at something she could never have in her life and that was too normal for him. She didn't want to masquerade to that point. He picked up on the brief flash of sadness in her eyes, just before she grabbed his hand and put on a smile.

"Let's go then. I choose the mall, you decide on the other place."

"And we get back here for dinner afterwards?"

"And maybe more, if affinities," she winked at him.

The thought was almost scary. It was as though things were moving too fast. But their relationship had never been normal, and he knew no matter how much he'd studied theories and textbooks, he might never understand her unless he took risks.

"What do you want for dessert?"

She pretended to think it over, but her decision was already made the moment he said dessert.

"Chocolate."

They walked on the streets side by side, letting their arms brush with every step, but refraining from holding hands. It felt too public and neither of them was comfortable with showcasing emotions in front of strangers. He asked her about her week, about the feel of the streets. She retorted with questions over the prince, which meant no answer, questions over the Royal Academy and his latest training. They made it a rule to never mention the empire or the latest politics. Any news of Nifelheim advancing on Lucis reminded Aria that her parents might have made a bad choice in taking refuge here. The mall wasn't a place Ignis often visited himself, but looking at Aria's face as she studied the various shops, trying to decide on any that seemed interesting was worth it.

"No stealing," he warned her, seeing how she kept throwing glances at a jewel boutique.

"You think I would try to on our date? Aren't you rich enough to buy me something?"

"Wait… You never let me buy you anything but food."

The idea he could give her something, anything that could somehow make her life easier really… It made him feel more excited than a little kid.

"I think we need new rules," his girlfriend stated with a cocky smile.

Going from shop to shop, it quickly turned clear Aria didn't care much about jewels, pretty clothes, make-up or… She slowed down as they passed in front of a shoe store. The long leather boots on display had caught her eyes. After listening to her comments about the impracticality of everything else, Ignis couldn't refrain a smile.

"Wanna check these out?"

"No! I mean…"

She looked torn. He'd given her boots once, after she'd broken her ankle and had to stay at his apartment until she was fully recovered from the wound. She hadn't been able to repay him, the young man refusing stolen goods by principles.

"I didn't choose the mall because I wanted you to buy me something. I was just messing around with you earlier."

And boots were a lot more expensive than earrings and stuff. He tried coaxing her into the shop and they gathered some attention, but the young girl won her argument. She knew stepping inside would only get her indebted to him more and she wouldn't have it. She convinced him to pay for a few photos in a photo booth instead. The cabin was small, forcing them to sit thigh to thigh, but the closeness felt good with no one around to see them. The first four shots were typical. Stoic smiles in one frame, teasing each other in another, Aria stealing his glasses and Ignis tickling her in retaliation. She coaxed him into a second session of snapping pictures, this time with her sitting in his lap. She felt warm and soft, her scent invading his nose and Ignis held her closer, testing the limits that seemed entirely gone.

"Just one with a kiss," she whispered to him, holding his glasses in one hand to prevent any more reflect of hindering the shots.

He retorted with his lips on her neck, unable to resist the temptation when she was this close. She tensed up instantly, feeling too exposed, almost threatened. The light flashed, hurting their eyes and he was moving away, wondering if he hadn't hurt her with his impulse.

"I didn't mean…" he started apologizing.

"You took me by surprise. Try it again."

But it seemed forced and he wouldn't have it that way. Instead he turned her head around, bending his neck till their lips could meet. She relaxed into him, cupping his jaw with one hand. This was fair. This was safe. The last two pictures made them blush but also smile.

"You keep them. Wouldn't want the guys on the street to tease me if they'd find…"

"Sure."

Ignis chose their favorite park, strolling with her around fountains and beneath the willows. This time, they held hands, skin to skin, fingers squeezing every now and then, just to let the other know how good this felt. They talked of Lucis, of mercenaries and wild creatures outside the walls, of the weird, stuffy ball royals threw every four years, of anything that crossed the mind. Their complicity was enough to feel fulfilled, but as time passed, Ignis wondered if the dessert he had planned in the back of his mind could be ready in time.

Their steps fell into rhythm. They took the short way back, cutting through backstreets, getting over barriers and on rooftops. Wearing a dress wouldn't prevent Aria's adventurous habits and Ignis looked after her, a few potions at the ready to fix a swollen ankle. They made it back in one piece, not feeling tired yet. She helped with the vegetables preparation while he got the dessert under way. Cooking with her felt comfortable, unlike when he was watched by some citadel's chefs. She'd seen him so undignified, he let most of his guard down. And she'd never felt comfortable between walls unless he was there with her.

Dinner went by too fast, but the night was still young, and dessert was a huge success if Ignis was to believe the look on her face as she took her first spoonful. His own chocolate fondant's cake tasted good, but Aria's seemed divine. She had done her best to keep her reactions subdued, but the content whine escaping from her by the middle of her cake struck a chord.

"You shouldn't make sounds like that," he pleaded.

"Like what?" she asked him, leaning back in her chair, licking her lower lip far too slowly to ignore the effect she had on him.

Ignis tried not to feel the stirring, the longing and all the other things that came with them, but she took another bite, her shoulders hanging lower as she reveled in the taste. She barely ever had any chocolate. And he wanted to have something other than his cooking eliciting such effects on her.

"I get the feeling your portion is better than mine. This call for a serious inspection."

"Really? Well, I'm not sharing," she retorted childishly.

Ignis crossed the space between them as she stuffed what was left of her cake in her mouth. Next thing she knew, he was kissing her as though he hadn't seen her for years. And it felt so damn good, chocolate involved or not. She kissed back, her arms reaching up for his neck, fingers tangling and tousling his brown locks. He ran one hand over her naked back, relishing her shivers, his other hand lost in her braid. As the minutes passed, he feared the magic of their date could fade. He wanted her out of her normalcy mask, back to being his everyday Aria, so she could come back on his next day off, or even before that. This couldn't be a one-time thing.

She gave sense to everything, to the never-ending patience, to the feelings he kept in check all the time as he made sure he was an exemplary advisor, student, guy. Words came to mind and his heart ached at the idea they might send her running. She moaned, arching her back to kiss him deeper, almost sending them to the floor as her chair rose on two single legs. He caught her in time, her legs circling his waist in reflex.

"Let's take this to the couch," she breathed between two kisses.

Ignis was happy to oblige, although carrying her in his arms while still kissing her proved to be a feat. He had no practice and promised himself to remedy that if she was willing to help. And willing she was, as he laid her gently on the couch, kneeling above her only to be pulled right back to kiss her some more. Her hands pulled off his jacket, tugging his shirt out from his pants, her lips soft, and flushed and almost too warm. Her hands made him shiver far too easily, but shivers had never felt as good. Aria turned her face at one point, baring her neck to him, breathing hard, her eyes holding his.

"We can stop if…"

"I don't want to sound cheesy, Ignis. But I trust you."

That almost sent him over the edge, but his kisses were soft, tender caresses that turned to burning passion as she uttered a new sound. He wanted her closer, but her whine of pleasure turned to pain as he held one wrist too tightly, reminding him of the _"long sleeves last second plan"_.

"You're hurt."

She slipped one hand beneath his shirt, trying to divert his attention, not wanting the moment to fade, but his jaw was set, and he pried her hands off.

"Aria, just let me see. I won't think you are… less pretty because of a cut or some bruises."

"Take the dress off," she shot back.

He gulped down, still far too excitable for such suggestions.

"The sleeves are too tight to lift them up. And if I'm going to sell my body someday, I'd rather have a good memory with it."

"Aria!"

She sat up, her legs still trapped between his, her chest heaving slightly.

"I'm not considering it. I didn't want to talk about the future today. But I don't know…"

She froze as he grabbed the material of her dress around her shoulders, considering the idea of pulling it down. Only four centimeters of fabric pulled off and he discovered her bruised left side, barely holding back the anger in his tone as he understood. "You were pushed into a wall?!"

"Ignis, I've seen worse."

He studied her, sliding the dress down centimeters by centimeters, discovering all that worse. Her breathing quickened but she let him do so, blushing and shivering as he revealed her. Marks covered her white skin, some old some too recent to make him feel any better about himself. What kind of friend… what kind of boyfriend let the woman he loved in such a state?

As the dress pooled around her waist, he tried to focus on her arms, gently removing her tight sleeves. Her left wrist was wrapped in bandages and blood shone beneath them.

"I'm fixing you first. Why didn't you tell me the moment you got here?!"

"I don't want to always depend on you," Aria explained herself.

"What good am I if you don't?"

And where others would see nothing but caring, Aria knew he was pushing himself. Perfection couldn't exist. Perfection wouldn't solve her life and wasn't what she wanted from him.

"Ignis, I'm my own woman. I've survived three years on the streets before meeting you. And I'll never say I regret meeting you. You're the best thing I have in my life. But I'm not sure I can keep living here. In Insomnia, I mean…"

"Shut it!" he cut her off, fully angry now.

She stared back into his angry eyes, almost defiant. He had more words ready, put kept them in. Sometimes, he felt as though defiance was all she had. She'd been hurt enough already. He got up, gathering potions and coming back, kneeling on the floor.

"Drink one," he told her, pushing the bottle in her hand.

He started with her wrist, rubbing the potion into the cut despite her wincing and how much he hated hurting her. He kept at it until the skin sealed back to focus on her shoulder. She let him work his magic, her breath still ragged, goosebumps covering her exposed flesh. Once done, Ignis wasn't sure what to do next. She'd given him contradicting instructions. He took a step back and pulled her up to her feet, feeling a bit ashamed as her dress slipped to the floor, leaving her in nothing but her underwear. He wanted to push her back between the cushions and have her realize how much he needed her. She seemed ready to hide herself with her arms, looking too pale, too small to face the life she'd lived for so long. He wanted to give her all the love she'd lacked, in the only way that felt right.

Instead, he held her face with both hands, taking a deep breath.

"You're beautiful, Aria. You're gorgeous, you're… I love you. And I can't have you now to lose you tomorrow. You can be your own woman and still…"

She shut him up before he could convince her, crushing his lips with hers. The earlier passion was now desperate. It tasted of salt and the sourness of the potion.

"I love you too," she whispered back. "You won't lose me."

The words appeased some of his fears. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, trying to make her warmer. Her shivers seemed good again. Their legs tangled and they both felt drunk with sensations and needs they hadn't experienced before. His glasses were left on the side table as he led her to his room. She let him lead and took over in turns. At one point, she pushed him away, almost breaking his heart, but her words were too kind to mean rejection.

"I just want to look at you," she said as he towered over her, naked, breathless, his hair pointing in all the wrong directions. She smiled at him, so fondly he couldn't even feel self-aware.

"What?"

"It's… I really like this Ignis. Messy hair. Panting, flushing, impulsive, daring."

She drew an imaginary line over his chest, all the way up to his face and he swallowed, hard.

"Don't…" His voice nearly broke in his throat.

"Raw and real. My Ignis. You're beautiful."

He'd never felt so open. So alive. He could have cried but he might not have stopped if he started and there was a limit to how unmanly she could make him. _So instead he shook between her arms, and kissed her hard and soft, held her through the pain and loved her with all he had._

And then she had to fall, and he couldn't catch her, couldn't find her. Which meant her raw, impulsive and real Ignis wasn't enough. The other day she had found him, and he still hadn't been enough, hadn't even been able to recognize her until it was almost too late. And instead of resting, or baking some chocolate cake for Prompto's own heartbreak, his mind went over everything once more, as if to ascertain what he should have done differently. What could have been said? Which tactic...?

He thought he was healed up and all fixed. He had thought he was working for the better good, one hundred percent, that his life had all the meaning he needed and that no question was left from the past he'd come to hate. But now she was alive, which raised the question… How come a man trained to see everything, a man pushing himself to be efficient to a fault, a man most laughed at for being almost like a machine, which meant he was better at solving riddles and problems than those who laugh… How come he hadn't been the man she needed back then? How could he fail her the only time she needed saving?

…

Noctis was woken up by someone stirring next to him. His left arm was totally asleep, having been used as a pillow by Lunafreya for the entire night. Cracking one eye open as he wrapped himself closer to the woman, the prince slowly noticed her presence, and the fact her legs were wrapped around his. They were snuggled close, warm and comfortable in each other's embrace. Her breathing was slow, her face looked so peaceful. No nightmare while she rested next to him. His own sleep had been blissful, and he wondered how it was possible with all the worries he'd been turning around in his head. His princess had been through so much already. Kept a prisoner in her own house. Leeched at, threatened with rape and worse if she wasn't worthy. Her magic used and abused. He wanted to shelter her from any further harm.

But Luna wouldn't stand by while he went up against the empire. And although she'd been hurt, she proved herself strong enough to resist where others would have broken down.

He kissed her forehead, feeling proud of her. Compared to her, he hadn't faced that much heartache. Of course, being a prince in the last free bastion of their world wasn't only rainbow and sunshine. He had to face critics, fame and most of all, he never had a right to be normal. His face had been in the papers for as long as he'd lived. Growing up in the citadel, being surrounded by adults that revered his father and looked after him like some time bomb… It had been scary and quite lonely.

At first, Noctis had tried rising to everyone's expectations. But he kept sleeping in, feeling too shy to face his imposing tutors, his father telling him he shouldn't push himself when everyone else expected him to. The women looking after him weren't sure how caring they should or could be. Was stroking his hair or giving him a hug too personal? He wasn't just any little boy. He was a prince. When asked to touch the crystal to undergo its test, Noctis had been terrified. An alien voice had screamed, booming inside his head. He'd tried holding back his tears since Regis's counsellors were all around, but… The crystal had tested him with visions and smells and the taste of blood, almost driving him over the edge. On the following morning, Noctis had been officially declared heir to the throne and successor as crystal's protector. He would have the power to fortify the wall and protect Insomnia if not all of Lucis. From that day onward, the boy had lost his humanity for most of the servants. His governess didn't dare touching him before she found him sobbing and trashing in the middle of a traumatic nightmare, two days after his testing.

She'd died not long afterwards, when the six-armed Naga attacked his suite. Noctis had learned not to grow attached to anyone that wasn't his father. Regis could face the monsters outside the walls. But it had been a lie…

Pushing away the memories, the young man tried to focus on the fact Luna was safe, but his thoughts kept wandering into dangerous territory. Ignis's anger yesterday. Prompto's defeated voice whenever Cindy was mentioned. Gladiolus doing everything he could to stand up despite being as hurt as his prince from the loss they'd sustained. Insomnia had fallen about two weeks ago. Regis had turned weak, old. Maybe blighted or worse. Regis Lucis Caelum was dead, and Luna might very well have done the same if given a few more days between the chancellor's clutches.

Noctis stared at the ceiling, trying to keep everything in. The guys needed his help, but he wasn't sure they wanted it yet. He felt guilty for having Luna all to himself when they were all troubled by something. Then again, he'd never had a girlfriend before. He had been approached by many girls, either at school or while going out to bars. He'd honed his game, learning from Prompto's mistakes and Ignis' advice, knowing Gladio ran background checks on anyone he met more than once. Making friends with Prompto had been the heaviest fight he'd ever had with his bodyguard yet. But when it came to girls, Noctis never felt comfortable enough to engage into anything serious and knew messing around would get him in trouble. He couldn't tell if they liked him because he was a royal or not. Except for Iris, and Iris was still a child in his eyes and the younger sister he never had.

Luna was the only one who knew him from long enough and well enough to make him confide anything important. Luna was the constant he needed. She was here right now, alive and as well as one could be after being kidnapped and forced to heal daemonized people. He couldn't bring her down if she could smile instead.

He felt her hand gripping tighter to his shirt and sighed, his numb fingers toying with blonde strands of hair. She stirred next to him, panic showing in the way she tensed as she felt trapped in her own bed. It wasn't until she realized it was him and not some soldier that she relaxed.

"Slept well?"

"Too well," she smiled. "You?"

"Like a log. I think we'll keep this kind of arrangement from now on."

"Won't the others be jealous?"

"I guess they can't be jealous if we refrain from kissing right in front of them."

That line of thinking sounded promising and her soft giggles really made his day.

"Are you thinking of kissing me, Noct?"

The question intimidated him a bit, but not enough. He replied with a gentle peck on her lips, refusing to push her. She tried kissing him back, feeling awkward and inexperienced. She had felt desire before, but had always kept it at bay, focusing on prayers, on the people that needed her help and her healing. She wasn't sure what kind of love she wanted from him. She wasn't even sure what she could give in return. Was there anything left, after hiding, holding everything back and putting on a smile that hurt more than anything else? Those questions scared her, when she didn't want to be scared. But she didn't want to use what they had as a means to erase the bad things, or a tool to keep the fear away. It meant so much more.

At first, they lied on their side, Noctis giving her all the space she needed to back away. Their kisses went from pure to demanding and before long, instinct and need took over, bringing them closer, hands clutching, arms enveloping, breath shivering. He half stood over her, and Luna marveled at how safe it felt. They kissed with abandon, stealing as many minutes of bliss they could. When they parted for air, Noctis searched her face for any sign this was wrong. Her hands were on him, soft, warm, heavenly and he might have asked for more if he hadn't felt so worried about his friends.

"We definitely can't do something like that if we keep sharing a tent with the guys," she teased.

"I don't think I want them to hear us from across the camp," he retorted. "They've already been on my case for my entire life."

She smiled at him, stroking his cheek, following the line of his jaw.

"I had wanted this before, but I didn't know then…"

"Wanted what?" Noctis cheered her.

"To be with you. Kissing you. And so much more."

The red on her face made him feel a lot better about his own blush. You'd think shyness might leave with the awkwardness, but kissing her and hearing her talk about it were two very different things. Their stomachs rumbling at this point reminded them they had skipped a few meals.

"I guess we should get out of bed."

Lunafreya nodded and they slowly untangled themselves from the other. She dressed herself in the bathroom, while he changed at lightning speed, a little too awake.

"You think they'll have the energy to tease us?" she asked him once fully dressed.

She had one black tank top beneath her jacket and a pair of jeans. She might need to go through more shopping in the next few days, but seeing her looking more like her usual self helped him deal with the messy emotions he felt.

"If it makes them feel better, I say we can give them some levity. For today at least."

"How about you look after Ignis and I talk with Prompto?" she offered.

"If you feel up for it," Noctis said, clearly still worried about her.

They walked out, unable to stay too far apart. Breakfast was a quiet affair, Gladio and Prompto already sitting at their usual table, Ignis gone out for a walk, his breakfast eaten long ago.

"Iggy is taking this a lot worse than I expected him to," the gunman observed.

"Give it time," Noctis suggested.

"But that Aranea chick, she said he just had to hire her if he wanted to know what had happened."

"Sounds like a mercenary to me," Gladio observed. "She'll only accept orders from the highest bidder."

"Why would she work for the empire if she used to live in Insomnia?" Luna inquired.

"The slums weren't the nicest places in the city," Noctis explained. "I tried visiting a few times, but either Gladio found me before I got too deep in trouble, either Ignis gave me an earful."

"But they knew each other."

The young Oracle was trying to make sense of all of this.

"You could say she was the crazy to his normal," Noctis sighed. "He didn't have a lot of friends except from me or Gladio at the time, and I was more of a handful than anything."

"Don't sell yourself short," Prompto interfered. "How old was he then?"

"17."

"Which means you were 15. We were all stupid at 15."

"Careful what you say," Gladio observed, looking around them.

His sister hadn't shown up yet and since she had looked close to tears when they told each other good night, he wasn't sure she needed to be reminded of how younger, less experienced she was. Pryna walked up to Luna, jumping into her lap.

"Hey there. What are you doing away from Iris?"

At the mention of the girl, the small dog's tail fell down and her ears soon followed.

"Pryna? Is something wrong with Iris?"

Every guy picked on it, but it was Jared who gave them the full answer, walking out of the kitchen.

"Sir, your Highness, lady Lunafreya, I'm sorry to ask this, but… The young miss hasn't slept for the entire night. I think she cooked to keep her mind off things. Scientia was with her for most of the night and they've gone through most of the ingredients already. The Leville's director isn't very pleased…"

Gladiolus heaved a sigh, raising his eyes to the ceiling before motioning to get up.

"Stay put," Noctis told him. "I think I need to settle some things with your sister."

"You what?" Prompto asked.

"I haven't really been fair to her in the last few days."

"You can say that again," Gladiolus grumbled.

Noctis exchanged a brief look with Luna, who simply nodded to him, knowing pretty much what his talk with Iris would cover. She was glad the decision came from him. It wouldn't be fair for the young girl otherwise. The prince had no idea what he would tell Iris as he walked up to the kitchen. But his friends had been looking out for him all this time and if they needed help, he'd give it.

…

Iris had kicked Ignis out of the kitchen without much effort. She needed to keep her mind occupied on something else than Noctis Lucis Caelum. Being sent back to Lestallum before the real action had hurt a lot more than expected. She needed as many answers as either of them. She needed to take a part in the saving of her nation. Otherwise, she'd rather not even know what was going on, like most of the civilians. She had worked on food that comforted and gave strength. The Leville's cook had been wounded while out on a hunt for vegetables and she was happy to take over. Hearing footsteps behind her, she prepared herself for Jared's new sermon. But the voice that called her name was younger and made her jump in surprise.

"It's not like you to stay cooped up, Iris. Who do you think is going to eat all this?"

"You skipped dinner and supper yesterday," she shot back.

"I also forgot to ask you how the trip back had been."

It wasn't the best angle to approach things, but Noctis was walking on eggshells. He had refused to face the question, hoping she'd grow out of it, that it was a phase, that she'd find someone her age among her friends at school…

"You don't have to look after me or…"

"Iris. Turn the burners off and look my way, will you?"

When she refused to comply, he walked the few steps still between them and turned her around to face him. She looked pale and her eyes were puffy, which only made it harder for him.

"Onions," she told him quickly, making up the first excuse that came to mind.

"Iris, everyone around me is falling apart. And I can't hold you up if you're like this."

It didn't sound fair, but the poor girl knew what he meant. Ignis was in pain. Prompto looked lost. And her own brother had been so close to breaking the other day. Instead of looking after either of them, his friends, he'd come to her.

"I just want to be happy for you and Luna. I know I've said awful things…"

"It's okay, Iris," Noctis assured her. "I know I can't make all this better, but… Having you around, trying to cheer me up, taking my defense even against Ravus when you should really worry about yourself. It means a lot."

Iris blinked, unsure of what was going on. Noctis had never been so direct with her.

"The guys kept making fun of me, thinking I didn't know, but I'm not blind. You've grown a lot faster than I'd expected. And although I can't be… your prince, I hope you know I care about you, a great deal."

Now she couldn't breathe, his words like a punch in her gut. She felt like a child in front of him. How long had he known? How long had he pretended as though he didn't? He looked ready to apologize, but apologies didn't fix this kind of ache.

"I tried not to… I really tried…" Sobs took over and he opened his arms, sorry for making it hurt more by finally acknowledging her feelings.

The fact she apologized first was like a slap to the face, but she still stepped into his arms, accepting the comfort he'd give her.

"You might hate me for saying it, but you've always been a sister to me. I was afraid you'd only get hurt and it might have made it worse…"

"I can't hate you. I love you, Noct."

Saying the words out loud gave her a real reason to cry, but she felt lighter.

"I know. And I know everything I say must sound wrong, but you're worth a much more stable man than me, Iris. Someone strong that won't have…"

"Don't… I'll move on when I can, but don't…" she pleaded.

He sighed, holding her close, giving her time. He was just realizing how much fixing was needed. Iris shook from the sobs, trying to apologize only to feel his hand in her hair, his voice shushing her gently. Like her father would when she got hurt. When the worse of it was passed, Noctis tried having her smile.

"I was never any good when you cried. And Gladio is definitely going to kill me if you keep this up."

It half-worked and she took a step back, looking up at him with watery eyes.

"Tell him I was cutting down onions," Iris offered.

They shared a laugh, Iris realizing a connection was still there, linking them, although never as she'd hoped. And somehow, it mended her heart. He might not be _her_ prince, but he was her other big brother. You don't get to choose your family, but you always choose friends.

To be continued…

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So this chapter is mostly fluff. I'm trying to catch up with the last reviews, but school is definitely on. Keep them coming, they help and every new one make my day. :D In a hurry because of school, so no long comment. In next chapter, more mending, no Ignis flashback, Ravus' news and more.


	18. Secrets only eat you apart

This is a bro-chapter! Each and every chocobros have their moment. I wanted to add Ravus's news and stuff, but it's already 18 pages long and I need to draw the line on the quantity of depressing stuff I write. And I swear, this part is necessary in the fic. I need half the team back on its feet. Some more information on the cliff story awaits. And the fic is officially one month old. 18 chapters, over 90 000 words, so many nice reviews and I'm beyond myself with happiness about it. Although school is back, so updating another chapter this week is pretty much exceptional. I'll try to update once a week at the very least, but I can't make any promises. Read on!

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Unexpected

Chapter 18 – Secrets only eat you apart

Iris joined the group an hour after Noctis had walked out of the kitchen. She wanted to make sure her tears had left no trace before falling under her brother's eyes. Much to her surprise Gladio was alone at a table, playing on his phone.

"Where's everyone?"

"Noctis went out to look for Ignis and Luna convinced Prompto to do some shopping with her. I guess her wardrobe has been cut down to size. Princesses…"

"Oh…"

Her brother looked at her critically.

"So, what did our prince told you?"

"He knew," was all she could answer.

Gladiolus raised one brow, wondering if tears were coming or if everything was alright. He wasn't sure how to treat her crush on the prince. He loved her a great deal, too often feeling as her real father since they were so far apart in age. The burly man hadn't kept many relationships, often hitting on girls and enjoying himself for a few days before to entirely forget about whoever shared his table or his bed. He was every piece of a knight in shining armor to the unadvised eye, but he was too devoted to his job to lose time with serious romance. Not that he didn't care about love. He just knew what being the king's shield meant all too well. He couldn't promise more than the here and now. His life didn't belong to him and never would, no matter how hard he trained and how strong he got. Because it was all in the name of keeping one man alive, a man that would save the whole freaking world.

Iris noticed the look on his face. She had seen her brother lost in thoughts so many times already, but never got used to the ache it caused inside.

"Gladio… I could really use to see you not being serious right now. In fact, I'd like to train or go running…"

Looking back at her, the king's shield heaved a sigh.

"If you had slept an hour or two, training might be…"

"How about chocobo riding? The sun is out and I practiced while getting back here. It would be like old times."

She half-forced her smile and for an instant, Gladio wished she was still a little girl he could tickle to tears, a girl without a single worry on her mind. Getting up, he rolled his shoulders, warming up to the idea of setting out for a few hours. Staying idle always drove him crazy.

"We're not going far. And if you fall asleep, I won't go easy on you!"

Her smiled brightened. They rarely had time together anymore and since their father was almost certainly gone, it felt important for her to keep her brother close. Maybe was it also because he was safer than Noctis right now. She rushed back in to warn Talcott of their plan, and the pair set out, Gladiolus hoping they wouldn't meet any MT.

…

Ignis had been leaning against a wall, gazing at the Meteor from the lookout after going over Lestallum streets four times without feeling any better. He didn't exactly blend in, but he wasn't trying to either. Noctis found him in a matter of minutes, not exactly sure how to greet him. He just leaned on the wall next to him, crossing his arms and mimicking his pose.

"Are you sulking, Ignis?"

The taller man ignored him, staring at some point in the distance.

"I've always wanted to ask you that once, you know," the prince admitted, remembering how many times their roles had been reversed.

Ignis smirked slightly. He was indeed being difficult.

"What are the plans for today?" he asked, trying to focus on what really mattered.

"I think we all need a break. Luna took Prompto on a shopping spree. And with the Regalia all fixed, I guess the best thing to do is to complete a few hunts and cover our expenses."

"Hunting?" the advisor repeated.

It contradicted taking a break, but Noctis seemed restless and Ignis certainly felt restless himself. The prince realized he wasn't only looking for a way to cheer his friend and decided to lay half his cards on the table. If he asked him for a favor that sounded sensible, there was no way his chamberlain would refuse.

"I might have just… told Iris I'd rather only be friends with her. Getting out of Lestallum for a bit, just to let Gladio cool off might be a good thing…"

"And gathering money to pay back Cindy's work and Luna's shopping…" Ignis deduced. "I guess it can't be helped then. Someone has to look after you."

Noctis rolled his eyes. He didn't want to pretend as though nothing had happened back in the imperial base, but he also knew Ignis hated being a burden to others.

"But I'm driving," he decided.

Ignis was about to protest, but quickly reminded himself of one fact. The Regalia was Noctis's car. The chamberlain also realized he might be too unfocused to drive right now. He sat on the passenger side, hating his impression of giving up control, although Noctis made it his mission to drive well within the limits.

"What are we hunting today?"

"It depends. There's a killer queen in Cleigne… that would grant us about 7000. But we could hunt down smaller things."

"How are our finances?"

As Noctis drove out of Lestallum, they settled into talks over the most logical hunts to take, comparing their respective inventory. Planning and strategizing always helped Ignis. Once the decision was made, the discussion seemed ready to fall flat. Ignis didn't want to steer the conversation towards matter of the heart, even though Noctis had mentioned clearing things up with Iris, somehow opening the door wide enough if he wanted to confide. Except it wasn't Ignis's place to confide and reminiscing didn't give him closure.

"You know, the guys won't stop asking questions with the version you gave them," Noctis observed after a few minutes of driving in silence.

"Is this a question?"

Ignis didn't want to sound offended, but thinking back on it brought up the feelings of the seventeen-year-old man he'd been.

"A fact. I know you didn't have it easy back then."

"I was a child," Ignis sighed.

Noctis chuckled despite himself.

"You never were a child," he countered. "And if someone I thought dead resurfaced suddenly, I'd be shaken up. Why can't you be?"

Ignis felt his fingers drumming on the top of his car door before to realize he was acting just like Prompto. Nervous and fidgety. He stopped himself, crossing his arms. His silence made Noctis nervous. He wanted to help, but Ignis had never really let him help.

"If she's a mercenary… We could always recruit her," the prince suggested.

"I don't really see a…"

Now he was angry, but his sentence was interrupted by a shadow looming over the car. A dropship was right above their head. Noctis stepped on the brakes, jumping out of the Regalia without thinking. Ignis followed, daggers drawn out. The MTs fell from the sky and both men rushed into the battle, despite virtually being one against ten. The soldiers had axes, halberds and guns. Noctis would have taken them on even if he was alone, making it his duty to get rid of as much imperial threat as possible. His citizens couldn't face them. The hunters already had their hands full with Lucis's wildlife.

Cutting through metal and crushing green plate of faces, Noctis remembered Luna's words. A dreadful feeling took over, making his hand hesitate. Ignis saw the blade coming for the prince and called out his name, too far to intervene. Noctis warped through the assault and got over himself. The situation was far too dire to take pity on the MTs. Magic flared, daggers scrapped iron and leather while green fluid oozed. Both men stood victorious, despite the odds staked against them, but Ignis was already walking up to his liege, far from satisfied.

"What were you thinking, going easy on them?"

"Hey, wait until you have the bigger picture to blame me. Luna told me…"

Ignis seemed ready to dismiss the advice of the Oracle, especially since she'd put Noctis in danger at the blockade. But the young prince needed to see things for himself and held one hand up, asking for silence. He turned a magiteck soldier to the side with his feet, planting his sword in the line where the mask ended and was welding into a helmet.

"What are you…?"

"Just wait for it," Noctis insisted.

With a push, the mask came off, revealing a dark, misshapen head, green liquid dripping from its eyes' sockets. A head that clearly had been human. Ignis barely contained an exclamation of stupor.

"What the bloody hell…?!"

"Luna was right. Those were imperial people, taken by the blight. The final stages turn them into daemons. And then they cover it with armors and send them to kill us until they drop to pieces."

His tactician paled at the notion. All this time, the machines they'd been fighting… Noctis felt just as shaken, but his friend's next action surprised him even more. Ignis kneeled in front of the soldier, turning him on his back and undid the braces around its arm. Dark, ash-covered skin covered bulged muscles that didn't move.

"Hey…"

"I need to check…"

Using his dagger to remove the darker skin, he revealed a barcode on the wrist. The same wrist as Aria.

"Dear Gods," Ignis whispered, shutting his eyes close, trying not to let his imagination run wild.

"What is it?"

Suddenly, the words came out, tumbling from his lips, because this was too much to take. Aria's life had been horrible in the slums, but at least…

"She had the same mark… That's why she couldn't get a job. If her parents hadn't fled the empire, she might have been turned into one of these… dreadful things."

"Wait, she was just a kid when she got into Insomnia… Why would they even mark kids?"

"Lady Luna didn't tell you?" Ignis nearly snapped at him.

He sounded too harsh, but Noctis understood as it all clicked. Luna had indeed told him.

"They breed kids. They breed soldiers like cattle, right from the crib…"

He felt sick to his stomach. What kind of monster did this? How could anyone carelessly play with human lives…?

"I don't know how the others will take this news."

Noctis wondered if they should keep it a secret. Gladio already hated the empire more than enough and Prompto seemed sensible whenever Nifelheim was mentioned. He remembered who the gunman had sided with when Luna had disagreed about killing an imperial soldier. Frowning, he helped Ignis gathering the bodies into a pile and set them on fire. They always discarded the Nifs like this. They wouldn't think about burying machines.

Sitting back in the car, Noctis kicked up the engine, wondering if their life could ever get to the point where it would feel right again.

"If you don't say something, I'll keep turning this messed-up idea I'm killing innocent people in my head," he warned.

Ignis breathed out through clenched teeth.

"I don't like it any more than you do. But it's not our fault. Whoever is doing this, _he_ 's the sick bastard responsible."

"Whoa, Ignis, you've just sworn twice in the last twenty minutes."

His friend forced a chuckle out, his jaw set too hard for him to smile at the humorous attempt.

"I'm still worried about her. It's been at least five years and now that I know she's alive, wounded, somewhere out there…"

He gestured in front of him, his words failing him. That never happened.

"I know, man. But instead of hitting yourself on the head…"

"How does that even work?" Ignis cut him off. "She fell… It was a twenty stories high cliff. I scaled it down to look for her in the middle of the night."

His voice reported the facts as coldly as possible, but his professional detachment was gone and Noctis let him go on. If he confided in him, it was already that.

"I only found blood and strands of hair. The daggerquills had surely…"

Ignis's throat felt too tight.

"You went at night? I always thought she'd fallen in the afternoon…"

For the first and only time in his life, Ignis had been late to pick up the prince at school. Of course, the driver had been there, but usually, Ignis did too. It was a Friday and Fridays implied extra classes for the prince to catch up on the politics before the weekend.

Glancing at him, Noctis saw his face darkening.

"I would have gone down right after she fell if…"

The excuse had always felt wrong. He had been forced to make a choice, an awful, awful choice. His love, most certainly, most logically already dead, or his prince, his work and life achievement. Ignis's hesitation could only mean one thing. Somehow, Noctis was to blame for it.

"Don't tell me…"

"There's nothing to say. And don't go thinking I blamed you."

But he did. Noctis remembered their argument a few days later, following the maid fiasco. Suddenly, he wondered if he was really the right person to set him back on his feet.

"What happened?!"

Silence lasted too long, felt too heavy on both of them. Noctis didn't want to get impatient, Ignis didn't have to tell him anything, but it felt wrong not knowing.

"Just tell me so I don't start imagining stuff my dad did or…"

It sounded like a plea and Ignis remembered the few times he'd had to comfort Noctis after the boy had realized how many things he was granted just because of his position or of King Regis's influence. Sometimes, the father had been misguided in his protectiveness. There had been friends before Prompto, fake friends that had nothing to do with Luna's understanding and Noctis had grown even more shy and withdrawn after them.

"I was running late… Really late. Clarus always doubted I could be a good advisor, being merely two years older than you. He didn't approve of…" With a sigh, Ignis decided to just get it over with. "I guess I'd reached the limit of his patience. He gave me an ultimatum and dragged me back to the citadel. I fought back, I was… The point is… He dragged me away from that cliff. And Gladio doesn't need to know I resent his father. I shouldn't even resent him."

"Well… You have a right to," Noctis observed. "At the very least, it explains a lot of things."

"Right."

Noctis pulled to a stop, unsure if either of them were up for any hunt.

"You know, this can stay between us. You have enough blackmail material on me…"

Ignis rolled his eyes. "I'd never…"

"I know. But you've been looking out for me all this time. If you need to see her again, we'll find her. I can't be the only one getting a happy ending."

"I don't think she wants a happy ending. Not with me at least."

"Then, get yourself some closure. You forgot to put on your tie, Ignis."

"Damn, you're right." After a sigh, he added "Can't I have tie-free days every now and then?"

The prince smiled at that. It sounded like something Prompto would say, but he guessed his advisor was slowly seeing the truth in his advice. It was just harder to admit he wanted his help in finding Aranea. He might not even be sure he wanted to see her, but Noctis knew that look. It was what he'd looked like when Luna was taken by Ardyn. Aria had simply been taken away by life.

…

"Now, you should try out anything you want," Prompto said, steering her away from the underwear section of the store.

Shopping with his best friend's girl was one thing. Knowing what her underwear might look like… He'd rather pass. Luna wasn't as outgoing as you'd expect a woman to be in a clothing store. She studied the clothes with circumspection, turning the fabric around, evading colors that seemed too bright. She had always been pale and doubted yellow or green wouldn't give her skin a sick glow. Prompto was tapping his feet to the floor, half-following the rhythm of the radio playing. He felt as though he could be a kid around Luna and she just smiled at his antics. But kids had little patience and he was still far too on edge to remain distracted after ten minutes of watching Luna studying every new pile of clothes.

"How about I select some stuff and you just try them?"

She shrugged, mentally trying to find the right way to mention Cindy again. Prompto thought of picking outrageous stuff, because he really wanted to see the look on Noctis's face if Luna ever wore a tiny mini skirt. But he didn't dare suggesting it. So instead, he picked up shirts, tunics and jeans. Luna winced at some of his color choices.

"Hey, you always dress in white, which is basically the absence of color in the luminous specter!" he argued right back as she commented on it.

"I've never decided which clothes I'd wear or add to my wardrobe," she told him, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Feeling guilty, he lowered his shoulders.

"What would you like then? Maybe I can help look for it."

"I'd like to have a dress… that's not white, actually…"

"Still too vague," the young man warned her playfully.

"Well…" Luna hesitated a little more. "It's not as though a dress would be useful with the work we have."

"Come on, you can have clothes for the times when you're not an oracle or a part of the Lucian army. I'm pretty sure Noctis is dying to take you out on a date."

Her smile looked so unsure at that.

"A date? How can we even…?"

And while Prompto realized he had just stepped into dangerous territory, she realized this was her chance. So she swallowed back the doubts, raising bright eyes to the gunman.

"How about blue?"

"Good choice."

She wondered if she was too subtle. He had been the one noticing the blue bikini on Cindy, but maybe she was thinking too hard. After all, she usually didn't have to convince the people of talking to her. They simply did, laying their problems bare, thinking she had all the answers. After going over the entire store selection, Prompto begged to see the result on her. She let herself be caught in the moment, twirling and even trying a few poses.

"Wait, wait, I need to take a picture of that one!"

Lunafreya was almost glad the store clerk didn't know she was the Oracle. Her one sleeved dress had a circle skirt that flew around her with every of her moves. Her sleeve was open on the shoulder, the fabric ghosting her pale arm, like veils. It was long enough to use as a scarf.

"Damn. Noctis is one lucky man."

Luna blushed, deciding not to take it the wrong way.

"I think it's time we did some shopping for you too, young man," she decided.

After changing into more practical clothes, their next stop was a photography store. Luna couldn't believe there was this many different lens and Prompto was in heaven. She let him chat her up the whole time, smiling, asking questions every now and then and mostly enjoying how photography brought him out of his shell. But she clearly sensed that his steps lacked their usual spring. It was a subdued version of the jester. The sun was shining strong as they walked back on the street and after spending two hours in ventilated space, the heat was like a punch in the gut.

"I think this calls for ice cream!" he declared.

"Ice what?" Luna pretended ignorance.

"Oh. My. God! You never had ice cream in your life?!"

"I'm messing with you, Prompto, of course, I did."

"Heaven be praised. There's a limit to cruelty."

They shared a bench in the shadows, Luna eating her parfait one spoonful at a time while Prompto got through his chocolate ice cream fast enough for a brain freeze.

"Slow down a bit," she chided him.

"Why? It's melting on my hands."

"I'd like to talk. And that implies you answering me."

"If it's about Noctis's high school's life, I'm not talking. He's my best pal, I draw the line there."

She couldn't help a smile. It might actually be nice to learn about Noctis through someone other than the man himself.

"No… I wanted to know if _you_ were alright, Prompto."

"If it's because you feel bad for encouraging me…"

"No. At least, how I feel is not important. Something has changed ever since you got back. You're pushing yourself to put on a brave face. I know that look."

"Cause you wear it all the time?!"

She flinched and Prompto instantly felt ashamed of himself.

"I didn't mean that," he quickly added. "Ever since you got with us, I can tell you're not even pretending. You're like a freaking saint. That sounds wrong too, I'm sorry. I guess there's been too many things happening at the same time."

"You're angry?" she suggested.

"I don't know," he sighed. "I can't exactly be angry. There's no time and…"

"I'm angry. About almost everything, most of the time. I just try to fuel it into something… Something that makes my words heal as much as the light."

He processed her words, trying to picture her angry. Like when she'd argued with Noctis. Ordered him to save an imperial soldier. If anyone could understand his secret, it was her, but he couldn't… Not after holding it back for so long.

"I don't see why light should heal…" he observed bitterly.

Light had revealed what he needed to hide and Prompto hated it. It had been sunny with the beach, the sand, Cindy… It should have been perfect, like in the movies or silly TV shows. Luna's hand touched his knee gingerly. Raising his eyes, he saw all the best intentions on her face. She wanted to look after him. She cared, even though they barely knew each other. He remembered her only letter for him. How kind she had been to some worthless stranger.

"Let me help," she asked him.

His throat hurt from the knot growing inside, but he brushed her hand away, shuffling to the side. His cone of ice cream was now lying in the trash can next to their bench. So much for comfort food.

"I don't need help. It's not something anyone can fix."

"I'm not necessarily looking for something to fix," Luna tried.

He gulped down, wondering if it was wrong to need help. He was a grown man. He might be smaller than Gladio, and not as bright as Ignis, but he could look after himself. He had always looked after himself. Heck, his place was tidier than Noctis's whole flat, no matter how many times Ignis swung by to clean up after the prince. Since he remained silent, Luna insisted.

"I just can't understand… Why it didn't work. I know there was not much time, but you sounded so defeated…"

He got up, unable to stay on that bench anymore. She mirrored his move, following him closely.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable. But I don't think you can keep up like this. You're so nervous… And you don't sleep."

The contour of his eyes was redder than usual. He had noticed the dark bags too, but at least he had the last crazy few days as an excuse. A sorry excuse, but…

"You won't stop until I say something, right?"

"I'm just afraid that if we all leave you to your own devices… You might not bounce back from this."

She was right. He hadn't felt so wrong in a long, long time. His early childhood memories were hazy at best and usually stayed in his nightmares. Now they haunted him. He had a vivid flashback of his father's face. Kept picturing him when he fired at something. It couldn't be healthy. Of course, seeing MTs all the time didn't help. Running through mines and sewers and getting rejected by a beautiful chick in the span of 48 hours hadn't helped either.

"I used to be bouncy, you know. I was half this height and weighed the very same number of pounds as I do now."

Luna blinked, taken aback. He'd followed a back-alley and just stopped in his tracks, without a warning, staring at the walls surrounding them. She halted before bumping into his back, unsure if there was anything she could or should say.

"When you asked me to befriend Noctis, I actually thought it could work," he laughed bitterly. "But I was even shier than now. It was a prince and I was… the fat geeky kid everyone chose last in sports. So I started training. Maybe if I looked good, I could feel good about myself for once."

She nodded slowly, despite the fact he couldn't see her. Suddenly, Ignis's warnings sounded entirely grounded. The young man's self-esteem had been in shambles for years.

"When I was with Cindy, I never managed… to feel good about myself. I kept worrying about what she'd think… Kept dreading that she might…"

His voice was shuddering and breaking on the words he'd never let out. Luna wanted to give him some kind of support, but he kept his back turned on her. She heard him fumbling, not realizing he was toying with his wristband.

"The first night was freaking cold. She even asked, so I kept her warm, right in my arms, sitting in a bundle of chocobo feathers. And I couldn't feel good, even though it was more than I'd ever asked for."

"Prompto…"

He breathed out, his shoulders shaking a bit. She feared any gesture would break him, but she felt close to tears.

"The next day was awkward. We were in a rush to get all the parts and after almost falling to our death and getting eaten or fried or turned to frogs… I guess we lost it a little. She was so scared. She wanted comfort and for a few minutes… I was the right person in the right place at the right time."

Prompto ran one hand through his hair, messing up every lock and half turned back to her.

"But I'm always… always wrong."

And what he really wanted to say was that he felt wrong. He was born wrong, or on the wrong side of the world. Luna couldn't breathe anymore, she just wanted to make him realize he couldn't think like that.

"No," she tried to reason him. "Whatever…"

"If you knew, you'd think the same things as her."

She shook her head.

"There's nothing wrong with you. You're kind, you're sweet, you are…"

"I'm a liar and a fraud. I can't… You can't tell the guys. They don't know the empire, they don't…"

As soon as the words were out, his eyes widened, because he'd revealed everything, the way she looked at him would change. Luna raised her eyebrows, merely suspecting it.

"Prompto… They're your friends. Keeping secrets will only hurt…"

"I know. I thought I could just start over and forget, but… My mom died for this secret to be kept. She was blighted during the trip and instead of looking for help… She gave all the money she had to my "adoptive" parents."

Feeling as though he needed someone to share the burden, as though Luna would understand, he ripped the wristband off. The lines on his skin were surrounded by red. He'd scrapped the skin raw last night. And all the pieces fell into places in the young woman's mind. A few people had escaped Nifelheim with their soldier-child, hoping to give them a free life. But those children couldn't run from the empire, not when it was imprinted on their skin, branding them different. Growing up knowing your neighbors and your friends might hate you if they knew…

"Oh Prompto…"

A sob struggled through his throat, pushing on the knot that made his voice hoarse. She was not judging him. Her eyes didn't change. She didn't revert to his last name to create distance. She opened her arms, engulfing him in the tightest hug she could manage. His breathing came out in shudders as he held onto her, trying to hold himself together.

"It's not your fault. This doesn't change who you are. And Noctis would understand."

He wanted to ask her why Cindy didn't understand but it hurt too much. She let him hide his face in her hair, waiting for the sobs to die down, stroking and patting his back when his whole body shook. The worst seemed over, but he still had a lot on his heart.

And slowly, as though he needed the whole story out, he started to talk. They sat in the dark, their back against the stone wall, steam coming from their left, making it impossible for someone to hear even if he stood two feet away from them.

"Argentum was her name. She was in the first generation of breeders. Snatched me away from the tests when I was four. We ran and we hid and we ran more. She drugged me most of the time, because I couldn't do anything. The guns belonged to her."

Luna nodded and held his hand. He had clasped the wristband back on, thankful she didn't try to heal his damaged skin.

"I had no picture of her. I can't remember anything from her. But I remember my father's face."

His own face darkened and Luna shivered at the hate emanating from his voice. To think he had ever managed to smile while he kept all this inside.

"Do you think… he's still alive?" she dared to ask.

"I know he is. He's behind the whole MTs program."

"You don't mean…"

"Verstael," he confirmed her doubts. "Worst name ever, really."

"Prompto, stop. All of this… You kept all of this bottled up your entire life?"

"I don't think mentioning you're the son of an engineer of death from the country trying to overtake the world would help me make friends. So yeah. I kept it in. And I managed to keep that hidden. Guess it was lucky I didn't get this close to girls before."

"You should give her more time. Risking her life and facing this kind of revelation in the same two days…"

"Now, you're just being cruel. I can live with feeling like a monster, but to have her look at me that way and still hope?"

"Well, I won't get off your case this easily. You're still good-looking, kind, sweet and adorable."

"Man, you make me sound like a…"

A long buzz cut him off, and as he checked his phone, Luna sensed the change in the air.

"It's Gladio. He wants us to meet up with him at the Leville."

"Is something wrong?"

"Someone needs your healing," Prompto told her, leaping to his feet.

…

The chocobo ride had started well. The sun was up, the air felt warm and the birds were happily exploring the area around Lestallum. Iris was enjoying the air in her face, throwing her mount in a brief gallop as often as possible. Gladiolus even managed a smile, slowly realizing that despite everything bad that had recently happened, they were doing more than good. Noctis had taken back two bases, they were growing more organized and with Luna on their side, they just might stand a chance against Nifelheim. He pushed the stressful thoughts aside, keeping an eye on the sky as he tried a few evasive maneuvers with his chocobo. It was only in the name of practice, but the animal responded perfectly despite her lack of training for such a purpose. He was amazed at how fast she could run considering he was certainly the heaviest rider she had carried recently. Looking back up, he noticed that Iris was rushing ahead, further from the road, despite what he'd told her as they set out.

"What are you doing?!" he called after her, shifting the reins to send his bird after her.

"I'm sure I heard someone!"

Gladiolus doubted it was a good sign, but a few seconds later, Iris was jumping off her chocobo and disappearing into a bush, immediately calling his name. The girl acted as though she was invincible, and he groaned, hoping she hadn't dived right into trouble. As he caught up with her nervous mount, he heard moans and wincing that wasn't coming from his younger sister. Five to six tiny trees were surrounding a potential hiding place, Iris's dark skirt barely visible through the foliage. Could it be a trap or…?

"Gladio, get your butt over here. I can't move her…"

Pushing the branches aside, the tall man managed to fit his size in the secluded space where a disheveled woman laid, covered in bruises, dirt and blood, his sister kneeling over her, trying to ease the worse of her hurt. A raspy, too dry voice came out, trying to explain her situation or to ask questions, but the words made no sense. Gladio's protective instincts almost kicked in instantly, pushing him forward, but as he kneeled on the other side of the woman, he forced himself to check her for weapons. There was a knife in her boot, but otherwise, she seemed unarmed. He took into account everything he could notice when she shied away from him, whimpering as her unfocused eyes took in his large frame. She smelled, which meant she had been out in the wilds for some days. One of her legs was broken, her leather vest torn to shreds on her shoulders. Ugly scratches on her stomach were surrounded by swelling skin and every shade of bruise he'd seen in his life. Focusing on her face, he felt a sensation similar to a punch in the guts.

"Crowe?"

Her eyelashes flickered and she started shaking even more at the sound of her name.

"Are… you here to kill me too?" she managed.

"No, of course not," Iris butted in. "We're from Lucis, we…"

Crowe tried squirming away from her, trembling like a leaf, her face darkened with mud. He spotted fresh tears' marks on her cheeks, contradicting the strong woman he'd met a few times in Insomnia. Gladiolus had helped train the Kingsglaives, supervising Noctis's "classes" with them. Crowe being the only woman among them, she had left quite an impression on him and seeing her in this state… Too many things had been broken already for him to stand by idly.

"I can't…" Moving only hurt her more and she needed as much care as possible if she was to make it.

"It's okay, Crowe," he told her. "We're with the prince."

Her eyes fluttered, one eyelid dark and swollen. Gladio had never been too good with words. He was always too direct, too blunt, like his fists. So he opened his empty hands, trying to show her he was telling the truth. He shuffled closer, Iris taking out potions and gently suggesting she'd fixed the worst wounds right away. The Glaive shuddered and cried out as her leg was set at the right angle and the bones forced back together. Gladiolus wanted to get to his feet and make sure nothing had been alerted by the sound, but he was worried any sudden move would send her over the edge.

"You're in shock, Crowe," Iris told her. "Just breathe in, slowly, I think I've got some water… Gladio, help me here."

He slipped one hand under the Glaive's back, raising her in a sitting position. Crow was like a broken doll, without strength to hold herself up, her head hanging on one shoulder pathetically. Gladio shuffled closer, realizing how cold she was. She tried to push against him, but her hands barely raised a few centimeters. He had her leaning against him, not caring about the dirt or the stench. Iris repeated soft, gentle words, making Crow drink a few gulps slowly, using the water she had left to partially remove the dirt on her face. The woman still shivered, but her voice sounded better.

"I… I was supposed to find Lady Lunafreya."

"She's also with us. Don't worry about her or whatever mission you were on," Iris told her.

"But…"

"We can take you somewhere safe, Crowe." Gladiolus declared, his arms circling her frame.

She didn't fight against him this time. Maybe was it hearing his voice from this close, maybe was it how delicious his warmth felt after spending the last two weeks shivering and running for her life, but the young woman suddenly felt safe.

Gladio lifted her from the ground, Iris leading the way back, pulling the branches aside for him. The chocobos had gotten a little further, scared by the sudden cry earlier, but they cooperated as Iris got one to kneel, letting Gladio sit on its back while still carrying the wounded woman in his arms. Crowe was slipping in and out of consciousness as this point, wondering how a man could be strong enough to carry her with a single arm. He sat her in his lap, letting her grip to his coat and hide against his bare chest. Her sharp, feverish breath gave him shivers, but the worst thing was to hear her voice breaking as she stated what they both knew.

"My powers are gone… So I gathered… the king is dead."

"At least the prince lives," he told her. "We'll have another king."

 _But you never wanted a king_ , he thought. _You wanted your home back._

"The other Glaives… Some came after me. There were traitors in our ranks."

Her accent had always fascinated him. Her voice was too rough, she needed more water, she needed food and a shower, but he'd be damned if she died too. He tried having the chocobo walking at a normal pace. Managed to throw his cellphone to Iris so she'd texted Prompto and their all-healer Oracle. Tried setting her as comfortably as she could be against him. Her face was lying just over his heart, the constant beat a lullaby to her ear.

"What happened, Gladiolus?" Crowe asked him.

He still hadn't taken any time to process exactly what had happened.

"They broke the wall."

They'd broken a thousand walls with just the first one. The citizens, the refugees, the soldiers… His father. He gripped on her shoulder a little too hard and her nails dug into his ribs. Physical pain felt better than this. He tried listing more things, tried his voice against words that shouldn't hurt as much as they did.

"Took the crystal. Unleashed daemons on more innocent people."

"We're both homeless then."

A low rumble echoed in his chest.

"We're still fighting. We destroyed two imperial bases yesterday."

He wanted an answer from her, but she was lying limply in his arms, head bumping against his chest with every step of his mount. She was out cold and he felt ready to go out of his mind. There was no home to go back. And since the wall, the magic and the crystal were all gone, he was the only one who could stand tall and support his friends. Why then did he feel so lost when he'd trained all his life for a moment just like this one?

To be continued…

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There will be lots of Noct/Luna next chapter to make up for the lack of it in this one.

Crowe was so underused in Kingsglaive. I get that she was dangerous since her magic was way more epic than Noctis's but still. Couldn't the whole plot to get her killed show us she kicked ass a bit more? To clear a few things, Crowe was reported MIA in my version of Kingsglaive. Libertus and Nyx never knew what happened to her. Although Nyx died. She's the last addition of the Kingsglaive's cast to this story.

Also, I don't think Aria falling from the cliff is a necessary flashback anymore. Ignis gave most of the info on his parts, we'll have her impressions eventually. When I can get the story advanced to the point where Aranea shows up again. There's a lot scheduled here and I realize the fic is turning even more ambitious than in the beginning, but don't worry, guys, I'm still a 100 % into it and I'm definitely going to bring it to a satisfying conclusion, after lots of fluff, more drama, and a good dose of actions. Let me know how the Prompto's part felt. At first I had trouble writing it, then I made myself cry writing it and then I was done.

Please, please review and let me know what you think! :D


	19. Come undone

As some people have told me, Crowe died in Kingsglaive. Ravus also tried stealing the Lucii ring and got his arm burned, which hasn't happened to this fic's Ravus. I was looking for a way to pair up Gladio without creating an OC and the option suddenly turned clear as I rewatched Kingsglaive with my family. Crowe had a lot of potential, like many other FFXV characters. So I'm including her in this story. She went MIA in my version of Kingsglaive. A bit of what happened to her in the following chapter. I might eventually piece together enough flashbacks from enough people to draw a portrait of Kingsglaives altered events in the fic. Or just write another fic on it entirely. XD

Here comes chapter 19. I hope you'll like it. ;)

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Unexpected

Chapter 19 – Come undone

" _Think of taking the stones off the ground. Don't move. Just think of picking them up."_

A man groaned in frustration and Noctis bit his tongue, trying to remember how hard it had been when he first started elemancy. Suddenly, the stones shone, magic rushing in someone's hand. She gasped in surprise and most people stepped away from her, the woman flexing her fingers, her brown eyes flickering with sparkles of power.

"Warping comes easy, but magic is a different state of mind. You don't command it," the prince went on, feeling encouraged by the quick results.

"Then how do you use it?" a red-headed man inquired, sounding bored.

"You don't. It uses you. The stones are a catalyst and our body serves the same role. It's not dangerous to your health," he quickly added, seeing the looks on the Glaives' faces.

He bitterly thought of what it did to his father's health, but continued. "Once you've absorbed magic, you must mix it into a spell. You could throw it right out, but without practice, it's like shooting at someone with your eyes closed."

The lessons went on, weeks of practice, where he supervised the training Gladio gave the heavy fighters and where Gladio supervised the magic training he gave. Some Glaives were good at warping, but none surpassed the prince. When it came to magic though, the only woman among the recruits was incredible. She weaved intricate spells, managed to absorb the very wind and mix it with fire and thunder. She was so good, she could canalize magic from the other Glaives and add it together in an explosive mix. After a single month of training, Crowe had already gotten herself a nickname. _Black mage._

Now the magic was gone, leaving her all too human and fragile. She tried to recognize the city Gladio carried her in. She wanted to ask more questions, to understand what had happened. But the fever was strong, the infection in her wounds nurturing it and the mental and emotional pain of knowing most of her friends had died…

All she remembered from Insomnia was setting out for Tenebrae on her bike. She'd reached the blockade and Duscae before the traitors caught up with her. They almost took her by surprise, but she wasn't only a magician. She'd been fighting against the waves of MTs back in Galahd for years. Crowe had sensed something wrong from the very look her comrades gave her. She fought them back, managing to run and lose them in the woods. The following chase had been a nightmare. They had tracked her down for hours, until her magic gave up on her entirely, which meant it had also given up on them. By then, they panicked. And she struck back, killing the traitors and dying a little more inside for each one of them. Delayed, but not ready to give up, Crowe had tried to keep up her words and complete her mission. And then the first dropship spotted her.

She gasped at the memory and Gladio almost stumbled, surprised to hear a sound from her. He was already gathering a lot of attention, carrying a girl in such a sorry state in the middle of the plaza. But there was no way his frame fitted in backstreets.

"I didn't bump you into anything…" he muttered, ready to apologize.

"No, I…"

She hated herself for looking and sounding this weak; but she hadn't eaten in days and barely evaded the rampaging daemons. Gladio replaced her head against his shoulder, not even thinking of how intimate the gesture felt. She winced as he shifted his hold on her.

"Make way! No need to stare," Iris asked the people they met, hurrying the children to the side.

"I wish I could just stop thinking," Crowe sighed.

This sounded like she'd lost her will to survive and Gladiolus knew for a fact he needed to save her. He hadn't saved anyone else when he should have been there.

"Keep talking," he asked her. "Say anything. No need to think for that."

She managed a smile and summoned all the energy she could to mutter an answer.

"Gladio, was it? I remember you. Always standing three steps behind the prince."

"That's what being his shield means," he bit back.

He was no wall decoration, but sometimes, standing in the background felt diminishing. As though you were not even human.

"Did we train together?"

She reached up to the pendant at his neck, her fingers lacing around the "x". He wasn't sure what she remembered. He might have been nothing but another stranger to her.

"Once or twice. You actually got a few hits past my guard."

"That's because you Lucians have no idea how Galahd's girls fight."

He swallowed, adding a strike beneath the stranger theory. He needed to find another subject. The Leville was there, Iris already inside, certainly asking Jared or Talcott to prepare a room for the wounded Glaive.

"You set out… about two weeks ago, didn't you?"

"That long? No surprise I'm so worn out."

She started laughing, but her breath turned into coughs and he quickened his pace. Luna and Prompto were already there. The gunman looked too pale for someone who had supposedly been out shopping, but Gladio couldn't worry about that. The girl in his arms was getting worse.

"Up here," Iris directed them.

Gladio fell into step with her, Luna managing to catch up with his long strides. Crowe agitated herself at the sight of her initial goal.

"Lady Lunafreya…"

"It's okay," the Oracle told her. "Don't worry and let us fix you first. We'll talk when you're better."

Prompto followed a few steps behind. He carried potions and elixirs, but they all knew what Luna would do. What they didn't know was that she hadn't tried her powers out since Ardyn's little game. Iris pulled the sheets off her bed, Gladio laying his charge on the mattress. As his arms left her, she protested strongly, her hands grabbing for his. Panic filled her eyes. There were too many people around her, too many eyes staring at her, the pain was overloading her system and her mission was standing there, alive and well, when she'd…

"Hold her still," Luna asked Gladiolus, brushing Crowe's hair away from her face.

He sat on the corner of the bed, unsure of what gesture would comfort the woman best. He settled for keeping one hand on her shoulder, his other hand wrapped around hers. The action reminded him of his dying mother and he closed his eyes, trying to keep it in. He couldn't face the memory now.

"Listen to me, just breathe and listen. It's Crowe? Crowe, you're in shock right now," Luna stated, her voice soft but sure.

The Glaive shook, her forehead shining from perspiration. Iris had gathered towels, soap and water and sat on the other side of the bed, the side on which Luna was. Prompto remained in the doorway a few seconds, until Noctis's fiancée shot him one look. Those potions could certainly help.

"I need you to sit up. Can you help her?"

Gladio did as told, on autopilot at this point. Iris helped taking off the ruined coat before to cut off her shirt, revealing more bruises and dark stains that had nothing to do with dirt.

"No surprise she's feeling so bad," Prompto sighed.

"Disinfect the wounds," Luna ordered. "I'll heal the blight as soon as her cuts are closed."

The rest seemed surreal. Iris and Luna were clearly in control, while the gunman stood by feeling helpless. Gladio didn't feel like much help either. Crowe was going from one pain to the next and the girls seemed convinced that getting it done faster would be for the better, but he wanted her yells to stop. Her hand gripped and clawed at his arm, her body shaking against his. And he stood still, a firm support, her pillar… Powerless. He looked at his sister fixing the skin with potions, washing off the infection, repeating the process without even flinching. When did Iris got that strong?

Luna kept cheering Crowe through the various operations, cleaning her up to assert the damage. The blight had covered most of her right side, from the bottom of her hip to the middle of her torso.

"Keep her sitting up. Don't let go of her. Crowe, I'm going to cleanse the blight from your body. It's almost over."

The poor woman had no words left, she was raw flesh and bones at this stage. Luna mouthed a silent prayer, focusing on her magic, eyelids shining from the glow her eyes had taken. She was terrified inside, but years of practice kept it well hidden. Her gestures were not as graceful as usual, but when her forehead touched Crowe's, she tapped into her power, and she instantly knew it would work. The stain erased itself, inch by inch, the skin going back to white, a gray sheen remaining on her waist as the Oracle stood back. Luna brushed the sheen off, removing dust and sighing her relief as Crowe leaned back into Gladio, eyes closed, catching her breath.

"Thank you… Thank you. I hadn't thought… I could feel myself again," the glaive whispered with a shaky voice.

Tears followed, silent, but not less heart-shattering.

"What you need is rest now," Luna stated. "Unless we missed anything."

Crowe mouthed a no, all her strength gone.

Prompto walked out of the room without a word. He felt like collapsing on his bed and sleeping the horrid vision of. Iris had already gathered most of the bloodied towels and clothes, rolling them in a ball she'd pushed in a corner of the room. She brought a pitcher of water and a glass, setting them on the side table, Luna feeling the aftershock of the treatment. Gladio wanted to run away and regain his composure, but Crowe was still holding to his hand.

"Be sure to get some sleep," Lunafreya recommended.

"I will. Afterwards… I need to talk with you."

"We will," the blonde woman promised.

She gave a slight bow, feeling somehow formal. She wavered slightly as she walked out, and Iris exchanged a look with her brother.

"I should probably look after her until Noctis get back."

There was no regret in her voice. Not even resignation like he'd expected. She was ready to do what she could and would give it her all, no matter what she might have wanted for herself. Truly, she had the selflessness of the Amicitias. Gladiolus couldn't believe his little sister had turned so mature. He'd been angry at her for putting herself in danger, but it seemed she'd learned a lot and seen horrors of her own. He so wanted her to stay a child, he hadn't…

The door closed behind her, breaking his train of thought. Crowe Altius was still leaning against him, barely dressed, tears on her cheeks, weak and apparently unable to let go of his hand.

"It might be better if I…"

"Can you stay?" she asked.

He wasn't sure he could both stay with her and keep a straight face after seeing Luna heal her blight. He couldn't help thinking of everything that shouldn't have been lost before. To his own surprise, he breathed out a firm "okay".

"I'm not… needy usually. But you're warm. And I can't sleep right now. I can't…"

Her voice broke and something shattered inside him.

"Okay," he repeated.

He moved her aside for a bit, pushing the pillows aside, so he could sit against the headrest. If he couldn't be comfortable in his head, at least he'd be in his body. He gathered her between his arms, letting her sit in his lap like she'd done on his chocobo. He never let anyone that close except for his sister. Lovers didn't count. Sex had always been stress-relief for him, since intimacy was dangerous. Right now, he felt younger, but also too tall, too strong to hold her.

She wasn't cold or clammy anymore. The fever was gone. Her head settled under his chin, her free hand finding his necklace once more. This time, he couldn't hold back the shiver.

"Is there any… any Glaive still…?"

"Libertus survived."

Her relief rippled through him. He needed that truth too. He needed to know if any other friends were left. But it seemed they were all here in Lestallum with him. The others were gone.

"You told me earlier…" Crowe slowly recalled. "The prince is alive?"

"Yup. Working on kicking out the empire for good."

"If I had my magic, I could help."

"You were pretty handy with glaives," he tried cheering her up.

Those memories were safer than the rest.

"But I can't warp anymore," she sighed.

She had to bring up the king and he wanted the idea gone, the picture of his father defending Regis to his last breath gone from his mind.

"I've never warped. And I can still take down a behemoth."

She shuddered.

"I'm no giant. And I can't get any more muscles than what I have on right now," Crowe observed.

He felt as helpless as her, and her fingers on his chest didn't help.

"You don't have to fight anymore," he offered.

"How many are you with Noctis and Lunafreya?"

"There are three of us," he admitted.

"You need more."

His mind played some trick on him, making him forget she was referring to him as a group of soldiers and not only him, the man sitting right next to her. His hand on her back almost twitched as he felt like pulling her closer, but this was wrong. She was just afraid of being alone. He could have been anyone and it would have been the same.

"I should be back on my feet in a day or two."

"Tough girl," he teased her.

She fell silent a moment, turning the x in her hand. It kept her mind off the horrors she'd seen. She sensed the tension in his arms. He had a load on his chest. And her instincts told her a very similar load had been on her own chest for months, almost a year.

"Insomnia fell," she whispered.

His sharp intake of breath made her shiver. This might be a mistake. She couldn't stay up without his help, but she had had people reaching out when Galahd fell. She knew all too well how he felt.

"If you keep it in, time won't help."

"Someone has to…"

Crow snaked one arm around him, underneath the coat. Luna's hug might have made him feel awkward, but this… This right now was more than he could take. When she managed to sneak a second arm around him, he huffed into her shoulder, bringing her as close as possible, unbothered by the smell of her tangled hair, not even wondering if his hold was too strong. He could have howled in pain and holding it back was all he could think of. Her tears prickled his chest, flowing to mourn all the brothers, all the pieces of home she'd lost. And he realized missing home wasn't wrong. No matter how hard he'd push Noctis, no matter how hard he'd push himself, what was lost _was_ lost. He had to make his peace with that fact.

…

Noctis and Ignis had defeated three marks and collected about 25 000 gils. When a second dropship popped over their heads, the prince was ready to throw in the towel. He was just too worried that the soldiers might attack innocent people to let them roam free.

"You don't think they created some radar with pieces of the crystal to detect me? They never seem to attack anyone else," Noctis mused as he let Ignis get behind the wheel this time.

"Sounds unlikely. But if we could salvage one ship, we might be able to understand their system."

"Hunting the hunter, huh? I guess I'll have to get better at throwing swords if I want to reach that high."

Ignis followed the road to Lestallum, keeping his eyes forward as he suggested. "If you borrowed one of Prompto's guns, would you follow the bullet or the gun itself?"

"Never wondered about that."

They drove back in easy silence. The break from the usual five people routine had been welcomed and Ignis seemed more grounded as they got out of the car in Lestallum. When he suggested buying some ingredients, Noctis left him to it, eager of learning how things had gone with Prompto for Luna. To be honest, he really wanted to wrap his arms around her and forget a few minutes about the MTs' true faces. He found Luna and Iris deep in conservation, which was a surprise, but the two girls had bonded over the ordeal with Crowe. They hadn't needed to speak, everything had come naturally. Noctis's apparition made them both jump to their feet, the smile still on their faces.

"You won't believe what happened, Noct!" Iris started.

"My powers are still entirely working!" Luna added.

The young king shook his head.

"Why did you have to use your power? Is everyone alright?"

Luna's hands reached for his, her smile softening.

"Everything's fine, Noctis," she told him.

"I went out on a chocobo ride with Gladio and we found a Glaive! She was hurt, but…" Iris went on.

"A Glaive? She…? Crowe Altius?"

He was having trouble following them. He had already more than enough on his plate as it was, but it seemed a king could never catch a breath.

"Gladiolus told me she was on a mission to find me," Luna explained.

"He's still with her, I even think…"

"Slow down!" Noctis asked, cutting off Iris. "I'm tired, I'm hungry and this is… huge."

One very late lunch later, Noctis had a better idea of what had happened. Prompto was catching up on lost sleep and after an extensive talk, Iris decided she might just hit her bed herself.

"I'll borrow Gladio's bed. At this rate, he's never getting out of her room."

Noctis couldn't believe what he was seeing or hearing. He waited until Iris was up the stairs to hold Luna's hand.

"How's Gladio?"

"I don't really know. He seemed distressed while we looked after Crowe."

"What about you?" Noctis insisted. "You haven't rested that much yet and you go and heal someone."

"I'm just grateful to know my powers work fine. Actually, I feel less tired than I would normally. I don't know if I'm too excited to realize I'm tired yet."

"Maybe you should rest a bit."

Getting up with him, she felt the first waves of dizziness and Noctis wrapped his arms around her, instantly sensing her vulnerability.

"You can't keep this up."

"As long as the scourge is out, I must," she protested.

"Well, we need to find a way to balance this. My powers take a toll, but sleep fixes most of it. You seem to get weaker with every new person you heal."

She pushed his arms away. "I started the covenant with Ramuh, made one with Shiva, daemonized someone worse and cured the blight on two girls in a matter of days. Of course, it looks worse than it normally is. Usually, I can fix 20 people on the same day."

"I know… I'm simply worried about you Luna."

"And I worry about you," she shot back. "You keep holding me up and rushing through everything that happens, but you need a break too. You're doing good, Noct. You're doing more than good."

He tentatively wrapped one arm around her waistline, motioning for the stairs and the potential intimacy of their shared room. She followed, unsure of what he had in mind, but wanting nothing more than spending more time with him.

"How did it go with Ignis?" Luna inquired.

"Better than I had anticipated. We went hunting."

He told her of the MTs and a bit about Aria's origins. Luna wondered if this coincidence wasn't a sign of fate.

"How about you and Prompto? Got him to talk?"

"I did," she whispered, hoping he wouldn't ask too many questions about it.

Remembering the look on Prompto's face and the way his shoulders shook was enough to erase her exhilaration over successfully healing Crowe. Noctis closed the door behind them, not sure he could take much more bad news.

"What's up with him?"

Luna shook her head no. His curiosity taking the best of him, he made her raise her head so their eyes could meet. She was pale, but less so than when he'd rescued her from the imperial. She had cured more blight and although she felt wobbly on her legs, she was doing better than usual. But his best friend wasn't and he wasn't used to a grumpy Prompto.

"It was about Cindy, right?" Noctis easily deduced.

"Partly…"

"He can't be that bad a kisser."

"I wouldn't know. Haven't test it out yet," she teased him, trying to reduce the tension exuding from him.

A glint of jealousy flashed in his eyes, but he knew her too well for doubting more than seconds. Her hands were already tying around his neck, her eyes holding sincerity and nothing else.

"I hope I haven't given you any reason to still feel insecure," she apologized.

As well-intentioned as she was, she still had to work on her social skills. Being a princess meant civilians let you get away with pretty much anything.

"It's okay," he whispered, pulling her close.

He really wanted to shove his worries aside and catch up on all the kisses and caresses they could have exchanged if they hadn't been apart.

"If it's only partly about Cindy, what's wrong?"

"It's not my secret to tell," Luna responded, her voice sounding half-muffled against his chest.

Screwing his eyebrows, Noctis wondered what could be bad enough to justify such secrecy.

"He can't be gay… I mean, it's okay if he is, but…"

The idea seemed wrong. Prompto was too good at spotting pretty girls, always crushing on someone new. Unless…

"He's not in love with me, is he? Because telling Iris to move on was already hard enough and…"

Luna's shoulders started shaking and he was even more puzzled, until he realized she was laughing. And she couldn't seem to stop herself. In fact, she didn't remember ever laughing that hard. She had to hold on to him not to fall on her knees and held her ribs. She could just picture the look on his face. To think he was so far from the truth. Her face tickled him through his shirt, but he still wondered…

"So I'm wrong… But…"

She tried uttering a word, but only laughed more, until it got to him too. When they finally stopped, they were panting for air.

"You know… That was pretty sweet of you."

"But stupid," he looked into her sparkling eyes, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. "I hadn't managed to make you laugh before…"

"We laughed when we were kids."

 _But we're not kids anymore,_ he thought.

Her hands on either side of his face slipped to his chest, as though she realized what he was feeling. It was still new, still fresh and they were both wary of hurting each other, but Luna felt too right to worry. Brushing his jawline with one finger, she tried taking note of everything she could about him. His smell, the way his locks fell around his eyes, the tension in the arms around her. How much he'd grown. His eyes on her made her feel all sorts of wrong and right. She leaned in, wondering if it was okay for her to take the lead. Her prince erased the distance, his lips finding hers and wrong switched to right. She was fully awake this time, fully conscious of herself, and of him.

He held her, deepening the kiss, but not letting his hands roam. He went through his mental list of safe areas. Shoulders, neck, arms, waist, back. When she pulled him flush against her, greedily holding onto his coat, Noctis gave up on the list entirely. There was a fire under his skin and his fingers created the same spark in her. She ruffled his hair, massaged his scalp, tried to keep standing when he was pouring so many emotions in simple touches. His hands felt gentle, strong but caring. This was a touch she didn't know yet, not aiming to take or hurt. It soothed, testing boundaries, ready to retreat if she was to say a single word. Feeling him around her warmed her heart. The only word that came from her mouth was his name.

He cupped her face, parting for air a second, diving right back. This time, he kissed her neck. Gentle nibs, easing the tension, eliciting a different kind. She pulled on his coat, the fabric feeling too rough against her skin. He shrugged it off, wrapping his arms around her once more, raising her against him to have better access to her collarbone.

She held on to him, her fingers almost too cold on his nape, her legs wrapping around his waist. And despite feeling nervous about the closeness and what he could try next, Luna felt too good for fear. She wasn't as experienced as him, she wasn't sure what to do, but he shivered with every of her moans and grew even more fervent when she ran her nails over his back, letting instinct take over.

Next thing she knew, they were lying on his bed, his fingers tangled in her hair, her hands trying to push him away from a new spot on her neck, a spot far too sensitive under his tongue. Saying his name didn't help, because her voice couldn't sound normal, not when he touched her like that.

"That's too much," she pleaded.

"I'll show you too much," he smiled, his voice rough but his eyes soft through the haze.

He kissed her on the mouth again, his arms between her back and the mattress, hands under her shirt, bringing her closer, driving her further from what she knew of herself. Luna felt in overload. This was so much skin on skin, too much at once. She was melting under his touch and he was just giving more and more, not letting her take initiative. A voice in the back of her head wondered if other girls had received those caresses before. How far had he gone? Pictures of strangers touching him created a sour taste in her mouth. Why did she feel this way about people she'd never met, people that might not exist? Something was building up inside. A mix of anger, despair and need. As gentle as he felt, he seemed so sure of what to do with her. She pushed against his chest, not sure her voice would work right.

He was already balancing himself on one arm, making sure not to lay his weight on her. His hair looked like a mess and he blinked a few times, trying to focus on her eyes. She looked beautiful, her face flushed, her lips parted, and he worried he could cross every line and lose her when she was just back in his life.

"I… Is this… overdoing it?" he asked her sheepishly.

"I don't know. I feel… so inexperienced. You never mentioned any girl, but…"

Making her feel insecure was the last thing he'd wanted.

"I may have kissed a few girls," he admitted. "But I never held them like this. I've never even wanted them. I couldn't trust... I wouldn't let one in my flat, even less in my bed."

Luna was half-comforted, half-shaken.

"So what makes this different?" she insisted.

His throat felt too tight. "Well… Aside from me being scared shitless?"

Her eyes widened and most of the jealousy left her heart.

"Scared?" Luna repeated.

"I don't want to hurt you," Noctis told her. "And if I lose you for something like this…"

"No. No, I… I want this too, I'm just… I couldn't tell you were as scared as me."

He wanted to comfort her more, but Luna realized she had to face her insecurities head on. So she twisted her legs and used her hips, managing to roll him on his back, following suit so that she was the one on top, grabbing the hands that reached for her. She needed some sort of control.

"You're the first man I ever kissed, Noctis. You're making me… so overwhelmed. I need to catch up. To know how… to give you as much."

"Luna, it's not a…" His voice turned into a light moan as she ran her hands over his chest and his sides. She blushed at the sight of his face and let go of his shirt.

"What do I do?" she asked him, afraid he'd think her stupid, but Noctis was simply amazed she dared to ask him. He'd just fumble and try instead of putting his own insecurity into words.

"What do you want to do?"

Her blush grew as he sat up next to her, waiting for an answer.

"I don't know how far I can go," she confessed.

"It's okay, Luna. There's no rush."

He took both of her hands, kissing her knuckles and her fingertips, loving the tender look in her eyes. When she pulled him back to her, needing more of his kisses and his hands, she understood he wouldn't judge her. No matter who might have seen her or hurt her, no matter whose hands had reached for his before. They had never been together. Each gesture was a first, filled with assurance or not. He was learning as much as she was. He started asking her what she liked. Which touch and where… What she craved and what she feared. The questions made her shiver to her very core. But she could ask them back to him. There was no upper hand, no fight for dominance, no despair.

After more kisses and more blushes, they lied in each other's arms, still mostly clothed.

"I think you should take me on date," she whispered.

He smiled against her neck. That sounded like the best idea he'd heard in days.

"What kind of date? Dance involved?" Noctis suggested.

"It depends on the kind of dancing. But I got myself a new dress."

"Dancing it is. I could take you to Galdin Quay…"

Noctis kissed her shoulder, eliciting a delicious shiver.

"I don't want to leave the guys. And Crowe still needs to be looked after," Luna observed.

"Okay. Let me worry about that stuff. Where we go, what we eat…"

As if on cue, her stomach growled. They hadn't eaten dinner and the night was slowly falling. Her laugh was a balm to his heart. If he'd known it would feel so good just lying next to her, he'd cross the border years ago, despite everything Regis had told him.

…

Ravus looked at the desolated field in front of him. Dirt, rocks and ashes mixed with the barren earth. Leide looked worse than every part of Lucis he'd seen so far. In comparison, Tenebrae was rich and vibrant, but at the very least, people here didn't have to deal with neighboring cold. Cor's base was slowly dying under the constant fires of his troops. He could hear people barking orders in the distant. He could imagine the panic on the battlefield. The smell of blood and burned flesh was imprinted in his mind ever since he'd first fought for the empire. His magiteck soldiers worked better than usual. One kept drawing his attention. He moved faster than the rest, seemed more focused on the field. A trail of corpses marked his passage. They were all rotten, of course, all too far gone for saving, but Ravus had learned to find anomalies and study them.

Raising Regis's sword in the air, his small gift from Insomnia's fall - as repayment for the Fleuret's hard work and sacrifice according to Ardyn- he walked over the field. A manslayer and a butcher. That was what the empire wanted from him, while his sister could be the savior of mankind. He had better plans and dirtying his hands wasn't a problem. He'd killed early enough to pretend he was over it.

The base was as good as theirs. They had dropped the MTs right and all around it. Parasites eating away at the sane flesh. His left side burned but he pushed the medical metaphor aside. He hadn't the luxury of time to lick his wounds. The main gate was open and the clanking of swords was receding. Grenades were thrown and debris flew left and right, but the man hadn't time for that. He gave Lunafreya time he didn't have and hated himself for even thinking she might be right. But what was a big brother to do, if not wish for his sister's happiness? Umbra had come back after him, following his ships from the ground, reaching up to him time and again when they touched ground. The dog wanted a message to bring to his mistress.

Ravus knew his words would only hurt her and couldn't bring himself to lie. He lied to enough people as it was. As he reached the gate, the last Lucian men were dropping, while little to no MTs stood up on his side. Ravus doubted he needed them. But one man fought harder and harsher than the rest, facing the strongest magiteck mannequin. Leonis hadn't run from his fort. Maybe was it remorse for his absence when his king needed him? Or despair, since he knew his country had fallen and couldn't tolerate to see it die.

Swords clunk and clashed as dirt rose in the air. Cor spotted Ravus and the sight of his late king's sword in an enemy's hand send him to a frenzy. The MT missed and Cor rushed toward the Fleuret, aiming to take at least one enemy commander. Seeing his angry eyes felt like looking through a mirror. Ravus dodged and parried, wondering if his promise to Ardyn hadn't been hasty. Cutting off too many links would only make Luna's situation more precarious. The MT was coming up and his eyes shone dark red. There was something amiss with the thing, Ravus wanted to understand and sparring with Cor only hindered him. When the man set his mind on a goal, he achieved it, no matter how much time or flesh he had to sacrifice for it. He raised his dark sword too, standing between the machine and the man, managing to fling Leonis outside the gate and push back his metal soldier with a wide arc of his blade.

"Close the gate!" he commanded, realizing only afterwards the weird MT was still aiming for a fight, no matter the target. Moreover, no one could obey his orders. Groaning in anger, he hurried to the side, starting the mechanism himself.

Cor was evading the MTs on the outside and hoping to regroup with any survivors. They needed to raise some sort of resistance force. Ravus couldn't care less for what the Immortal did with his too resistant mannequin coming for him. He welcomed his assault, cutting off his weapon's hand, and slashing at his face with his other sword. The helmet broke and instead of falling to pieces, the thing charged even harder.

Dark, suppurating claws burned through his armor, through his cape and even the uniform. He shielded himself with the metal arm, his left side churning in protest. Yelling from the effort, Ravus kicked the soldier back, driving Regis's sword through its chest and planting it into the ground. That seemed more effective at least, giving him time to breathe and contemplate the monster. Horns were coming out from its head. A mouth filled with deformed teeth spit venom and blood. The daemon struggled, pinned to the floor, trashing about. Its armor broke, showing off extra limbs and muscles pulsing wildly, almost growing when he should have been shrinking. Ravus felt ready to retch until he noticed the spark of white among the darkness, right where a man's heart would have been.

That couldn't be right. This couldn't be what he thought…

He kicked the monster legs to get in range, took his sword out from its chest and let out the violence he'd been holding back, stabbing and breaking and smashing until the awful mass of flesh stopped moving. Ravus had carefully avoided the white spot. He knelt to get a better look and gasped in shock as he finally understood.

Clean, fresh human skin, almost pink. It was surrounded by scar tissues and darker skin, wrinkled and ashen. But that part was sane. He lost control of his breathing, lost control of his thoughts for an instant. His mechanical hand pushed on the darker skin, revealing more white, more pink. And among the green blood, he saw red.

"Luna…"

She'd almost saved the poor lad. She'd been asked to clean that thing, to…

 _If you keep this up, I won't be able to save you._

Ravus stumbled as he got back up. The mess around him reflected his state of mind. There was no difference between human and monster anymore. Luna's light had been tried to its limit and she hadn't failed, not entirely, although she might not know. He wondered what she'd think. He could already picture the tears on her face at the idea he'd killed the man she almost saved. His side twitched and his stomach protested vehemently. His prosthetic ached and he wanted to scratch his right arm but couldn't feel it, couldn't reach it anymore. The rules were changing again. He planted his sword in the ground to use it for balance.

Heard the dropships hovering above his head. The base had to get cleaned up and reinforced. He never sent all his troops at once. But he felt so shaken, he doubted seeing more MTs was a good idea. His phone buzzed, taking him by surprise.

"Fleuret," he answered.

"Finally made some progress. I need your latest report on the blade," Verstael declared, his voice crackling over the phone.

"It seems the strand is curable."

"Really? Have you tested it on multiple subjects?"

"Only one," Ravus admitted disgruntledly.

He hadn't expected such a young girl to be foolish enough to face him twice. And to think she could resist any of his attacks with her bare hands…

"An outcome means nothing if it's not repeatable."

"I know. If it wasn't a sword, the people I infect might not die instantly."

The dropships opened and the wincing of metal made him grit his teeth.

"Be more creative. Aldercapt is growing beastlier," the tone died.

Ravus wondered if burning the old fool would ease the perpetual void in his chest a bit. Iedolas's soul was so cold, he doubted he could even ignite a spark. But with oil and gas, one could do miracles.

He gazed at the monster lying in the middle of the base. He needed to stop Luna's devotion to her fate and duty. He needed to have her realize following Noctis and giving him back his crystal wouldn't solve anything.

He also needed her approval and a hundred of her gentle hugs, but those wouldn't save the world. He might not have been chosen, but he would be damned if he couldn't prove the Six wrong.

To be continued…

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Bitter ending to this chapter, but I needed some action and Ravus's story must build up a bit. I can't decide which version of Ravus I want in this fic. Which looks do you prefer for him? Kingsglaive or FFXV? Also, how was the fluff? Both fluffs actually?

A date in next chapter, before a reality check and our party decide if any changes are to be done. Be sure to review. Let me know if the gross details were too gross. Violence was among the reasons for the T rating of the fic, but I don't want to disgust anyone either. ;) By the way, I reread myself and edited parts already. I hope there's as little mistakes as possible. Be sure to point them out. See ya next week!


	20. Make or break

Hello guys. I've been at war with myself about when to submit this chapter. I want to take some advance on the chapters, but your almost instant feedback as made me addicted. XD . You've been more than awesome so far, so supportive and I don't remember ever writing a story where the feedback made me as happy, although I always welcome feedback. Today, we get over the 100 000 words count. And my baby story is at 20 chapters. I never do that in so little time usually. Damn you square for giving me such a bad case of fixing a storyline!

To those that thought that Gladio/Crowe scene in last chapter was forced, I meant it as hurt/comfort. Gladiolus is not looking for a chick yet. He's trying not to fall apart and despite having already fallen apart, Crowe can tell what he's going through and that he'd be no help to his king if he doesn't let some of it out. Their relationship won't be rushed, I intend for it to grow slow, from friendship to eventual love. We have an emotionally charged chapter once more. Can I ever stop doing them? Anyway, reaching the 300 reviews really made my day. Keep them coming, all the critics are really welcome and the suggestions too.

On a side note, the crownsguard that accompanied Iris to Lestallum has joined the last base captured in Duscae with his two colleagues. Never putting NPCs in the story again. Those little loopholes drive me crazy. XD Here's chapter 20. Including a confession, some humor and fluff.

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Unexpected

Chapter 20 – Make or break

Iris shuffled into her room to find her older brother lying on his side, fast asleep with one Crowe hidden between his arms. It seemed the Glaive was addicted to his warmth. Or maybe did she craved human contact after being alone for days in the wild. Nevertheless, her brother shouldn't still be there. Dinner was almost done downstairs and she knew how he got when he skipped a meal.

His eyes cracked open at her third step into the room. His throat was dry and one of his arm half-asleep, but he quickly asserted the situation. Crowe Altius was fast asleep, getting much needed rest while he pretended to be a teddy bear. Or a safety blanket. He wasn't sure if the result of his chocobo ride had been that good. Iris's slight smirk only got to his nerves. He struggled to move his large frame without upsetting the woman's sleep, leaving her shivering but still in a deep slumber as he got up.

"The guys are downstairs with Luna. I was thinking of helping Crowe grab a shower and maybe dinner." His sister whispered to him.

Scrapping at the back of his neck, Gladiolus wondered if she could tell just from looking at him. He hadn't cried on anyone's shoulder in a long time.

"You okay?" he asked her, keeping his voice down.

She gave him a nod, before to scrunch up her nose.

"You reek, Gladio."

He shrugged and walked out, hoping he could shower and change clothes before meeting up with his friends. He had a role in the group and he couldn't mope around like a certain prince used to do.

…

"Hey, big guy! I was starting to wonder if you were still around." Prompto joked as Gladiolus walked into the private room Noctis had requested for their group.

They were sitting around an oval table of black marble. The prince's bodyguard was wearing his grey shirt, his jacket needing a thorough cleaning. Ignis had taken over the Leville kitchen to bake a meat pie from the creatures he'd hunted with Noctis. A casserole of vegetables accompanied it, the prince eyeing one half of his plate with guarded disgust. Luna was holding his hand and they seemed to lean towards each other without even realizing it. The pair was definitely a couple.

"We need to stop picking up girls by the side of the road. We'll get a bad reputation at this rate." Gladiolus declared, taking his seat and attacking dinner with gusto.

A few laughs greeted his jab, but Luna didn't look amused. Of course, if it was up to her, they might pick up even the animals they met.

"Say, Noct, any plans for tomorrow?" Prompto asked.

"Well, I need to talk with Altius first thing in the morning. We'll wait until she's well enough to take her back to Free Crown. They need us to clear off the deepest tunnels from daemons anyway."

"And how are we supposed to take her there with a full car?" Gladio observed.

"We rent another car? There must be options. Anyway, we're not heading to Leide before I have the money to pay Cindy for the Regalia. We're halfway there. And we need all the information we can get about the chancellor."

The dinner turned into a business talk, everyone giving their advice on the situation at hand. Luna didn't talk as much, but she tempered them down if any voice rose, when she wasn't giving them insight about the empire. They were all asking for seconds by the time Noctis exchanged a serious look with his fiancée.

"I verified something Luna told me earlier and I think you ought to know, guys. The MTs we fight every time we go out. They're not… exactly manufactured."

Gladiolus was the only one to frown, Prompto growing tense next to Ignis.

"They were human before to be contaminated with a form of blight that slowly warps them into daemons." Noctis added.

"How…?"

"I saw it." Ignis cut off the king's shield. "They're not much more than bones and muscles underneath the suits, but they were human. They have codes on their wrists, to identify them from the other citizens." He took a pause, wondering why Prompto was starting to look green in the face, before to go on, his voice shaky at best. "Aria had one of those codes. It's the very reason her parents ran from the empire."

Gladiolus put his fork down, not sure he was hungry anymore.

"Are you telling me… the blight turns people into daemons? That both the MTs and the daemons we fought so far… are human people?!"

Luna closed her eyes, having no word to ease his shock. She worried Prompto might break down, hearing all this, having to hide... But to her own surprise, the young man was the next one to talk.

"What does it change if they were human? This kind of life can't be worth it."

"Prompto…" she started.

"You think anyone would willingly accept getting infected with a virus that makes them inhuman? How old was your Aria when they marked her with that code? And what do you think happens to children without parents to snatch them away from there?"

Now, all the guys were looking at him, trying to understand what he was getting at. His eyes were angry, his fists clenched.

"Man, relax…" Noctis tried, raising his hands.

"I can't, okay, I… I need to get it off my chest."

"What are you talking about?"

The gunman got up too fast, kicking off his chair and Gladio shifted in his seat, wondering if he wasn't losing it.

"I should… could have been one of them." Prompto snapped. "I wasn't born for any other reason, but my mom ran and I'm here, wondering if I couldn't be more useful if I told you."

Ignis understood and lowered his shoulders, unable to believe he hadn't perceived such a thing.

"Prompto…"

He took off the wristband, showing them the mark that Ignis, Noctis and Luna knew was associated with Nifelheim's army. It explained so many things.

"So you're a Nif?!"

"Gladio, don't!" Noctis chided him. "It doesn't change anything. You were in every of my classes since elementary school."

Except for the few years Noctis was self-tutored after his accident, but it didn't matter.

"Sit down, Prompto." Ignis added. "If there's anything you need to tell us, we're listening."

"But… Shouldn't you be mad at me?"

"Why? You said it yourself. You didn't choose this." Luna reminded him.

"And I know how Aria loathed that mark." Ignis remarked.

Gulping down, the gunman raised his chair on its feet and sat back down. He looked strangely calm after his outburst.

"Seriously?"

"It explains a lot. Like how Cindy could…"

"Gladio, give him a chance!" Lunafreya interrupted the tall man.

"I think we're all surprised. But I can understand why you'd keep it a secret." Noctis sighed.

"I'm really sorry." Prompto said, looking close to tears.

That clearly made Gladiolus uncomfortable, but it wasn't for the reason the others would have thought. No matter how much fun he made of their blond friend, he cared for him too. Although he had trouble swallowing such news.

"How old were you when your mother ran from Nifelheim to Insomnia?" Ignis asked.

"About four. My adoptive parents took over and convinced me to keep this hidden." He uncovered the code he had hidden with his other hand by reflex. "Her cash was just enough to put up with the problems I meant…"

"So did your mom really died from the blight like you said or…?" Gladiolus felt bad for asking, but if the boy was coming clean, he needed to know he'd told them some truths.

"Yeah, she did. I mean, she was infected. I never saw her again after entering Insomnia."

Prompto wiped his eyes quickly and Luna felt Noctis's hand shaking around hers. They had all lost their parents one way or another and this revelation was opening old wounds instead of creating a new one.

"So I'm really still…?"

"Prompto, Iggy was dating an imperial girl and Noct is engaged to one, technically speaking. As long as you're on our side, I couldn't care less where you're from." Gladiolus told him.

The breath he let out was close to a shudder, but he forced a smile.

"Well, I'm on your side. Not of the table, I'm on Ignis's side at the moment, but… dammit, you know what I mean, you managed to get me all flustered."

By the time he was done with his sentence, there was nothing forced about his smile. They didn't laugh, but both Ignis and Noctis clapped him on the shoulder -the first one in a stuffier manner- Gladio cracking a smile of his own.

Lunafreya felt overjoyed to know the young man was finally freed from this burden. Telling it to Iris and Crowe eventually might be something else entirely, since the friendship was at a different stage, but at least, Prompto would have the guys to back him up on this.

…

As everyone started retiring for the night, Noctis took Luna to the side, wondering if she'd mind him spending the night with the guys. With Prompto's confession, he was worried that their friendship was slightly shaken. He was walking on eggs, not wanting her to feel left out, but it was Lunafreya and she understood all too well.

"It's fine. I've had you all to myself quite a lot already. I won't disappear overnight." She swore to him.

He kissed her without thinking, something brief but sweet, insisting on accompanying her to their room's door. It was harder than he'd think to part with her, even if they were only holding hands and while he knew they would sleep together the very next night. It was the apparition of Umbra, who barked happily at the sight of both his masters that managed to pull them away from each other.

"Where have you been?" Noctis mused.

"Oh, do you have a letter? I think he followed Ravus."

The prince darkened at the name and Luna sighed as she remembered how he'd call her brother a bastard. There was no love lost between these two and she might need to work herself rags to get them to cooperate or even try and understand each other.

"Go be with the guys." She encouraged him.

Having time on her own to read her brother's words would do her some good. Noctis relented, giving her one last kiss before scratching Umbra behind the ears and asking him to look after her for him. The dark dog let out a small huff, not needing to be asked. He followed Luna in her room, his scarf in her hand, tail waving. Noctis joined up with his friends, getting teased a bit, before that they settled, Prompto and him both on the floor while Ignis and Gladio each had their own bed. They talked for the best part of the night, of pretty much anything and everything.

On Iris's side, Crowe had agreed to a long bath and had invited the young girl to tell her what she knew of Insomnia's fall. No matter how shaken up and emotionally spent she already was, she needed to know the truth. And Iris hadn't had the chance to truly talk about what she'd seen. She had sugar-coated the details as much as possible when telling her experience to the guys, because it was their city and their home she was talking about. But Crowe had a different view of Insomnia. She had lost her real home before and seemed to understand Iris's need to talk over it. It wasn't exactly a comfortable talk, but by the end of it, the Glaive knew this girl was as tough as her. And she was glad to have a few more pieces of the puzzle. Losing her powers had left her in doubts and confusion. She couldn't wait to speak with Luna, but after swallowing a light lunch -eating too much after her meager diet would only get her hurt or upset her stomach- she fell right back to sleep. Iris followed suit.

…

 _Dear sister,_

 _I'm no good with words, but Umbra was growing quite insistent and I didn't want him to get hurt, so here…_

 _First, this can't become a habit. If anyone manages to follow your dog and find you… We've lost enough family members and I'm not siring daughters for the empire to mess with like they did with you._

Luna looked up from the paper, tears welling up in her eyes. Ravus had always been direct, but never about such things. She knew he loved her. He'd never said it since their mother died, but she knew it was still there, behind every of his actions. Umbra whined next to her and cuddled up closer, his head in her lap. She buried her fingers in his fluffy fur, wishing he could take her to Ravus right now. To just hold up her brother and remind him she was strong enough to face all of this.

 _Those are the wrong words to write you, but I can't think of anything else. You've always been frank with me. You've always been too strong-willed, and I'm afraid everything I fight for could lose meaning if…_

The words were scratched off, the sheet of paper almost pierced at the spot and the following brought a smile to her face.

 _Alright, starting over, I'm wasting your time and this paper._

 _I can't remember the words you wrote. I had to burn the letter. Make sure they don't know. I'm sick of looking over my shoulder all the time. It's hard to sleep at night. And I'm rambling in a letter… Luna, I think I need to clear things up with you. I don't want Noctis dead. Maybe partly maimed, I would definitely feel better after wiping the smug look from his face… But I won't touch a hair on his head if he can make you both safe and happy. His quest can't be safe for you. And I want you safe, sister. It might not look like it… You healed the blighted girl, so you're bound to know I'm hurting a lot of people. And I'm so far from being done, Luna. Hate me if you have to… In fact, hate me even if you don't want to. It's easier to stay the bad guy this way. And I won't be selfish and pretend this is all for your sake._

 _There are other ways than what mother taught you. You can walk other paths and be yourself, not the Oracle or the princess of our dying line. Your Noctis Lucis Caelum is nothing more than a pawn. Not a savior and certainly not a god. I'm a pawn too, of course. But this pawn is making his own decisions. There's so much you need to know yet. So many things I should have said before…_ _The next time we meet, I hope we can talk. I don't need your healing, but I could use to hear your voice for a bit._

 _Don't write back. You'll hear from me soon enough._

 _Save your strength and stay safe Luna._

 _Ravus_

She went over the letter a second time, her throat stuck, wondering what Ravus could have learned, what he was trying to achieve. She wanted to write right back, but sending Umbra again could endanger her brother. He'd lost one arm already. She had the feeling he had lost so much more than her to the hands of the empire.

"How could I ever hate you, brother?" she asked herself, trying not to picture who else he'd hurt except from Noctis and Iris.

His second to last word made her wary. Hearing from him soon enough? What had he done this time? How many people had he hurt? And how hard would it be to piece him back together if she could ever get him to stop his mad scheme?

…

The next morning, Crowe walked out of Iris's room, dressed in clothes borrowed from Luna's latest shopping. She looked clean, stood tall and almost seemed normal, if not a little on edge when there was more than two persons in the same room as her. She wanted to talk with the Oracle before anything else, but Noctis insisted on joining their discussion. Seeing the prince alive when she knew how many people had died in his father's name really hurt. The bitterness in her heart asked her to demand where he'd been while Nyx was fighting, where Libertus was if he was really still alive, but she held it back. Glaives had stabbed her in the back, literally and she wasn't the only one betrayed. She needed clarity and was hoping the young prince could give her some.

"It's good to see you alive." Noctis started, looking a bit awkward.

"I didn't think I'd make it." She admitted. "But I've heard that you're standing against the empire. Fighting back instead of taking a beating."

The tension rose in the room, Noctis leaning to the side, trying hard not to grit his teeth at the jab. He'd heard discontent from the Glaives before. Some people had wondered why the king had apparently given up on the people outside of Insomnia. Flushing one hand against the table, he kept a straight face, knowing he had to be patient. The woman had been delirious less than a day ago. Luna was sitting next to him and bit her lips, having to make an effort not to reach for him. She didn't want Crowe to think they were a front against her.

"We are fighting and trying to regroup. Libertus has gathered all the survivors he could find from Insomnia in a camp. They were about 500 the last time I contacted him."

"We need to secure the place." Luna jumped in. "They're thinking of developing a full town in the old mines."

The brunette looked between shock and amazement.

"Libertus is doing all that work?"

"He saved me back in Insomnia." Lunafreya observed.

"What were you even doing in Insomnia? I was supposed to get you out of Tenebrae…"

"The empire needed a distraction to lessen the guard around the king, they wanted Regis dead so they could take his ring and the crystal." Noctis stated, not even glimpsing in Luna's direction. "And it seems about half the Glaives were convinced joining the empire was the best course of action for them."

Crowe's shoulders lowered. It explained a lot, but she couldn't believe anyone would side with the very people that had destroyed their homes and families. But more than that, seeing the prince looking as hard after being taught magic by him. He never referred to his father, only the king or Regis. He had to hurt a lot beneath all that and it made her feel bad for resenting an old man, carrying far too much on his shoulders.

"You've changed a lot since the last time I saw you, your Highness."

"There's no need for that Crowe. You worked for Regis and he failed you. You don't owe anything to me or Luna."

They had agreed on it before meeting her.

"Wait, now that I have no powers, I'm not good enough for your little resistance?! I wasn't only a mage…"

"Crowe, you were heavily wounded. You might be up and feeling better, but you need to give yourself time to heal in both body and mind." Luna reminded her. "And if you want to fight too, you're welcome. But what Noctis means to say is that you have a choice. We're not enrolling people."

"Well, maybe you should. What's your big plan? To take over the empire with all the magic you two can throw at them?!"

Noctis crossed his arms on his chest, trying to hold back the anger he was starting to feel. But his next words came out harsh.

"There's no big plan. _My_ city has fallen two weeks ago. I have one general alive and not more than fifty crownsguards under his orders. We have hunters gathering Intel while evading the Nifs' dropships. We have civilians trying to fix their lives in mines, sharing space with daemons. There are kids and widows out there and maybe even a few people from Galahd, trying to make do in the no man's land my country has been turned into. And I can't give you magic to defend yourself without the crystal. I can only gather more weapons and try to be a one-man army."

Luna put one hand on his, shocked that he'd kept all this to himself. But it was the first time he voiced their current situation. Things sure looked bleak, but she couldn't leave him in such a state of mind.

"We have the covenants. And you took out two bases with the guys in a matter of hours."

"Because your brother helped." He shot right back.

Crowe cleared her throat, not ready to face a couple's quarrel, or the following makeup session.

"I'm not saying this is an easy situation for either of us, but I need to know I can still do something. Those imperial bastards took my home and convinced good men to turn on their own brothers. You clearly need as many people as you can. And as you know, I'm a survivor."

Noctis had to give her as much. Taking a deep breath, he tried to regain his composure. Showing his own despair wasn't exactly the way to inspire confidence.

"I can give you magic flasks to help with the fighting. Ignis must have spare daggers too. We are going to Free Crown to meet up with Libertus and assert the daemons situation. If you're up for it, we could leave tomorrow. Once we know everything's in order, we'll start focusing on taking back Lucis and gathering more man or firepower."

"I can work with that. Also…" She raised one brow as she went on: "What's up with that name… Free Crown? A crown isn't…"

Luna wasn't sure what she was getting at, but Noctis had already thought of the contradiction.

"It's only a name the people came up with. I guess technically speaking, a crown is free as a bird, it's the head wearing it which is a prisoner."

"Are you still trying to teach me stuff?" Crowe mused.

"Not really. Philosophy was never my thing. Anything else we need to discuss?"

He seemed restless and Luna wanted to make sure everything was fine with him. The brief outburst had taken her by surprise. He had seemed so grounded since finding her next to that base. But seeing everyone around him hurting had made him shut his own insecurities down. They had no clear idea on how to defeat the empire and it bugged him, rightfully so. The task was too heavy for a single person, let alone two.

"Well, I'm gonna need to be brought up to speed about a thing or two… Lady Lunafreya…"

"Call me Luna, Crowe."

"Luna, then. You might not want to answer me, because I'm already pretty sure of what you'll say. But there was one Glaive that wouldn't betray the king. His name's Nyx Ulfric."

After looking either vindictive or pumped up, Crowe seemed to let her energy recede, showing a brief sign of vulnerability. Luna shivered at the memories of what had happened in the crown city.

"Nyx saved my life." She started, feeling Noctis's hand on her back. "He died a hero, taking out a daemon and Drautos."

"Our very commander was with them?" Crowe asked, her voice white.

To say she hadn't seen it coming was the understatement of the year. Her brown eyes turned dark and Noctis wondered how much loss and betrayal a human could take before to simply lose it.

"I'm sorry." Luna whispered.

To both the royals' surprise, the Glaive let out a strangled laugh.

"Don't be. Saving a princess is exactly the kind of stunt that stupid man would have given his life for."

After failing to save his family, he had certainly thought that saving a goddess-like healer was the next best thing.

"Crowe, you don't have to be okay about any of this." Noctis started.

She nodded, rising up from her chair, swallowing back the sobs that were threatening to come out.

"I'm not okay. But if Nyx got to be a hero, I'll be damned if all I'm remembered for is crying over him. Plus, I got to make sure Libertus is not giving our people a bad reputation. Give me some weapons and a target. Give me a purpose and I'll work this out." She added, wiping off a traitorous tear angrily.

"There's no hurry, Crowe. But if you really need to let off steam and get right back on the saddle, you may join the guys. They're preparing some trek to go hunting for a few beasts."

"I don't think…" Luna started objecting.

"Sounds perfect to me." The Glaive declared.

Luna glared at Noctis for the rest of the morning, but he wouldn't hold Crowe Altius down if she wanted to go out and kick monsters dead. She had been defenseless and helpless for days and he could tell she needed to be back on her feet. If she held her own outside, it meant they could move out sooner and get closer to a solution for Lucis and the empire.

…

"A set of daggers?"

Ignis was taken aback when the Glaive accosted him, demanding to be fitted with weapons. She was clearly frantic and taking her out on a hunting trip was the last thing he'd suggested… But Noctis had agreed with it, giving her five different flasks of magic, each containing enough spells to last her over a month of constant travelling.

"I'm coming too," Iris decided. "I need the exercise and someone should be looking after you."

"What's your fighting style?" the older woman asked.

The young girl raised her fist and Crowe blinked.

"She takes on monsters with her bare hands?"

The question seemed aimed to Gladiolus, but the man rolled his eyes.

"I told Iris a hundred times to decide on a weapon." He defended himself.

"And I asked her a hundred times how she can have this many potions." Prompto cut in, an easy smile on his face. "Never got an answer either."

"If you have to know, I've been saving all the pocket money my dad gave me. I was aiming to buy something that would drive Gladdy mad, like a motorbike, once I had my license. With what happened, I decided to use the money on something useful."

The whole gang was standing in front of the Leville, gathering some attention as they argued and prepared for moving out. Noctis wanted the guys to leave to get started on his other project of the day -taking his girlfriend on a real date-, while Luna was trying to convince Crowe to take another day off. The prince's retinue was clearly growing and Jared had to shoo some curious kids off while Iris started presenting the other guys to Crowe.

"Ignis Scientia. He cooks just as well as I do, but don't tell him I said so."

"I heard you, so the secret's out." The advisor observed, the hint of a smile on his face.

"You were always hanging not far from the prince." The Glaive observed. "So you do tactics, you fight and you even cook?"

"He drives us everywhere too." Prompto added, wrapping one arm around Ignis shoulders only to be shrugged off to prevent any wrinkles on the man's jacket.

"That's Prompto Argentum. Expert gunman, chocobo lover and apparently, from the empire." Iris went on.

"Hey, easy on that last part." He cautioned her.

He felt a lot freer since telling the truth to his friends, but it didn't mean he was comfortable to being literally presented like that. Crowe shrugged.

"As long as you don't try killing me, we'll be fine."

Her seriousness made him gulp nervously.

"Okay."

"And you were already introduced to my oaf of a brother, Gladiolus Amicitia, the prince's shield and giant among men. He's a big softie beneath all th…"

"What kind of introduction is that?!" Gladio protested, grabbing Iris to the side.

Crowe let out a laugh.

"Wait, wait a bit, it's my turn. Crowe Altius, former Glaive, known as the Black Mage for the last few months. Really glad there's no uniform to this group. I hope that I can help you well as we'll work together."

She was clearly pushing herself to stand tall after everything she'd been through, but they were all in similar states. They felt up for anything if it meant getting something done and feeling more in control of their lives. Noctis cleared his throat, Luna understanding this whole hunting trip might in fact be good for them.

"Now, we need 10 000 more gils or so. No dying out there. If you need help, you give me a call."

"We'll be fine, Noct. Enjoy some time off. You owe a break after all we've been through." Prompto told him.

"But don't go ruining the car," Ignis added.

"And if I find any trace of suspicious activity on the backseat…" Gladiolus went on.

"Hey, fake some respect for your king at the very least!"

Luna covered her face with her hands and Iris blushed as she realized what her brother might be implying. Crowe just wanted to laugh at how natural it seemed. Their complicity lifted her heart, despite reminding her of Nyx and Libertus. And all the others. Throat a little bit tighter, she followed the guys and Iris, waving a last goodbye to the pair of royals. The younger girl had explained to her most of what had happened lately. Luna's kidnapping and the rescue and all the crazy stunts Noctis pulled as he went into a frenzy to retrieve her. They were nothing but kids and owed some time off. As they walked through run down and busy streets, Ignis confirmed one last time that she really felt up for a hunt. The guys were carrying large bags of equipment, Prompto looking ready to topple over with how larger than him the extra package was.

"Why did Noctis insist on taking the car?" he complained after getting his backpack stuck in some pipes.

"We're taking chocobos." Gladio started. "And he never got to take his own fiancée to a date. We owe him as much."

Iris seemed to tense a bit, but Crowe wasn't ready to pick up on it. She was focusing on staying calm despite all the people around them. The prince's retinue felt welcoming enough, but she wouldn't allow herself to trust anyone else. Those who should have been family had attacked her and tried to kill her. It was enough to develop trust issues and be wary of strangers.

"We'll do some serious shopping when we get back." Iris told her as she spotted the way she was eyeing the streets and mistook her careful glance for a longing look to some boutiques. "Get you fitted in clothes you'd choose."

She was wearing a pair of leather pants that Luna had bought only to get Prompto to shut up about her looking too proper all the time. Her alter top made her feel free of her movement, but the fabric wouldn't protect in the middle of a combat.

"Now that you say it, I'm wondering if a uniform wouldn't be a good thing. None of you have protective garb."

"Yeah… If we keep recruiting new people, we'll need to think of some policy. Or maybe a name." Prompto mused.

They called five chocobos, quickly strapping their bags on their saddles, Ignis helping Iris get on her bird while Gladio gave a little boost to Crowe. No one shared birds and Ciel hadn't shown up, as though she refused to carry anyone other than the royals. The mood was half-joking around, half tensed. Prompto knew for a fact Iris hadn't welcomed the news of his origins as well as the guys. He wasn't sure if Crowe was exactly okay with it either. It was a good thing they weren't aiming to fight too nasty beasts.

"What kind of name? Something like the Glaives?" Iris asked, throwing a glance at Crowe to check her reaction.

The woman shrugged. Glaive had been an interesting title. She simply wished it didn't rhyme with treason in her head.

"Noctis is more of a sword fighter, but I don't think he'd like the idea that much. The Blades… It sounds cliché." Ignis observed.

"How about we all come up with one name? There's already that Free Crown. We might find something good." The Glaive retorted.

Their ride was easy. They could hide quickly if any of them detected an empire ship, evading the drops most of the time, fighting the MTs off if they did descend. Everyone kept an eye on Crowe and she tried getting used to it. She was freshly healed after all. But her skin was holding together and she packed quite a punch. It took a few hours for everyone to adapt to her addition to the team.

Iris was backing everyone up, healing every scratch that looked too serious to her taste. Prompto was even deadlier than before and Ignis seemed to have given up on his graceful moves to make sure he could kill animals and MTs even faster. Gladio was his usual tank-self, bashing through enemy lines, taking the brunt of the hits when he worried for the others. Despite herself, Crowe analyzed each of their fighting style. She had worked with enough fighters to know what helped and what hindered. Where Gladio was pure strength, she was nimble and lightning quick, able to complement his style without changing her own too much. She could keep up with Ignis, using her daggers with as much precision, even joining a few of his attacks when their angle was just right. And surprisingly enough, she realized that Prompto, despite hanging back and focusing on the long-range, had every of their backs. He could analyze and sometimes even predicts enemy patterns. It wasn't based on the same rules as Scientia's thinking, in fact it was more his gut feeling. But his bullets never missed and friendly fire seemed impossible. Gladiolus noticed too and wondered if telling them the truth about himself hadn't taken off such a load from his mind, the young man could finally focus entirely when he fought. All in all, he was glad he was on their side.

…

Luna hadn't expected Noctis to tell her to get changed into her dress the very moment their friends were around the corner. But it seemed that their date included both lunch and dinner and she had no idea why they needed the car, since they were already in the only real town of Lucis, but she had accepted to let him organize things. All she asked was for him to change into less casual clothes so they could fit. Noctis waited for her, understanding she'd take more time getting ready. He was wearing his only white shirt underneath a clean and well-fitted jacket. It felt like a uniform, the belt at his waist too new, the buttons almost shining with every glint of light they caught. His pants were in a thick fabric, not exactly comfortable, but he had faced worse in etiquette lessons and fancy dinners. He hadn't spent so much time on his hair since his graduation ceremony, making sure no lock stood over his eyes, styling it back with gel like he'd planned to arrange it on the wedding. His father had always complained he looked messy on purpose and from the look one of the maids gave him, he didn't look messy at all.

Talcott was chatting him up as he waited for Luna to walk down the stairs. The boy was really excited at the idea he could eventually join Noctis's small army and make a difference too. The prince tried to calm him a bit but hadn't the heart to dampen his enthusiasm with the cold and harsh reality. He had once been as young and eager, hoping to get as strong as his father so he could help. The kid had lost his parents and had no one except for his grandfather to look after him. The fact he could still dream meant a lot already.

"Oh, is that Lady Luna?" the boy asked.

The woman that slowly came down the stairs looked divine. All she lacked was a breeze flowing up her gauzy sleeve. The royal blue of her dress brought out her eyes and reminded him of the flower fields when they were kids. She had tied only the upper part of her hair, wearing a tad of makeup and her moon pendant. Getting up from his seat, Noctis felt entranced. Her pale skin, lean neck, the blush on her cheeks, the few locks falling around her eyes. She wasn't the Oracle right now, but had just as much presence. She didn't need magic in her veins to look out of this world. She simply was, with every fiber of her being.

Walking up to her, he worried about gaping in awe like a schoolboy. But he gave her a wide and boyish smile that was enough to make her feel giddy inside. Her hand reached for his and he took her arm, bringing her closer to him.

"You look stunning," were the first words out of his mouth.

"Thank you. I hope it's not too much, I… didn't want to buy too many clothes that'd be impractical for the road."

"It's perfect."

She followed him out, not surprised to see heads turning as they took the maze of streets to the main parking lot. Noctis liked the feeling of her arm tucked under his. If the streets appeared too crowded, she would move closer to him, almost imperceptibly. But to know she felt safer next to him made his heart swell. He held the door of the car for her, making her both laugh and blush. He seriously looked like a prince, from the looks to the way he remained attentive to her every need.

"You look positively dashing," she whispered to his ear as he sat in the driver seat under the curious gaze of passersby.

He started the engine, not sure if he should brag or play it cool. He had never experienced this, to be in charge of someone's happiness, to know he was loved by the one he loved and for once, to truly want to act his part in being a prince. Her prince.

"Where are we going?"

"We're having a picnic." He answered her, sounding playful.

"Outside?" Luna deduced as he sped up.

"We went earlier and cleared a spot with the guys. And we'll be careful. I just want to pretend as though our lives were normal for a few hours."

She leaned back in her seat, feeling the wind on her face and her hair as they rolled on Lestallum's bridge. The bad memories were gone.

"Our lives are normal, there's no need to pretend. I'm a young woman in love with a prince. Letting him take me on an adventure!"

Her laugh was music to his ears.

"If your sense of adventure calls for cockatrice sandwiches, I guess we're on to a good start."

They talked about anything that crossed their mind during the ride, Luna being careful of not mentioning his father. She wanted to make sure his earlier outburst didn't hide more, but she knew better than to distract a driver. They made it to a small lake, surrounded by greenery and trees. Putting out a sheet on the ground and sitting in the wild, far from a campsite, about 200 feet from the car… It was surreal! But the guys had made a good sweep of the area and lunch went by without a hitch.

"You know, I don't remember ever enjoying something like that, not even when I was a small girl."

"I wish I could have shown you the gardens around the citadel. They went for miles."

Nature had always soothed him and he knew she liked it even more than he did. His eyes got lost in the distance for an instant and she shuffled closer to him, reaching for his arm.

"You miss it, don't you?"

"Hey, I didn't say that to ruin the mood. I'll make gardens for you in our castle, once this is all over."

The idea felt so sweet and all the intentions underlying his words made her heart soar. But she couldn't let it off her mind so easily.

"Oh Noctis… You surprised me this morning, you know? I thought we didn't keep secrets anymore and…"

His face darkened a bit.

"I can't lose hope or bring down all the people looking after me. I need to find a way to make sure we have the upper hand or that we stand a chance. For centuries, all the empire did was take more land and conquer while we ran. I can't make a wall. I can't even summon temporary walls to shield myself or the people fighting by my side."

"It's a process. I feel helpless too sometimes, but we're together in this. I'm pretty sure I can learn to be a better fighter. And you're already doing everything you can to protect your people. Taking responsibility, getting informed, taking charge and fighting back when you should mourn your losses. Your father would be so proud."

His breath hitched and he swallowed down the knot in his throat. Would a proud father send his son running in front of danger? Did Regis even realize he had grown into a man and wasn't a boy anymore?

"Let's not talk about my father."

"But Noctis…"

She wanted to help, but he doubted it could. Taking a good look at their surroundings to make sure everything was quiet, he lied down on his back, staring up at the sky. She lied next to him, her head settling in the crook of his shoulder as he held her. They remained silent until he felt ready to speak up.

"He didn't know me. He had no idea we even kept a correspondence."

"Why?" she pushed him.

"He was always busy with protecting Lucis. When I got sick of his dark citadel and moved into my flat, we barely ever saw each other. He couldn't bring himself to use his phone and all that ever happened to him… I heard on the news instead of getting it from him."

He let out a deep sigh and Luna closed her eyes, understanding Noctis hadn't recently lost his father. He might be entirely gone now, but there had always been a wall between them, like a filter warping their words and intention.

"Why didn't you tell him of the book we kept?"

"There was never an occasion. And I didn't tell many of my friends. Ignis knew more, I had asked him to read me your letters when I got really sick."

Luna remembered that period. After recovering enough to finally walk again, Noctis had overexert himself with warp-training, going through an awful cold that kept him in bed for weeks. Ignis had slid a few messages between the pages to keep her updated. It had been the only digression to their little secret.

"You could have told your father." She pointed out.

"I guess I didn't want to."

"Why's that?" she asked, raising herself on one elbow. Noctis turned his head to look into her eyes, a sad smile on his lips.

"It was about the only thing I could call mine. And it was kinda worth it, if only to see the look on his face when I told him I was okay with the wedding."

Her smile grew a bit, while her eyes shone with a mischievous glint.

"Only _okay_ with it?"

"I was nervous, of course, but I wanted it to happen." He added, knowing she needed to hear it.

"I wanted it too."

Noctis wondered if he could ever get tired of hearing those words.

"Why? If we forget the treaty and the people. Why did you want it?"

Luna blinked, taken aback. His eyes were intent and despite everything they had confessed yet, she felt embarrassed.

"Seriously?"

"Of course. You sounded ecstatic in your last letter, but…"

Sighing, she scooted a little further from him, needing space to think it through.

"First, you are like my best friend. And from all the letters we exchanged, I knew you were the only man that would really understand me. And then, there's the fact that I love you."

There was no blush for once. Noctis knew exactly where he wanted to have this conversation. He simply hoped his nerves would hold up to the end.

"What about you? Except from being nervous and the treaty…" she asked him right back.

"You were my first real friend. I knew you cared for me, not only as a future king or some rich guy. And I think I've loved you since the very first day we met."

He hadn't expected himself to say all that with a straight face and a steady voice. But it worked and the smile that reached her eyes was more than worth opening himself up to her.

"Luna… If I were to ask for it. For you to be my wife…"

She had the decency to blush, but not to look away as he was fumbling for the right words.

"Well, if you don't ask, I can't really tell."

 _Damn her! She manages to look so cute when I must sound like an idiot._

Noctis shuffled to his knees, trying to swallow back his anxiety. He wasn't sure why it sounded so hard. She had agreed before when a lot more was at stake. She sat on her heels, trying to make this less hard on him. Gazing right into her eyes, he wanted to laugh at himself. She was so strong. He owed her at least a few words. He took her hands in his, their knees brushing.

"Dear Luna. Would you be my wife? My queen? Considering I'm broke, homeless and… not much of a king yet."

He didn't phrase it that way to sound pitiful. He wanted to be honest with her and know she'd say yes only for the man under the title, not the sake of peace or…

Her hands cupped his face, her touch gentle, her eyes brimming with tears, and he held her back, his thumb just below her eyes, ready to swipe her tear off.

"Say it again. The first part." She asked him.

"Would you marry me, Luna?"

Her head seemed to shake up and down as she nodded frantically. Her voice was gone and she looked so relieved. She had wanted this, even though she didn't complain over it. She kissed the smile off his face, forgetting where they were, the potential danger, everything. He wanted to get lost in her arms, but gently pried her off of him. If he was doing this, he had to do it right.

"You know, I have a ring for you."

"You do? You had planned this?!" she asked, her eyebrows rising.

"I was leaving home to get married. I thought I should show some engagement."

The ring he slid on her finger fitted right, but it was pure luck. She recognized it from old pictures she'd seen, and her heart fluttered in her chest.

"Noctis… This was your mother's…"

She saw the hurt in his eyes. He had close to nothing from Aulea.

"Yeah. I should have bought one for you instead, but you were to become Lucis' queen anyway. It felt right."

"It's perfect, Noct. But I don't have…"

"You already gave me a ring."

What should have sounded bitter was merely resigned. And before she could utter an apology, he stole her lips and her breath. Luna simply held him, finding it hard not to smile. When he laid her down to kiss her harder, she melted into his embrace, not caring for what her dress or her hair might look like afterwards. She felt so alive. She wanted his hands everywhere, not even minding if they felt rough. And her fingers wove through his hair, her tongue dancing with his. King and queen. Still a prince and his princess… Feeling like teenagers as they tried to let the other know how much love they felt.

The sky seemed to roar its approval above their heads.

To be continued…

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Is it nasty if I add that a roaring sky is not a good sign at all? I'm sorry, they'll be fine, I swear, for the next chapter at least, they will be fine. I was looking for where to cut off their date, because this is like the longest chapter yet. A full 19 pages. The proposal just flew right there. And I think the whole introduction part was about my favorite moment of the chapter, if we forget all the fluff. More Noct/Luna fluff coming, the bros (and Iris and Crowe)'s expedition plus a reality check for real this time. I seem to keep predicting stuff that I can't squeeze in the chapter, but at least, we always get there. And yes, my answer to the lack of space in the Regalia is to ride chocobos. Save the planet, ride birds. XD

Also, the question Gladiolus asked about Prompto's mom dying from the blight is more because it was the first point he could relate to with the boy. He can accept the other lies if that one part was for real. The blight seems to be my answer to everything. Like Mako is usually my last argument for ooceness in FFVII fic. owo' I realized it has killed like everyone's mother, except for Ignis and Luna. And Aria/Aranea's parents. And surely Ardyn's, but who cares about him?

I'd like to spread the word, since I got the site to add a few characters' tags to the section. Aranea, Ardyn and Ravus exist as tags and Cindy is not misspelled anymore. Iris too has been added! :D It was my first time doing this kind of inquiry, but I'm really happy it worked. The process is easier than you'd think.

Like always, reviews are welcome :D Let me know if you liked Prompto's confession to the guys! Or Ravus's letter. 8w8


	21. Testing our limits

It is Sunday, the chapter is about 7000 words long and I'm publishing it on schedule. :D The next one won't be in advance, but should appear on next Sunday or Monday, (not tomorrow, but the 30th of January to be precise.) I'm definitely going to need that schedule, since one school/work project I'm working on has just been squeezed in an impossible deadline. We have one month to run a research with a methodology that took me one year and a half to perfect and run smoothly. So I'm a bit under pressure. Add to that a deadline for scientific presentation in a congress for this Friday, the class I give weekly and the fact my thesis needs to be analyzed in the two following weeks for a presentation to my comity (nothing final, but still stressful) and all the things I can't think of but will need doing in the following week. Well, I've got my workload set out and write whenever the stress gets too much, if I have some energy left after all.

Talking of the story now, I made a playlist on 8tracks over the 13 songs I listen to while I write it. I listen to many more songs, but those fitted better together. You can find the link on my tumblr, which I started using more lately – if you ever want to know why I'm not following my schedule, it will be on there-, address can be found in my writer profile. This chapter includes action, fluff and borderline smut, plus the famous reality check I warned you about before. Have fun reading!

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Unexpected

Chapter 21 – Testing our limits

 _The sky seemed to roar its approval above their heads._

His kisses felt intoxicating and Luna wasn't sure if she should worry or not about the noise. She did instinctively, even though he felt safe. When he snapped away from her, his arms wrapping tighter around her frame, she sensed his magic. His swords appeared around them as he looked up to the source of the sound.

She tried to look around, but couldn't angle her head right, not when he was half-lying on her.

"It's okay. Some daggerquills…"

He seemed ready to rush back to her lips, but she halted him, staring at him intently.

"Your eyes…" she marveled.

"Something wrong?"

"They changed for a second. Call the swords off and back."

He seemed ready to protest, but she wasn't afraid or disgusted, merely curious. So he did what she asked, her hands on either side of his face during the process.

"They flick to red. Mine turn gold, but…"

Noctis had never liked that fact. Red reminded him of blood, MTs' eyes and daemons. Sometimes, he'd heard people commenting on Regis's powers. The freak show king.

"There's nothing wrong with it, Noct. We're just a bit different."

And she didn't compare him to her. She was referring to other people as different. They were the same. This time, when he kissed her, he didn't hold anything back. He could have crossed the line right here and now… But the sun was moving in the sky and while his swords vanished into thin air, the young man unable to focus on both her and the magic, he heard a roaring that had nothing to do with daggerquills. An engine in the air. They scattered to their feet, gathering their picnic and rushing to the trees, hoping they hadn't been spotted. The ship went by, leaving the couple with the realization their moment of peace was gone. Luna eyed him, panting a bit and Noctis hated himself for not just kissing her one last time, instead pulling her out from the cover of the trees and towards their car. Safety before pleasure. Wouldn't Gladio be proud?

"This has still gone better than I'd anticipated so far. And we're not done yet." He warned her.

She smiled at the mischievous look on his face. On the drive back, she asked for music, a luxury she rarely had in Tenebrae. Gentiana seemed to believe an Oracle couldn't hear the Six if she was filling her head with music. Noctis gave her the control of the music player. She went over most of the CDs they had collected, as though looking for something in particular. And before he knew it, Maria and Draco's opera was blaring from the speakers. Stealing a glance at her, he noticed how seriously she listened.

"You like operas?"

"That's what they sound like?" She asked him candidly.

Noctis found it hard to keep his anger hidden. To think she'd been deprived of so many things he'd taken for granted his entire life. Now, of course, with the internet being a rarity and his phone working only by the grace of the gods, he realized that technology was as fragile as life. But to see her in such awe for something he'd heard countless times before. He should have smiled with her. Making her happy was one of his daily goals now. But he wanted more. If they didn't have to fight, if…

 _Stop. You're here with her right now._

The first thing he did when they reached Lestallum was to take her shopping. Heads turned and a few fingers pointed, but nobody stopped them. The women were busy working and the kids merely ran by them, waving and smiling. Lestallum felt so different from Insomnia. Luna coaxed Noctis into trying on some clothes, to see if he looked so bad in something that wasn't black. And for a few hours, they acted as though they didn't have a care in the world, just enjoying each other's company. He bought her some music and another dress, despite her protestations. When he suggested getting back to the Leville, she noted it was early for dinner.

"And it's too early for clubbing." He wasn't big on clubs anyway. "But it would be criminal not to have you dance in that dress."

She wondered if she remembered the few waltzes she'd learned with her mother. But she was ready to try.

…

Ignis had fixed a quick lunch, Iris requesting half of his burners and driving him crazy in his makeshift kitchen, but the food turned out good and the group seemed to be doing well. In fact, Crowe was commenting Iris's fighting style, giving her pointers and Gladio was trying not to give it a listen, worried the Glaive would convince his sister to become a full-fledged warrior.

"Man, you're not subtle." Prompto warned him.

"Why should I be subtle?" He observed, looking back at the two girls talking things out.

They were sitting just a little further and the guys could understand that since Iris had taken care of her, Crowe felt more comfortable with her. It was also partly the fact she had been surrounded by men for years. Iris reminded her of the friends she'd lost with Galahd.

"We got more strength in our legs than men…" Crowe was telling her, slapping one of her thighs to mark her point.

"Why does this sound interesting suddenly?" Prompto mused, unable to help himself.

He had an eye for beauty. And pretty woman's legs in leather pants. Ignis let out a discouraged sigh.

"Weren't you heartbroken yesterday?" The advisor observed.

"Hey, Luna said I had to stay bouncy."

His response lacked enthusiasm, but Gladiolus judged it was better to follow with his usual reaction. His remedy for heartache was either training or beer, and neither were appropriate.

"If I catch you checking out Iris, we'll see if you bounce."

"Pretty sure I can outrun you, big guy."

Somehow, despite how childish they both sounded, Ignis realized he had missed their dynamics in the last few days. Adding Luna, somehow Iris and now Crowe changed a few things, but it was good to see that despite all the recent novelties and confessions, they could still get along as they always did. If only everything could feel as normal…

"Say, you alright Iggy?" Prompto asked, catching him by surprise.

He had been spacing out for a few seconds.

"What?"

"We're going to find that mercenary girl, you know."

Rolling his eyes, he forced himself to refrain his eagerness at the idea of getting answers from Ari… Aranea.

"She's a woman. And I'll be fine even if we don't find her."

Gladio pulled a face, nodding in fake approval. He could see right through him, which meant Ignis still hadn't managed to pull himself entirely back together. They might have tried to interrogate him more, but their plates were empty and they all needed action more than words. Getting back on their birds, the group set out once more. Their aim was a band of Megaloclaws rampaging in the nearby woods. Crowe hid her face has Prompto tried taking a picture of them as they rode forward.

"Camera shy?"

"Not usually, but I don't feel at my best." She admitted.

"If you're tired, you can always…" Ignis started

"I didn't mean it that way." She cut him off quickly. "I spent days caked in mud, blood and stuff I won't name. And I've only taken one bath to scrap it all off."

"Well, you smelled clean when we set out. Now, all I can smell is chocobos anyway." Iris joined in.

Their little discussion was interrupted by a groan and Gladio's mount running sideways, almost sending him to the ground.

"I think we got them!"

The Claws snarled angrily, threatening to break into a run, but Prompto was already removing the safety of his guns, while the girls slipped down their birds. The pack wanted the meat from the chocobos, charging as the first bird turned tail and ran. And the fight took over, every human dodging claws and fangs, chipping out at the frail beasts. They were made for speed, light on their paws, their bones visible through the skin. It was almost impossible not to get hit by the things. Ignis cut one's head off, Gladio broke their legs and Prompto shot them in the head or the eyes, while Iris punched through the bones. Crowe made it her duty to chase after the beasts that stood back and watched instead of jumping right into the fray. She unconsciously thought of her fellow Glaives, hunting her from the cover of the trees.

By the time they were done, they had all scratches and cuts all over. Iris was flexing one hand, her wrist twitching a bit. Gladio didn't notice, inspecting the trails the monsters had left.

"I think there's more of them." He declared.

"A nearby lair?" Ignis asked.

"Would make sense, if they kept attacking the fields up south."

"Claws don't usually stay in one place." Prompto groaned.

"Maybe the imperial ships always passing by unnerved them." Iris suggested.

"I thought the assignment listed 12 of them. We got about 9 here."

The chocobos refused to come back on the trails, despite the fact they could have easily broken a Megaloclaw in two with one of their kicks. They set out, Gladio leading them, Ignis on the rear, Prompto and Crowe on either side of Iris who realized they were protecting her. Again.

She reviewed their wounds, decided not to complain for now. At least, not about the group's attitude.

"I hope those things don't have rabies."

"Come on, if Claws had rabies, humanity would be long gone already."

The trails led them up to a cave that didn't look too engaging. The trek had taken about half an hour through empty woods. It felt wrong that so little creature roamed about. There had to be something here, close to the Deadeye's kind of nasty. While Prompto was trying not to chicken out at the prospect, Gladio seemed to welcome the potential challenge. It was the tail of a Megaloclaw diving into the cave, scared off by their numbers that convinced the group to follow suit. They were all equipped to face the dark with flashlights, but Iris tensed and Crowe's heartbeat quickened ever so slightly. The guys were all worried to different levels, but the five of them managed to keep it down.

The entrance's tunnel forced them to fall in a single line, Gladio taking the lead. The space was barely large enough for his shoulders and Ignis remarked that fighting in such reduced environment couldn't be wise. The cave divided in multiple tunnels, one half going deeper into the ground.

"This place wasn't on any of our map," Prompto observed.

"All the more reason to remain cautious."

They chose the tunnel covered with less dirt, determining the more used of them would have less debris of rocks than the other. Hence lead them right to the pack or pack leader. No daemons seemed to lurk in the place, the only aggression coming from Megaloclaws, which they dispatched quickly. But what really made the group of hunters worry was the fact the beasts came in various sizes, growing bigger the more they advanced in the cave.

"How could they ever become that large? I mean, they're usually no bigger than dogs." Iris pointed out.

An angry rumbling sound made them either jump, cry in surprise or gasp. And before that Gladio could take another step, a pair of jaws the size of a garruda snapped right in front of him. The bones looked wrong and the glinting eyes of the Claw were twitching as he slipped his large frame inside the tunnel, smelling the intruders.

For a second, Prompto wondered if he should try calling Noctis or if the prince would even make it in time if he did call. Ignis pulled Gladio backward, and in an instant of panicked surprise, their cohesion seemed ready to crumble. The natural ceiling was just three meters high and the beast filled all that space, using its lean frame as an advantage. While the king's shield managed to push him back with a slap of his buster sword, Crowe took out one of her magic flasks.

"I need everybody to take cover!" she warned.

Iris didn't seem to understand, but Prompto knew where this was going. The space was too cramped and the magic she needed to unleash on that thing would have to be nasty to take it out in one shot. He grabbed the girl and pushed her against a wall, shielding her with his body without thinking. The feel of her shivering form next to him reminded him of Cindy and a longing he hadn't even started processing yet. But the explosion of fire that followed was enough to shortcut his thoughts. Flames went up to the ceiling, leeching at the walls, engulfing the beast. Its roar of pain almost made the ground shake beneath their feet.

"We're pulling back." Ignis ordered them.

The end of his sentence seemed lost in a cough, surely caused by the smoke coming with the flames. Running backward and stumbling in the tunnel, they tried to rush out, bumping into each other at first. Prompto made sure he pushed Iris in front of him. He knew what her brother would do to him if anything were to happen to the Amicitia girl. Crowe stood by the side of the wall, unable to take more than a few steps back, staring at the magic she couldn't control, feeling helpless instead of powerful. Ignis pulled on her arm to force her to follow and she shrugged him away.

"I'll finish it off. Back up the others." She told him.

The chamberlain would have objected if the monster hadn't taken a few steps forward, Gladiolus bumping into him as he backed up from the gigantic Claw, sword raised, his jacket covered with a mix of ashes and dirt.

"Out, Iggy. You can't throw daggers at the thing."

Anymore talk would have been suicidal. The Glaive threw another flask of fire, reigniting the living skeleton of a dog. She hated seeing the flames move disorderly. She hated herself for trying to tap in that place in her mind that had been awakened and was back to dormant now that the king was gone. But she would be damned if she broke before the Claw did. The smell of burned flesh awakened the vision of her home. The air was too hot in her lungs, but the beast seemed to weaken, snarling with anger and something that sounded like despair. Gladio's large hand gripped on her shoulder. He could have dragged her all the way back if he'd wanted, but she followed, not entirely turning away from the monster, the cold flask of ethereal magic still in her hand, ready to be thrown.

The picture of bones burning itched itself on her mind, switching to the horrible faces of people burning, of their cries of pain and… She let out a gasp as they emerged in the night air. The sun was down. Their hunt had lasted far longer than expected.

"Too bad we couldn't take some meat." Gladio sighed, trying to inhale enough fresh air to ease the coughing fit he felt ready to come.

His eyes were watering and he wondered if ice couldn't have been better than fire. But he had no idea what kind of magic Noctis had given the woman.

"Everyone's out? Ignis asked.

"Anyone's hurt?" Iris added, more worried about the later.

"You can run check-ups once we're in a camp." Her brother declared.

They didn't vote for it. There was a site close and if their birds accepted to come back, they would have their camping gear, which they'd brought in the very case of a delayed hunt. Lestallum was too far to take the risk to ride all the way back and meet daemons. There was a limit to the kinds of things he was ready to fight without Noctis on the team. But their one tent might prove to be an issue.

What he hadn't predicted was how freaked out Crowe would be to realize the night had fallen. To her credit, she had held her own incredibly well so far. And he wouldn't have been able to tell something was wrong if she hadn't reacted by drawing out her dagger when he motioned to help her get on her own chocobo.

"Whoa, easy!"

She tried to control her breathing, to temper down the shudders running through her back. Her magic wasn't back and she was out in the wild, in the night, with people she barely knew. People that had taken the time and the energy to fix her, but things always looked grimmer in the dark.

"I didn't mean… I can't start having panic attacks now…"

She sounded angry with herself and maybe even desperate as she forced herself to put away the dagger. The others were all on their birds, but Ignis steered them forward, suggesting to Prompto he'd stand guard until they were ready to leave. Gladio motioned to his own bird, careful of keeping his distances from the Glaive.

"You can ride with me. We're not letting you get lost out here again."

Crowe's dark eyes met his, wide, a deer caught in the headlights. But she agreed, giving up on her pride. She had pushed herself and it seemed this was her limit. She could work on the field, but she needed to learn how to face the darkness without fear overloading her system. The tall man quickly tied up his part of their packages on her bird. He knew when he was overloading a poor creature. He then mounted his own bird, pulling Crowe up so she could settle behind him. Her face pressed against his back, her arms snaking around his waist. He tried not to remember how he'd reacted the last time she did that. He could feel the shakes she was desperately holding back. He knew taking her out on their hunt had been a bad idea. But Noctis never gave them much magic usually and he wasn't sure how they'd managed to defeat the giant Megaloclaw without her intervention.

"Hold on tight." He told her, before sending his chocobo forward.

Ignis took the lead this time, Prompto bringing up the rear once more. Gladio tried to make the ride as gentle as possible, but they had to make mad dashes whenever daemons lunged out of the darkness. It happened about two or three times, either iron giants or flans. At the crackling sound of their ethereal apparition, Crowe's hands would grip on his coat harder, her face pressed against his left shoulder blade. Trying to focus on Iris or the road instead of the Glaive, he only felt helpless. He might be Noctis's shield, but he needed his prince's multiple swords to destroy the enemies he couldn't fight. He thought he heard a strangled sob from Crowe and instinctively grabbed her crossed wrists, making sure her hold remained strong.

"You're safe." He whispered over his shoulder, hoping she might hear him.

She seemed to, since her shudders quieted, her hands relaxing slightly. By the time they reached the camp, she seemed over her crisis, getting down of his bird without anyone's help. They quickly got themselves installed, Iris forcing each of the guys to slow down in their preparations for a thorough medical inspection. She looked too tired to stay up for long and wanted to make sure their wounds were attended to. After cleaning the few cuts and giving her four companions a potion to drink, she collapsed against her chocobo and drifted right to sleep.

"She's a really strong girl." Crowe commented as she helped unpack their cooking stuff.

"But she shouldn't be hunting with us yet." Ignis added, voicing what Gladiolus had thought from the beginning.

"Why? The prince isn't more than 20, right? Isn't he as much a child as her? Sheltering her now would only make her more vulnerable. At the very least, like this, she has all of you to look after her."

The Glaive's argument wasn't entirely wrong. But as a big brother, he couldn't take it.

"She's 15, not 20. She's a child in every sense of the word, no matter how strong she forces herself to be. And when Noctis decides we go back against the empire, she's staying behind."

"So you're giving her false hopes? Is that what you plan to do with me too? Test me with one hunt and park me somewhere because I'm not strong enough to your liking?"

He frowned, but Ignis was the one to barge in:

"This isn't about you, Crowe. With what you've been through recently, the very fact you managed to do all you did today is incredible."

"And what about her?" Crowe insisted, pointing at Iris' sleeping form. "She's been trained to defend herself against human attackers, not beasts or daemons. She's got no weapons but she holds her own."

"Maybe Gladio shouldn't decide in Iris's stead. She might be your sister, but she's old enough to make decisions. She lost a lot of friends and her bearings. I wouldn't want to wait on the sidelines if I was in her place." Prompto observed.

"And I could wake up any moment and kick all of your asses for acting as though I wasn't there." The concerned girl intervened, her eyes looking smaller than usual, her eyelids too heavy with fatigue to rise entirely, despite the smirk on her face.

"Iris…" Gladiolus started, taking a few steps towards her.

He felt as though this was more a family discussion then something public, but since they had all thought it their place to argue on her addition to the team, the young girl decided she'd better make her point now.

"Am I a hindrance to you?"

"No. Of course not."

"And who's making those decisions here? Noctis or you?"

Biting his tongue, her big brother looked ready to protest, but his slouching shoulders gave her the answer she wanted.

"Fine. Just get some rest already."

He had a tent to put up and people to look after except from her. The guys gave him comprehensive looks and he reminded himself that Noctis would never let Iris join them to find against imperial soldiers. At least he hoped so. The prince was changing since the arrival of his fiancée on their team. He had no idea if all the changes were good.

…

Noctis had brought Luna back to their room, pushing the furniture aside to have enough walking space to dance. Both had learned many different kinds of waltzes and dances and she agreed to a revision in prevision of their eventual wedding day. And maybe the few balls he'd agree to throw for her once everything would be fine with the world, the empire, Lucis and their lives. The music he'd bought was playing on his phone, giving them a pace. They started with slow steps, in a dance where you kept your partner at arm's length, a dance to meet new people in a polite succession of motions.

Then they waltzed, swaying, Noctis having her twirl on herself here and then, the tempo either slowing either building up to a frenzy of steps. They had forgotten some, but it came back easily. He never stepped on her toes and she didn't seem lost either, although most of their lessons had been at a much younger age, when they were about eleven and twelve. After Sylva's death, Luna never got her brother to partner with her for a dance and Noctis only practiced dance as a means to readapt himself to his legs working again.

They talked as much as they could, commenting on the moves that felt silly, Luna admitting which were her favorite dances and which she didn't feel too comfortable with. Noctis held her close during the ballads, letting her take the lead sometimes only to surprise her with his boldness afterward. When he finished one dance by having her lean so far back she couldn't hold herself up without his arms supporting her, her hands reached for his jacket as their eyes locked.

She was breathless and couldn't feel her feet anymore, but she didn't want the magic to stop yet. He seemed to understand it, his smile playful as he asked her:

"I don't think I forgot any dance…"

"How about salsa?"

He righted her in front of him, wondering what she could have in mind now. Looking at her flushed face only gave him one rush, especially since her hands were still holding the sides of his jacket. He liked the impression of her pulling him closer.

"I don't know that one very well."

But he repositioned her hands, one on his right upper arm, the other one in his left hand. His right hand pushed on the small of her back, his touch firm but gentle. The music had stopped playing a while ago and Luna tensed a bit as he pressed her to him, hooking two fingers under one of her knees to have her leg wrapped over his. He was almost too close.

"I just need your hips flush against mine." He told her.

His voice sounded different. Between the rough and the need. Raising her eyes to meet his as she followed his instructions, an irrepressible desire for more friction building up inside her, she decided he owed some retribution for making her flustered.

"Flush." She repeated, sensing his entire shiver as her leg wrapped tighter to his. "Can you take the jacket off?"

He obliged her, tossing it to the side but she couldn't ask for anything else, because the tension had reached a peak and it seemed the dancing was over. He kissed her silent, demanding and willing to give as much as she could ask. His arms shifted, his hands securing her against him so he could back her up to the nearest wall. He wasn't sure he could stand up without some kind of support and she welcomed the smaller space, feeling surrounded by him. Her nails ran over his back, tugging at his shirt, her mouth soft against his. How could she stay so soft after all she'd been through?

Her first moan got a groan out of him, and although he wanted to keep this pure, lust was taking over and her hands undoing his buttons and ghost-stroking his skin didn't help. Or maybe they did help, since he hadn't thought he could muster the nerves to bite on her lower lip before to suck and nimble and kiss again, letting out all the pent-up emotions of a twelve years old crush on her.

Her dress was velvety beneath his hands, but not as soft as her skin and as he parted from her lips, he gently stroked her cheek and neck, her head falling to the side to give him better access. It felt almost natural to trace a line of kisses down her throat, to ghost her collarbone with his breath, enjoying the goosebumps and swallowing every of her delicious shivers. Luna found his ear, kissing and nibbling too, her hands taking off his shirt and marveling at his warm skin. When she felt the small links of metal around his neck, she froze, but couldn't hold back a whimper of delight at the way he kissed her.

"Noctis…" she breathed.

She tugged on the unknown necklace, her fingers brushing against colder metal. The shape was no usual pendant. It seemed to be a circle, maybe a ring…

"Noctis!" she asked again, her voice urgent and panicked enough to bring him back to his senses.

She pushed him backwards, the young man holding her up by the hips, her legs still around him.

"Wha…"

"Are you always wearing it like this?"

She held the Lucii ring in her hand, careful of not accidentally putting it on.

"Well, I can't go and lose it."

"But… it must…"

He tried stealing a new kiss from her, his face darker but his feelings the same. That ring was his burden and nobody else's. Couldn't they push aside their royal duty and just enjoy each other for more than a few minutes? She cupped his face, willing him to reassure her.

"Noctis, I need to know if it weakens or hurt you."

He was glad she cared, but the answers wouldn't help and he didn't want to ponder on it. He was already emotional enough as it was right now.

"I'm fine, Luna."

His voice cracked on her name, but it was partly because he needed her so much. She accepted his next kiss, and the ten and more that followed, trying to shove the worry out of her mind. He had answered so many of her questions already, had stood tall and strong when he needed to break down in her arms about so many different things. But she couldn't let herself go limp and soft under his caresses, now with the cold, dark ring right between them. When he took a step away from the wall, balancing her in his arms, she gasped and wondered if they wouldn't fall. Noctis managed to walk her to the bed, sitting her on the very edge and much to her surprise, kneeling between her legs, remaining on the floor.

"I'm no king right now, Luna. And I want you to focus on me."

He took off the small necklace, putting the Lucii ring on the nightstand, his hands on her legs, taking off her shoes. She tried to squirm out of his hold at first, before to see the look in his eyes, which was asking permission and trust without a single word. Luna wanted to trust him more than anything else. Next thing she knew, he was kissing her ankle, his fingers tracing lines of goosebumps and shiver up her thighs, behind her knees, all over her legs. Her skirt rode up and she wanted to relax and let herself be showered with love. But she remembered men pinching her skin, eyes eating her up coldly and the panic came out stronger. She backed away, hoping he wouldn't take it as an insult.

"I can't. Not now. Please, stay where I can hold you."

 _Where you're different from them._ She thought to herself.

Noctis relented, pushing himself up, trying to swallow back the anger at how scared she sounded.

"If it's too much…"

"I've never felt so good." She cut him off. "But it is a lot."

She pulled on his hair so he'd leaned into her as she lied back on the bed, initiating a kiss to let him know how much she liked all those touches he gave her. And the passion was messy and felt almost wrong… almost right.

"We can wait until the wedding." He told her as they parted for air.

He needed this to stop eventually. He was starting to feel overwhelmed. He wanted to let it all go and feared he'd mess things up entirely.

"I won't ask you that. I might not be ready yet…"

The next kiss was softer, but not shorter in the least. This was too good to stop abruptly. Her hands worked on the knots in his back, soothing, creating more shivers. She unbuckled his belt as he tried to find the boundaries she needed. The limits that had fallen and those that were still there. Took off her dress and kicked off his pants and was granted the chance to contemplate her, almost fully bare for him. She trembled and she blushed, maybe more than he did himself, but the feel of his skin erased most of the fears. He kissed everywhere she granted him permission, with either words or her reactions. When she felt too cold to stay this exposed, they slipped beneath the covers, too awake to sleep, too scared to go any further. She could tell Noctis was holding back for her sake. And as much as she wanted to be fair, to give him some sort of release, she was already way past her comfort zone.

"I hope this is not turning into torture for you." She whispered against his chest.

Noctis had rolled on his back, needing some space after all that stimulation and she had slowly, tentatively snuggled herself to his side, one of his arms wrapped around her shoulders, his free hand entwined in hers, her head in the crook of his neck.

"I don't know if I'm comfortable about this kind of question. Just having you here with me is more than I could ask for."

And they had gone past baby steps for a budding relationship.

"I feel the same way." She sighed. "But it's funny. I used to be the one comforting others with little touches here and there. Now you got me…"

Luna stopped, realizing this might not be the best discussion to have. Noctis chuckled against her forehead, sensing her hesitation. Normally, he'd tease her, but right now, it seemed wrong. She had given him her heart and was slowly letting him unravel her, down to the fabric of her soul. He wouldn't ask for proof or promises. He simply held her closer to him, wondering if he could feel more fulfilled than this.

"I got you, Luna. I got you and I'm keeping you with me."

She smiled at the words. They reminded her of a few sentences they'd written in the notebook years ago, when they missed each other too much. They could have drifted off to a brief slumber if Noctis's phone hadn't buzz at that point, from across the room. The sound made her jump and he sighed in her hair. Another buzz came, and another one, until there had been four to five and the prince had jumped to his feet, worried this could mean their friends were in danger. The time on the screen took him by surprise. It was already 7 pm and the sky was dark outside. The guys should have been back a while ago. He scrolled down the texts, annoyed to realize his three best friends had texted him at about the same time.

Ignis was mentioning they were camping outside and not to worry. Prompto had sent him two pictures of the girls fighting, mentioning that Crowe was " _KICKASS-astic_ ", a word the gunman rarely used. Gladio was warning him against letting Iris into their team. Twice. The big guy was clearly still on edge. It was the fifth message that held his attention.

He had a missed call from Cor Leonis. Luna sat up in their bed, holding the covers to hide herself against the cold air.

"Something's wrong?"

"I don't know yet."

He played the voicemail, putting the phone on his ear, not ready to burst Lunafreya's bubble. Cor's voice was hacked through with static.

"Call Mon… Ravus… ox…"

He had to pull his cell away as the static cracked harsher, Leonis's voice turning into a blabbering mess of noise. There was nothing more he could understand. But the message seemed clear enough. Looking back to Luna, he tried to ease the hard lines on his face. He couldn't blame this on her. Her brother had said he'd keep his pretense as an imperial commander. He was heading to Leide. The very fact he hadn't even sent a text to Cor or Libertus made him feel awful. She got up, giving up on her modesty, sensing that the situation was more than wrong.

"Noctis…?"

"Get dressed. I've got to make some calls, I'll explain as soon as I know… whatever is going on. But I think we're moving out sooner than expected. Ravus…"

She paled at the mention of her sibling.

"He didn't attack Free Crown?" she asked.

Ravus had sounded really worried about what she'd think. And this was the worst-case scenario she could think of.

"I hope not. But Cor might be already death. We need to regroup with the guys… They said they were camping at some place… The hunt lasted too long."

"Wait, Noctis, make the calls you can to clear things up first. Let's give them a chance to rest before setting out."

As she told him so, she went to her bags and retrieved fresh clothes. He pulled his usual pants on, before to plop down on the bed and dial Monica's number. She answered on the third ring, her voice a little higher than usual.

"Your Highness?"

"Monica, what's going on?"

He heard water running in the bathroom. Luna was cleaning up, surely trying to settle back in her Oracle's role. The brief honeymoon was over.

"You're doing okay? Are you and Lady Luna fine?" the woman asked him.

"Yes, we are. What about Cor?"

"You got his message already? We've just found him. He's badly wounded, but I've got enough potions and elixir to put him back on his feet. Our base in Leide has been taken. Ravus swarmed it with MTs. If we don't retaliate, they'll link it up with the soldiers in Insomnia."

Noctis ran one hand through his messed-up hair. This sounded bad.

"How many soldiers did we lost?"

"All those that weren't deployed. About forty if Cor is still making sense. I'm sorry, Noctis, I need to focus on fixing the worst of his wounds."

He could hear her barking orders to the people around, but the situation seemed unreal. His country had nothing to defend itself but hunters now.

"We're coming." He started, unsure how fast he could there.

"Don't rush, your Highness. I have no man to spare as back-up. If you attack, you need a plan."

Luna was fully dressed now and standing next to him, arms crossed over her chest, her hair tied up, the make-up gone, her lips a thin line of worry. She should have had more time. They both needed more time.

"Are they organized yet?"

"Regroup with me as soon as you can, we'll figure it out then. I need both hands to…"

An awful yell of pain made the prince flinch and he relented, cutting off the call. Luna waited for his explanation, dreading what would come.

"Your bro… Ravus attacked Cor's base. We have virtually not a single soldier left except for Leonis. Monica is trying to fix him. If we set out tonight with the Regalia, we could gather up the guys, drive back to Leide. We'd ride Ciel together to make up for the extra space."

"You're taking Crowe and Iris there?!"

She was doing all she could to process everything and follow him on this. It was no time to dwell on the fact this attack might not have happened if she hadn't been captured by the imperial.

"We can always drop them with Monica." He shrugged, getting up from his bed and looking for a clean shirt and his coat. "But Ravus might try establishing a liaison with their troops in Insomnia. If they manage something like this, we might not be able to kick them out again."

"I don't…"

"There was a secret passage in that base that linked right to the Citadel. We would have used it to turn things around when we had enough power. But if we wait until they find it for themselves to use…"

She nodded, understand why he looked so dark.

"If we drive all night, how much good will we do out there?"

"They can sleep in turns in the car. I doubt you'd manage to get any rest on a chocobo, but we can always stop and have Prompto riding a part of the way, while I drive instead of Ignis and…"

"Noctis, when do you get rest?! You can't take on a base if you are…"

"How can I sleep knowing what's happening? I knew where Ravus was going. I should have anticipated he'd pulled off something of this magnitude." He slipped the chain with the Lucii ring back on, quickly checking his inventory.

She saw blueish blurs of objects flying around him, too fast for her eyes to recognize every of them. When he made her bags disappear, she swallowed back a question. He wouldn't back down from this. She wondered if she was at fault too, considering the letter she'd received from her brother. But she couldn't voice it. It would only add fuel to the fire. So instead, she grabbed his wrists, stopping him in his tracks.

"Call the guys to give them a heads-up. I can reduce everyone's fatigue with my magic if we need it."

"Thanks Luna. I'm sorry that we…"

"It's okay, Noctis. None of this is your fault. And we had an awesome date."

He gave her a brief kiss, gathering courage from the fact this was also part of his normal now, before taking out his cell again while she went to look for Pryna and Umbra. Prompto's cell was occupied, but Ignis picked up on the second ring.

"Scientia?" Ignis answered, sounding as professional as ever.

Noctis rolled his eyes, fighting against the smile that came on his face despite himself.

"Man, tell Gladio to pack up and make some extra food. We have a situation in Leide. I'll drive up to your camp, we eat, we wrap everything up and we're off."

"What happened?"

"Ravus attacked Cor's base. Leonis is half dead with Monica working on him. You _know_ we can't let Nifs in there."

"That's a fact. I'll try devising a plan. What about our two extra passengers?"

"Ciel will run by the side of the car. If you need to rest…"

"I'll be fine, Noct."

"Good. Warn the others. It's time we gave Ravus a lesson."

To be continued…

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Ravus is coming back in next chapter. And I can't wait to write it. Because it's going to be epic. Now I shouldn't say that. It puts pressure on the whole writing process. XD But I want it to be epic and I have epic stuff planned. Otherwise, I felt as though the second half of the hunt was a bit rushed. I haven't reread myself yet, so feel free to point out any mistake. I'll edit the chapter soon, I just wanted to publish it since I managed to finish it in time to respect the famous schedule. And I need to write chapter 22.

It will contain some driving, humor, the reason why Prompto didn't answer his phone, and at least the first part of an epic fight to take back the base Ravus presently occupies. As you all know by now, your reviews help me write more and keeps me psyched up. Be sure to let me know if anything felt wrong in this chapter, if it felt right, etc.

Thanks in advance for your support, for reading, following, faving or talking of this story. It means a lot! See you in one week with the next chapter, unless school gets too tough!


	22. Wrong side of light

Hello everyone, a bit earlier than Sunday, but the chapter was complete and I even had the chance to have it beta-read! Many thanks to wishihadnopast who did an awesome job. :D

I managed to get through most if not every of my school tasks for the week. Three submissions for a scientific congress are off. Sure hope a least two are accepted. I'm really grateful for all the nice reviews you send. As you might have seen, I've started a small story on the side, over Noct/Luna and what if they had had their wedding. But I decided to focus my effort on this chapter. A lot of action and anguish in there. ;)

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Unexpected

Chapter 22 – Wrong side of the light

"Oh my god!"

Prompto had just pulled out his cell, making the usual check-up, only to cry out in sheer shock.

"What is it?" Gladiolus almost snapped at him. "Did you finally beat my score?"

"Okay, first things first, I destroyed it decades ago. And I got a missed call from Cindy."

"Who's Cindy?" Crowe asked, taking the plate Ignis was giving her. "It's not the first time I heard her name being mentioned."

"Oh, she's almost part of his religion." Iris answered, looking unimpressed with Prompto's aghast expression.

"She's not…!"

"Well, you do call her your goddess of the gear." Gladio pointed out.

"Cindy Aurum is a mechanic from Hammerhead." Ignis declared, one brow raised at how the Amicitia were teasing their gunman. "She fixed the Regalia twice."

"With a bit of my help the second time around." Prompto added. "Although I didn't expect a call."

"Did she leave a message?" Gladio probed him.

"I don't know, alright, I just saw it."

Since they seemed ready to gang up on him, he went into the tent to check on it and have some intimacy. The guys took the opportunity to explain most of the situation to Crowe. She winced as she realized how complicated it sounded.

"It certainly is a strange time for love, with everything that's going on."

Iris seemed to be lost in thought at that comment and Gladio focused on his plate, Ignis realizing with a grimace that the chocobos hadn't been fed yet. He was going to need a volunteer or risk facing more allergic reactions.

…

The voicemail was short. Cindy's voice sounded different. Her usual perkiness was not missing, yet… It sounded forced.

"Hey Argentum. Hopin' ya regrouped with the prince a'right and the princess' saved. Feel kinda bad far calling about payment. Just thought I'd get some fresh news, ya know. Cannot trust anythin' in the newspaper or the radio."

The fact she called him instead of Noctis, who had given her his number the first time she was working on the Regalia, had to mean something. It was about a quarter to seven, so he guessed he could still call her back. With everything going on, he doubted he'd get a better chance before finding himself in Hammerhead in the flesh, and facing her on the phone seemed less threatening.

Hitting her name on the screen took some effort, and the ringtone almost drove him crazy. She picked up after ten beeps, her voice sounding tired despite the cheeriness she tried giving to her words:

"Hammerhead station, best mechanic in Lucis!"

"Hey, Cindy. How ya doing?"

"City boy?"

"Yup. I got your voicemail." He tried to sound as casual as possible, but the very fact she called him by the usual nickname gave him hope. "We rescued the princess and all. Everybody's fine and the car is in perfect condition."

"Good. Hope ya managed to catch a break or something. I ran ya to the brink of death with our collecting of the pieces."

"Not really, but we got the payment covered. We might swing by at some point in the next few days. Just need to know when we'll hit the road."

"It's not… that urgent. I mostly wanted an excuse to check on the prince's suite."

If that meant him or Lady Luna, he didn't dare to ask. He crossed his fingers, wondering if he'd find the strength to breach the subject that had made her wary of him.

"Did you get some rest?" Prompto asked instead.

"I sure tried, but there's still a lot o' work around here. Paw paw seems to think I was off on a vacation."

"I should have taken pictures as proof."

She laughed, a genuine laugh.

"Ya were a helluva good assistant, city boy."

She asked for more news and he told her of Crowe's survival and Luna's rescue. There was something bigger on both of their minds, but a phoneline wasn't the right place for a heart to heart discussion. After resuming most of the situation, Prompto doubted he had anything interesting left to say. Cindy didn't leave him hanging for long.

"When ya pass by Hammerhead, if ya can take some time off the team, I'd have a favor to ask."

"What?"

"Ya must think I'm some crazy bitch after all I told you. I was stressed out and shocked. And maybe not entirely myself too. Walking through sewers can to that to a girl."

His throat felt too tight. Was she apologizing? Was she going back on everything she'd said?

"Cind…"

"I need a favor, Prom, but I'll pay ya back, for sure. Ya'll understand when ya get here."

"Okay. Sure."

What she wanted, he had no idea. She ended the call with a "Take care, city boy", but the other nickname stayed on his mind. Prom? No one ever called him that. He barely had the time to walk out of the tent before Gladiolus started taking it off the ground. He saw everyone hurrying around.

"Hey guys, the sun is not rising yet."

"Noctis called. The Leide base was taken by Ravus. Luna and Noct will be here any minute with the Regalia and anyone who needs to catch sleep will get it in the car." The big guy explained.

It seemed more fighting was on their plate. His shoulders slouched, but he kicked himself mentally and joined the effort of packing everything they'd just unpacked.

…

Noctis was driving a little too fast to Luna's liking. They had left Jared with the instructions to gather as much intel as he could on the empire during their absence. Luna had warned her dogs of her leaving and told them not to follow her. There was no message she wanted to send anyone at the moment. And she wanted to talk face to face with Ravus this time.

"Noctis…" she started, unsure of what to tell him.

He lifted his foot slightly at the sound of her voice.

"I know I'm rushing into this. Once we're in Leide with Monica, we'll think things through. I just…"

"You need to take action. I understand that. I've been fighting against that urge most of my life."

That admission was no reproach, but Noctis realized how bad that made him look. He grasped her hand with his, giving it a squeeze.

"I won't ask you to stay on the sidelines if you want to take part in this. And I'll… try to go easy on your brother."

"Don't." she asked him, much to his surprise. "Just don't fight him and let me have a chance to talk with him first."

He promised her as much. He couldn't tell how hard this must be for her. But he wanted to support her through it, as much as she supported him.

"You're not going to run away with him, are you?"

"I'm staying with you, Noct. We have a better chance this way. I just need to understand what's going on with him. And also if I can get him to change his ways. I know beneath all the harsh decisions and the bad things he did, he's filled with good intentions."

"Right. Men died because of him."

She took back her hand, crossing her arms and shivering in her seat.

"I don't say I condone what he does. But he's my brother. I can't…"

She had to fight against tears and he mentally hit himself, nervously tapping on the steering wheel. She had cried an awful lot since he found her.

"I'm sorry, Luna. Every time I think I'm gaining some control over the situation, it all goes to hell."

"It's going to stop doing so." She declared, her voice so serious he wondered how her eyes looked. "We'll figure this out. You and me."

"You and me." He repeated, throwing her a brief glance. Her smile was as frail as his, but they had hope.

…

By the time Noctis and Luna reached their camp, everything was packed and even Iris was up and aware of the commotion with Cor's base. Ignis still managed to give a glare to his prince as he parked the Regalia right on the grass, next to their camp ground.

"This is not an all-terrain vehicle." He told the man as he jumped off the driver seat, Luna following suit.

"And if you hadn't heard on the phone, we have bigger problems than a broken car."

"We all heard." Prompto cut in. "We heated you some cuppa noodles."

The seven of them sat together to talk things out. The ride would be tiring, but Noctis agreed they'd grab some real rest once they'd regrouped with Monica. Ciel came on the first call and after gathering all their luggage either in the prince's infinite storage or the car's trunk, they buckled or saddled up. Ignis drove, Prompto sitting next to him, staring off into the distance. The backseat consisted of Gladio, Crowe and Iris. The brother and sister had had another argument about where she would stay while they all went to fight, and the girl couldn't stand to sit right next to him right now.

Luna sat behind Noctis on Ciel, so that the prince would have a better control of their mount. He had her running right next to the Regalia, to benefit her high lights. The rhythm wasn't perfect, the bird not able to keep up with Ignis' favorite speed, forcing the adviser to slow down every now and then to make sure they weren't losing the pair of royals. Gladiolus was too on edge to catch any sleep but Iris had snuggled up on herself and was snoring softly, her head on her arms.

"You think she'll deny it if I have proof on my phone?" Prompto asked.

"Don't film her." The older Amicitia warned, looking dark and a little gloomy.

Crowe chuckled next to him.

"You're definitely overbearing. The girl can kick his ass herself if she's insulted."

"I know. That's why I'm warning him."

"Sure. Mind if I put my feet on the seat?"

"I don't think you should…" Ignis started, only to see it was already done and sighed in defeat.

"I usually can't sleep in cars, but I need some shuteye." The Glaive excused herself, trying to force some warmth back into her arms.

Her new attire lacked a jacket. Feigning a yawn, Gladiolus stretched his arms and let his left one reach to the back of her headrest. As she slowly fell asleep, her head leaned to her right, as though her body was attracted by the large source of warmth. He wrapped his arm around her shivering shoulders, knowing she'd sleep better that way. He couldn't help but worry about Iris too, but was distracted when he noticed Prompto's pointed look at him in the rearview mirror.

"What?" he mouthed to the blond man.

"Smooth," the gunman retorted.

"I'm not… She's…" Gladio grumbled angrily, not even sure why he felt defensive. He was just being nice.

Prompto covered his mouth to keep his laugh down, Ignis rolling his eyes. On Ciel, Luna watched over the guys and girls.

"I think we make a pretty good team." She told Noctis.

"We'll test it out. I just hope we won't be too late."

…

Monica looked incredibly angry when they finally arrived, dreadfully pale at four in the morning.

"Get to bed, all of you. And if you guys are awake when I check on you all in ten minutes, I'm knocking you guys out myself."

"Why are you even still awake yourself?" Luna asked her.

"Cor's wounds need close monitoring. No healing from you yet, young lady, you look ready to drop on your feet. Go rest now. We'll talk in a few hours."

They obeyed, wondering how a small and regular-looking woman like Monica could make them feel as though they were little kids. The bunks had 6 beds, which meant the only couple among them had better snuggle close, or force one of the guys to take the floor. They were all too tired for such a scenario and Noctis wasn't sure he could close his eyes anyway. They didn't talk, the guys taking the beds on the left, and the girls slipping into the beds on the right. The mattresses were small and the pair of royals barely fit together, but a nervous sleep took over each of them. Ignis was the first person awake when Monica walked in a few hours later, soon followed by Gladio and Crowe.

"I gave you guys six hours of sleep." The woman told them, raising her tone to make sure the others would stir themselves awake. "Cor will be ready to see you too and we should be able to plan something… Somehow… I have food ready for those feeling hungry."

"You shouldn't trouble yourself…" Noctis started, only to be interrupted.

"I can't do much. So let me do what I can, your highness."

They followed her, a bit groggy on their feet if not outright yawning and trying to stretch their sore bodies. The camp was really quiet, a mere three hunters sitting in a corner, keeping to themselves. Cor was lying in Monica's makeshift room, raised in a sitting position by so many pillows that Prompto had to wonder if the bunks hadn't been raided to adjust Leonis' comfort.

"Your majesty, Lady Lunafreya… I owe you both apologies…" he started, looking pale, his bare chest covered with bandages.

His feet were bare and he didn't wear much, half healed cuts and bruises covering him from head to toes.

"How did he even make it out alive?" Gladio asked as they noticed the bloodied clothes in a pile by the foot of the bed.

"Daemons, after the base." Cor answered, trying to sit straighter only to be pushed back down by Monica.

"Don't ruin my work." She warned him.

He sighed but relented, teeth clenched. The man wasn't used to staying idle.

"Tell us what you can." Noctis asked him. "We'll take back the base no matter what."

"At this rate, you should burn it down. We can't defend this kind of place without men and… the handful I have still alive are scattered between the imperial bases and Free Crown."

"I'll take it down with every MT in it." Noctis swore to himself.

He was clearly mad at the loss of lives and the fact that he could have prevented it.

"But what about the secret passage?" Luna asked.

"We can't lose it. It's our only tactical advantage if we're ever to retake Insomnia." Ignis observed.

"So we need to take out the Nifs first and then we trash the place while keeping the passage accessible to us." Crowe declared.

"Is that a Glaive?" Cor mused.

"I like to think of myself as the Oracle's shield now. Crowe Altius, sir." She presented herself.

"It's a good thing some of you survived. We seriously need all the help we can get." Monica told her.

Her smile was sincere and the brunette gave her a curt nod. It was good to feel needed, dire circumstances or not.

"So what's our plan?" Gladio asked. "There's six of us…"

"Seven! I'm coming too." Iris protested.

"There's no way…!"

"Gladio, it's her country too. If she wants to come she can. Having more than one healer won't be a bad thing." Noctis declared.

His shield seemed ready to go mad, but Cor burst into a coughing fit. Luna couldn't take seeing him hurting so much anymore. She used her light to fix the worse of the internal wounds, being careful not to use too much of her powers.

"If I freeze a wall with enough ice, it should crumble easily to a few fire spells. We can't swarm them…"

"So we draw them out to defeat you or take back Luna?" Ignis deduced.

"Right. Do you know their numbers?"

Monica nodded in answer.

"Four dropships have reinforced them since the attack. They have around 70 MTs, not counting their CO."

"I can handle a good 25 of them on my own." Noctis estimated.

"Oh come on, you have to leave some for us." Crowe warned him teasingly.

"They might have one MA-X patria." Monica added.

Prompto gasped and Noctis swore. It was the third strongest mech the empire had developed over the years.

"Okay… You're going to have some left for you in that case. I have Ramuh to destroy that thing. We'll figure this out."

He hated staying there talking when he could be taking action.

"We have a few spare ammunitions," Monica offered.

She looked helpless and a bit afraid of what they were preparing to do.

"It might come in handy," Prompto admitted.

…

Ignis hated the so-called "plan", but there wasn't much time to devise a better strategy. While Prompto and Gladio would act as cover for Noctis and Luna, Crowe, himself and Iris would enter the breach and shut down the defense system that linked imperial's base to their dropships. That would ensure that no reinforcement would come before they'd taken out the enemies. The empire had an army so heavily automated that if a protocol was shut down, nothing could be done until a human heard the news. Scavenging for information about Aranea had been useful in its own right.

Noctis hadn't refused Iris' proposition of joining them. She could save them in a pinch and there would be far too much chaos to refuse any sort of advantage they could have. Nevertheless, Ignis knew things would go haywire. There were far too many details left to chance.

They parked the car as close as possible, Ciel kweeing in protest as Luna got down and Noctis had her running away.

"Okay guys. I'll warp up to the wall and break it down. Prompto, you give me cover. Gladio, stay close to Luna."

"Sure."

The man gave one hard look to his sister. She'd better stay safe. Luna squeezed Noctis' hand before summoning her trident and letting him charge ahead, following at a safe distance.

Ignis, Crowe and Iris got moving, careful of staying fast and light on their feet. In three brief flashes of blue, Noctis was in shooting range. Bullets started raining around him, but he retorted with a quincast blizzara spell, freezing up the cement wall; still warping around, he had an ether at the ready to replenish his magic and doused himself in it between two warps, readying his fire spells.

In the base, Ravus was seething. The prince showing up was no surprise, but to think the bastard had the nerve to bring his sister on the battlefield!

"Nobody touch the Oracle," he warned. "Loqi, get in your machine."

Before his only human soldier could move, the cement wall crackled and burst open, the debris falling inside the base when charged with multiple fire charges. In the falling dust, brimming blue, a weapon in each hand, the Lucian prince stood, eyes a fiery red. Ravus didn't even force his smile.

"Well, someone's pissed."

He gestured for the troop to swarm the pretender, unsheathing Regis' blade. The weapon was starting to feel balanced in his hand and he wouldn't give up on it easily.

Back with Luna, Prompto and Gladio cursed at the sight of Noctis jumping right into the fray instead of backing in their direction. It seemed he wasn't drawing the enemy out and was instead thinking he could take on the world.

"How am I supposed to cover him if he busts right in! There are walls and…" the gunman complained, lowering his gun.

"He can't think anymore. He just wants to be done with it." Luna whispered. "Let's get in there. I need to find my brother."

Both men followed her lead, watching with a mixture of horror and awe as the prince rushed through MTs, sending armor and limbs flying left and right, before disappearing entirely from their sight. He was shifting through platforms and walls, taking out the sentries and top shooters, warp killing most if not every target.

In the confusion, Ignis, Crowe and Iris didn't have trouble slipping in. Navigating through the fighters to get to a computer was another thing, but their four daggers made quick work of the MTs jumping in their path. The MA-X prima kicked on, standing in the middle of the base, its large frame taller than deadeye's, guns and turrets coming to life.

"Steer clear of that thing!" Iris suggested, clearly trying to control her own panic.

After jumping and warping so much, Noctis judged he'd gotten through enough MTs and could focus on other threats- either Luna's brother or the mechanized monster that was threatening to kill everything around it. The alarms were ringing around him, getting on his nerves. Emergency protocols were pretty sure to kick in at any moment. Using more magic could prove tricky and Noctis wasn't sure how to summon Ramuh's powers. But he could tell the MA-X was worse news. He couldn't ask his friends to defeat that thing. He wasn't even sure he could take on such a mech.

The man piloting aimed for him, not caring about the damages he caused. The base had already lost most of its value. But taking the head of Lucis 's last king? That hinted to a consequent promotion, if not a way in the nobility, which meant safety from the blight, Oracle or no Oracle on their side.

The charges flew at lightning speed, bullets the size of apples chipping at the wall and metal around Noctis. He warped forward, free falling, throwing his sword and trying to stay conscious of his level of magic despite the adrenaline taking over. He'd already used two ethers and only had three more. If he ran out of juice, he'd die.

Walking onto the battlefield, Luna deflected a lance coming for Prompto with her trident. There was about forty MTs left, running around the Prima, either shooting at Ignis' group, trying to hinder Noctis, or coming for her. Ravus was going down stairs on the further wall, ranks of daemonized soldiers standing between them.

She saw him for an instant and the chaos was back, smoke, dust, and chips of rock filling the air when gunshots weren't enough to hurt her ears. She couldn't get a good look at the situation in the middle of all that. Prompto shot one soldier in the eye, Gladio breaking some limbs, Crowe shouting somewhere in the distance as Luna tried repelling the closest magiteck mannequins with her magic. Everything was chaotic and she needed…

"Incoming! Get down!" Prompto warned.

She dove to the floor, not caring if she scrapped her hands or knees on the rubble or scattered pieces of armor. The mecha was firing in a large arc, turning on its heels as its machine gun roared.

"I think Noctis could use some help." Gladio sighed.

The prince had tried praying for a divine intervention, but no thunder sounded and the lightning never struck. Instead, he had to roll, dodge, dive, warp, and trip his way around the MA-X's feet, his blades clinking against the metal. He used his own magic, frying one leg and sending the robot tumbling. The pilot managed to pull off a shot that Noctis barely shifted through, feeling something tearing in his back. His veins were burning up and he felt that something was wrong. Ravus hadn't turned off his powers with his arm yet and still, he was out of breath and not sure how longer he could keep this up. Two motors groaned and the mech righted itself, flying despite its wounded leg. MT's rushed around him, but luckily, Prompto and Gladio struck them.

"You think you have to hoard all the glory?" his shield asked him.

"Where's Luna?" he asked back, not sure how he managed to utter intelligible words. A voice rang in his head, almost covering Prompto's answer:

"With Ignis."

Ramuh was asking him something and he couldn't understand. The burn in his veins ate up his air and when Loqi raised his clawed hand and aimed for him, Noctis didn't warp, didn't move. Gladio pushed him to the ground, not even yelling his name, and managed to deflect two claws only to be grazed by the two others.

"What the hell are you doing?"

…

At the same moment, Ignis was furiously typing on a keyboard, cracking codes as three women covered his back from the MTs attack. The idea would have drove him insane in usual circumstances. He wouldn't say a girl didn't belong on a battlefield. He just couldn't accept the idea of a woman's hands stained with blood. Right now, he was mostly worried that if he let Noctis keep this up, the prince was going to burn himself out. Or get killed.

"Can you see the other guys?" Iris asked, using a pole arm she'd snatched from a fallen enemy to bash a soldier in the head.

"A bit… busy," Crowe replied, as she stabbed one soldier and held the other back with her foot.

Luna was right in front of the door to the small cabin where Ignis called off system after system, standing a few feet in front, her magic shining bright, keeping most MTs away. She was reluctant to kill them, rather tripping them up for the girls to take out in her stead.

There was about 15 of them left when she noticed something wrong in the air. What was worse than the decaying corpses behind the armors was the fact her brother was hiding somewhere in here, waiting for the right time to strike. She tried to reason to herself and then the voice hit her like a wave of power, almost sending her to her knees.

You should be healing the scourge. Not clinging to useless borders!

Ramuh was angry with Noctis and refusing to answer his calls. And the very fact he was talking to him had to take a toll, not to mention all the tricks her fiancé had pulled to get through soldiers and stand up against the MA-X. He had barely rested himself lately, trying to save everyone around him.

Luna forgot herself, rushing forward to make sure the young man was alright. As she got around the empty containers behind which Ignis and the others had hidden to get through most of the chaos unscathed, she saw Prompto flying on three meters, Gladiolus' large frame covered with blood and Noctis warp-striking for the nth time, as bloodied and tired as his friends. His sword was stuck in the metal and he was climbing up the robot, despite a twisted wrist and a throbbing in his left leg. His old wound was acting up and she could almost sense his pain as he pushed himself. Burns had greyed the Prima, most of his guns were cut off, lying around and there wasn't a single MT left standing around.

How dare they ask so much and refuse to help?

She took another step towards the scene of the impossible fight, wanting to check on the guys. Behind her, a yelp of pain resounded. Crowe? Iris? It was a woman's voice. Torn, Luna looked over her shoulder, her trident feeling too heavy in her hand.

The MTs she'd been holding back minutes ago had been reprogrammed by Ravus to leave her alone. But with all the confusion and commotion, the daemons inside were hungry for blood and had charged right at the girls lacking white magic. There were six of them and the first two didn't manage to land a hit, but the third one knocked Iris out with its mace. Crowe could only stop two of them and while one rushed at Ignis, the last one raised his spear, his red eyes staring down at Iris. The programming included a very specific reaction to living enemies. Annihilation.

…

Ravus had been following the fight from the sidelines, staying in the upper platforms. He wasn't at his full strength and had appraised everyone. No use taking the risk of being stabbed by one of his own MTs. Since he'd killed the half-healed one, they had been acting weird, almost erratic when alone with him. Luna looked safe enough, but he wouldn't say the same for Noctis' friends. The prince was a monster, seemingly all powerful and only tiring after going through half a prima and too many mannequins to keep track. But that was with his powers. The guys were normal people. They got back up despite being tossed around and he focused on Luna again. Her face had fallen, determination turning into fear. Ravus followed the direction she was looking in and noticed the blighted girl. The one he'd infected and his sister had healed. The one that could stop his sword with her bare arms. She had fought well for a child. More than well.

And now she was about to get skewered by one of the MTs.

Ravus' arm moved too fast, the gears shifting as his nerves reacted. It was an intuition more than a decision. Regis' sword flew through the air and hit the soldier with enough strength to push him backwards, pinning him to the ground. Crowe grunted, her sore arms not raising her daggers as quickly as she wanted. Before Luna could rush to her aid, a dark cape swooshed in, a man diving from the sky, not giving her a look. He lifted Iris from the ground, throwing her on his shoulder.

"Ravus!" Lunafreya called.

Ignis was finishing off his own MT and looked up to see the older Fleuret taking off with Gladiolus' sister.

"What the…?!"

Crowe let herself fall to the ground and swept at the soldier-dolls legs, sending them down. She stabbed them both, letting out a yell of frustration. Ravus had dove between two containers, vanishing in the shadows and Luna could tell the others weren't up for a run. A few more MTs were coming.

"I'll get Iris, focus on staying alive!" she told them before disappearing after her brother.

Ignis couldn't protest. He wanted to think the man wouldn't hurt his own sister, but what he wanted with Iris… He hadn't expected this scenario, even though he'd tried to picture anything that could have happened. Crowe raised her daggers, one knee on the ground.

"I got 9 of them. Think you can do better, Iggy?"

He pulled her fully up.

"Hang back a bit and catch your breath. I'll get through what I can."

…

Iris was trying to open her eyes. The back of her head hurt and something hard and metallic pressed into her stomach. It wasn't a weapon, she would already be dead, but she couldn't picture… Why was she moving? Her legs didn't even touch the ground. She batted her eyelashes, seeing dirty cement moving and a pair of boots moving. Her stomach lurched and she tried to kick whoever was holding her. It wasn't Gladio and no one else would carry her like this. Cold fingers dug into her back, another arm halting her legs.

"I just saved your life." A rough voice warned.

She'd heard it before, but…

"What…"

Luna's call brought some light to the situation.

"Ravus!"

Iris pushed at the cape that was getting in her face and spotted his blight-inducing sword.

"Put me dow…!"

He took a sudden turn, before to climb a flight of stair and rush through a door, closing it in a hurry. She had to cling to his damn cape to prevent her head from bumping into anything. It already ached enough as it was. The door locked and next thing she knew, he was laying her on the floor of a Spartan room, gripping her raising arms in one hand. The metal one. There was no getting out of this kind of grip. His actions didn't made sense and the poor girl couldn't help the fear he'd try blighting her again.

"What are you…"

"Don't struggle. I just need a sample of your blood."

Her eyes widened and she squirmed even more after he answered. He retorted with his knees on her hips, effectively immobilizing her.

"What are you, a vampire?!"

He rolled his eyes, seemingly calm, pulling a syringe out of his uniform.

"I always told Luna reading too many novels made girls silly."

The comment sounded so banal, Iris couldn't find an answer, but she kept on fighting against him. She only needed a second of distraction to land one hit and she'd made it a good one. He broke the protective plastic from the dart, the metal glinting as it caught a ray of sunlight from the only window of the room. Ravus gave her a grim look.

"You don't have to get hurt. Keep squirming and I'm going to butcher you without even meaning to."

"Why would you need my blood?"

"You were blighted and now you're not." He retorted angrily.

He shouldn't even explain himself to that girl. She was a lamb, a test subject. But the fear in her brown eyes hurt and she might stop struggling if she understood.

"You're studying that thing?!"

She was so shocked that she stopped moving for an instant, giving him an occasion. He plunged the syringe in the crook of her arm, drawing a few milliliters of blood before a loud bang on the door almost made him jump in surprise.

On the other side, Luna was worried and a little panicked, but she had had enough of his mysteries. She jammed her trident into the door, breaking the lock and pushing it open in a matter of seconds. It might be the first time in her life she was willingly destroying something and it felt exhilarating. Seeing her brother towering over Iris, scrambling to his feet, a glint of silver in his hand and drops of blood on the young girl's arm felt like a punch in her gut.

"You're experimenting on her?!"

Iris sat up, scooting away from Ravus, who stored the blood sample in a pocket, keeping a straight face.

"I warned you, Luna." He started, his voice strong, steady and somewhat gruff.

He was going to put this all on the bigger goal he was working on, going to ask her to hate him and let him do as he pleased instead of telling her the truth she needed. Her patience was running thin and Luna walked in, looking determined to get answers from him.

"Did you warn her? How could you even inflict the blight on someone, on anyone?!"

He blinked once, noticing the fact her trident was still held up, the picks pointing at him. He took a tentative step forward, only to see his sister putting herself between him and Iris, as though he might try to hurt the girl.

"I waved a sword. It was easy. I'm sure even your little prince could…"

"Ravus! What have… what's wrong with you?" she cut him off, her tone coming out harsher than intended.

And although he had asked for it, the look in her eyes hit closer to home than expected. There was no judgement that mattered as much as hers and now, he'd fallen from her graces. The hint of pain showed in the way his brow rose, in the twitch of his lips as his teeth gnashed together.

"So now I'm _wrong_?"

She'd just broke something. Ravus never let his voice waver, never betrayed emotion. She wasn't sure he'd even cried once since their mother died. Luna wanted to apologize, but she couldn't.

"Give me a chance to understand what you're doing. Hurting one innocent girl…"

"Weren't you an innocent girl? How many innocent must be hurt in the name of your freaking gods for you to understand…"

"This isn't for me! You said it wasn't for me and I won't condone… I can heal the blight, Ravus. It's my duty." She reminded him.

And he wanted to be mad at her, to shake her and have her realize this was wrong. But he stood by the logical arguments. Iris had huddled in a corner, staring at the dispute between brother and sister, trying to understand what Ravus could be doing.

"Other illnesses have found natural cures. The stakes are just greater."

"But how does your method even work? You occasionally infect someone and hunt down their corpse after?"

As they argued, she took a step towards him, lowering her trident, but not letting it vanish either.

"I didn't mean to do it at the time, alright?!" he snapped.

Luna shook her head, taking the last step and grabbing his uniform. He flinched at her touch, but didn't raise his hand or tried to push her away. He looked defeated, almost lost.

"Brother, I need to understand. I can't help you, not if I don't…"

"The less you know, the better it is. If I took you back now, they'd run new tests and it might be worse than anything they ever…"

He pried her hand off his shirt, realizing he was growing even more emotional with her this close and needing to return to his cool, composed self. This wasn't the talk he wanted. These weren't the words he had prepared.

"You can't keep infecting people, meaning to or not."

"And you shouldn't keep healing people, but who am I to stop you?"

She could have smiled, but as she stood in front of him, at arm's length, she noticed his stance was different. She called up her light and he backed away, unsure of what she might uncover.

"Your dark sword. Take it off." Luna asked him.

"And after you'll ask for that darn king's…?"

She raised her trident and took matters in her own hands. She wasn't touching that blade, not even its sheathe. Ravus hadn't expected an attack, even if it was only meant to disarm him and simply gaped in shock. His sister, pacifist, peaceful sister was turning into someone he'd never met. The sword clung to the floor, the belt holding it cut and he would eventually thank himself for keeping his other blade in a different belt. Luna saw that darkness remaining on him even without the black sword, tainting him, centered on his left side. Not the prosthetic. Her face softened, worry showing in her eyes.

"You're blighted?"

"You really thought I'd inflict it on anyone before doing it to myself?"

As he said so, he broke the window behind him, sending shards of glass everywhere. These were far more revelations than he wanted to give. And if he didn't run now, she'd try and heal him and he would have to start everything from scratch.

"Ravus!"

He was out the window without a single more word. Luna rushed to the windowsill, seeing him getting up despite the fall he'd taken, running away from her. Her brother had given up an arm and willingly inflicted the blight on himself in the pursuit of his goal. A goal that aimed to find a cure to the illness she could cure at the cost of her own life force. Her heart didn't know if she should be angry or sad.

To be continued…

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Since the chapter is incredibly long, and despite the fact there's one very important detail left out, I'm stopping it here. Noctis is okay though, we'll see what's been happening with him in the following chapter. ;) I swear that all the hard stuff happens for a reason.

So next chapter should be next weekend, not the one starting now but around 4th-5th February if I can keep things up. Let me know what you think, if you liked the action and what you expect of what's coming. I tried real hard to keep everything fluent despite having 7 to 8 people running crazy in the middle of a base. And as you can tell, I'm not good at describing places, so I don't really do it, at least not in fanfics. I'm sorry if it's hard to picture the whole place.

Hope you liked this chapter. A bit more action coming up in the next one and some explanations. We'll have Noct/Luna fluff too. See you next week and please, please review. :D


	23. Slow recovery

I know I had promised more action, but the more I tried to write Noctis' part of the fight with MA-X prima, the worst it sounded. So we have a glimpse and the rest of the chapter is pretty much hurt/comfort. At this state, they all need it. I kinda need it too actually. This month is filled with work and the software I use in like half of my research projects is unstable, so I've been grasping at straws and trying to stay efficient despite the pressure and deadlines piling up. I got from one to two meetings a day and I barely managed to finish this week chapter. It's pretty much a bridge chapter between big events, but I still believe that I took the time to write it well. Hope you'll like it. ;)

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Unexpected

Chapter 23 – Slow recovery

Noctis climbed on the mech, planting his sword in the metal, melting holes for his feet with his magic. His wrist hurt and his left leg wasn't as cooperative, but he was moving more by will than strength at this rate. His friends were even worse off than him. Prompto had shot down the last MT and didn't get back up, having taken one too many hits. Gladio kept the MA-X occupied, despite bleeding and tiring out fast. When the pilot saw the prince reaching the top of his machine, he panicked. Things were clearly lost, even though he should have had an advantage. Loqi decided he'd rather escape to live another day and ejected his cabin, sending the mech falling backward. Noctis heard Gladiolus' groan as he sat down between two MTs' corpse. The fighting was over. All the fighting was over and there was no need to warp or to strike, although through the haze, the young man still felt restless. He fell with the mech, standing up as his friends slowly gathered around him, Ignis and Crowe appearing. His heart ached to see if Luna was alright, but his eyes were slowly losing focus. Something was wrong… His veins still burned.

…

 _Luna rushed to the windowsill, seeing him getting up despite the fall he'd taken, running away from her. Her brother had given up an arm and willingly inflicted the blight on himself in the pursuit of his goal. A goal that aimed to find a cure to the illness she could cure at the cost of her own life force. Her heart didn't know if she should be angry or sad._

Iris' voice brought her back to reality.

"Luna… I think we should check on the others."

 _Noctis!_

Giving a shoulder to lean on to the dizzied girl, Luna hurried out of the room. The blight inducing sword would burn with the base. At least, Ravus couldn't use it anymore. Getting down the stairs and out of the lines of containers, they spotted the rest of their group. The mech had fallen, its cabin ejected and the pilot gone. Prompto and Gladio had drank two full potions each and Ignis was trying to convince Noctis to sit down. They were in hearing range when the prince collapsed to his knees, holding his head in his hands. Luna thought her heart would jump out of her ribcage. He couldn't do that to her now. He couldn't…

She rushed to his side, letting go of Iris to break into a run.

"Noctis!"

Ignis moved back, giving her space as she kneeled next to her fiancée, her hands taking hold of his shoulders. He was trembling and raised feverish eyes to her, looking for his breath. His jacket was ripped in place, a cut over one brow kept bleeding, and his hair was a mess of dried and fresh blood, not to mention dust and rock shards. She tried to summon her magic to fix him, but he flinched away from her.

"Stay… stay back." He managed to ask.

There was fear in his voice, and although it hurt after pushing her own brother away with her questions, Luna understood he wasn't afraid of her. Something was happening with him.

Noctis gritted his teeth, the pain growing even more intense. His swords were all gone, every weapon back in his arsenal, but the magic still pulsed in his veins, still burned. He'd used too much, but it seemed his powers wanted to come alive again, when he just wanted to lie down and stop hurting.

"Let me fix…"

"Get back." He pleaded.

Blurry after images flew around him and he pushed Luna fast enough, backing away, trying to breathe right as his arsenal half materialized, half rushed around him. The guys had gathered in the center of the place, everyone staring at him with worried eyes.

A sword, a lance, his ancestor's axe, his engine blade, all of them hurled through the air, disappearing and reappearing as he finally let out a shout of pain. He clawed at the ground, trying to contain it, to hold it back. He had never heard of his father losing control. Had never lost control himself. But his body was in shock. He'd warped too much, he wanted to throw up, needed things to stop moving around him.

From afar, Iris understood she couldn't do anything for the prince and walked up to her brother, needing to make sure he and the other guys were okay at the very least. Gladio's left eye was swollen and half closed from fallen debris and she couldn't tell what he thought of her own appearance. Her skirt was a little askew and her shirt was ripped in place, although the only serious wound on her was the small dot of blood on her arm. Her brother's coat was on the ground, a gash ran in the middle of his chest and he sat down, panting heavily. He held his right side, trying to clear his respiration, but something sounded wrong.

"Gladiolus… What's the damage?"

"Cracked ribs. Although Prompto is worse off than me."

"The potions helped," the gunman protested, despite lying on his back, one of his legs following an angle that didn't look humanly possible. Getting tossed around by mech had this effect sometimes. Crowe had already covered with potions her cuts and bruises and sat next to Gladio, coming back from a quick sweep of the base. She'd just made sure no one was left from the imperial side.

"I'll look after your brother, Iris. Take care of our chocobo lover."

Gladiolus wanted to ask what she'd been through, but his eyes kept going back to Noctis, who was now trashing about as he tried to regain control of his powers. In front of the prince, Luna was praying, not to the gods, but to Eo herself.

 _Have mercy on him and let him have peace._

Ignis hated the helpless feeling in his chest as he stood by. He was the least wounded of all, merely a few scratches and a slight burn to one ankle, nothing to worry about. When Lune exchanged a look with him, he understood what needed to be done. They all needed to retire somewhere safe to heal their wounds as soon as Noctis became "moveable" again.

"I'll get the car closer." He voiced.

Normally, one of the guys would have protested, but they were too tired or too far to realize the danger underlying his suggestion. He stalked off, Gladio wincing as Crowe slathered his large cut with potion, Prompto almost whimpering when Iris brushed his side, assessing the damage. His ribs were cracked in multiple places and it was a miracle nothing had been ruptured or punctured inside him.

Noctis pushed his face against the ground, trying to collect his powers, to get them in check, to turn off the panic welling up inside. He was shivering and sweating. Blood ran down his spine, down his left leg and his old wound ached, the very bones hurting and pulsing in his flesh, as though they wanted to pierce the skin. He blinked, coughed up bile and blood, the taste sour and far too metallic in his dry mouth. The magic died down after a good ten minutes of trembling like a leaf and tossing around. The curtain of blurry weapons collapsed, Luna rushing to his side almost instantly, her healing light wrapping around him. She didn't focus her power on him, her radius expanding far enough to fix the worst wounds of Gladio and Prompto. Iris felt her headache leave her and Crowe realized the larger cut on her wrist was gone.

With Luna's arms around his shoulder, Noctis' mind finally understood the fight was over. He was still feverish, still aching and although the skin was knitted back together, the throbbing and loss of blood weighed heavily on his body.

"Luna…"

His voice shook, almost cracking, frail, unsure, just as he felt. His heart was filled with fears. He had just barely pulled this off and Ramuh had refused to lend his help. To top it all, his own powers had almost gone wild. He could have ended up hurting his friends! The guys were hurt, he had seen the looks on their faces as he writhed in a maelstrom of half summoned weapons.

"It's okay, Noctis." She told him, forcing the thoughts for her brother aside, forcing the prince to lay his head on her lap and stroking his hair. "You've done well. We won."

It didn't feel like a victory for either of them.

"Something's wrong." He protested.

"You're hurt, all you need is to rest." She shushed him.

He tried to move, to shake his head, but could barely raise one arm. His muscles were too stiff, his flesh tender.

"Something's _wrong_ with me." He insisted. "I didn't mean… I'm sorry."

The panic in his voice made her want to cry, because he shouldn't apologize, not when he had tried to get through the whole fight.

"Don't, Noct. You did good. You've been pushing yourself too hard."

"But Ramuh didn't…"

He wanted to understand, but it was hard to keep his eyes open at this point. The fever made him even more confused and the lingering pain and Luna's pained eyes watching over him… It was too much.

"Let us handle it." She told him. "Just sleep."

And somehow, her magic worked. His consciousness faded and his head laid heavier against her thigh. Luna let a few tears roll down her cheeks, grateful for the silence and the fact the guys were giving her time, not asking how Noctis was right now.

Iris was helping Prompto on his feet, forgetting that her minor blood loss had made her dizzy. When she started toppling to the side, the gunman merely managed to keep her upright, leaning most of his weight on his good leg. The fracture might be gone, but the bone felt fragile and his flesh was raw all around it. Gladio stood very still, his breathing still laborious. Crowe had treated all she could see and forced him to swallow down an elixir, but she insisted to run a closer inspection. Brushing her hair aside to free one ear, she asked him to take one long breath, her face almost touching his chest. There was a rumble of hacks in there.

"I don't like the sound of that."

"The MA-X hit him square in the chest." Prompto observed. "Might have shuffled a few things."

"How careless can you…?!" Iris started, only to see Gladio pushing himself up.

"I can take a lot worse." He cut her off. "And we still need to blow the place up."

Crowe shook her head in disbelief, but let him lean on her shoulder as he slowly set back on his feet.

"I can take care of the base. I have enough magic to send it to another planet."

A motor turning off in the middle of the blown wall caught their attention. Ignis was back, apparently still in one piece. Iris was trying to remember how far they'd left the car, but the advisor simply motioned for them to take a seat.

"We can't all get back in…" their younger fighter observed.

"Let's just get our wounded seated first." Ignis declared, pushing his glasses a little higher on his nose.

They put Gladio in the front seat, despite his protests, knowing Noctis would need the back, since he couldn't sit up. The prince was out cold. Prompto pretended he could have ridden a bird, but Iris forced him in the backseat while Ignis helped Luna in carrying Noctis all the way to the car. They settled him in the backseat too, Iris leaning on the Regalia as she slowly processed everything that had happened. There was no small talk, no jokes. Too many were hurt and everyone worried about their young king. He looked far from indestructible right now, shivering in his sleep, sweat covering his forehead. She tried a remedy on him, but he wouldn't swallow anything and the effects weren't as good when applied to the skin, unlike potions.

As they prepared, Crowe got working on the blowing up of the base. Ignis moved the car further away and soon, the whole place was on fire. The Oracle could barely stand on her feet, so she accepted to sit in the backseat, pulling Noctis's upper body on her lap, trying to make him comfortable while leaving some place for Prompto on the other side. Ignis, Crowe and Iris considered things.

"I could do the driving." The former Glaive offered. "I don't think I'm up for a feather-ride, but I can take a few hours behind the wheel."

"I guess I could share a mount with Iris," Ignis declared.

It cost him to leave the car driving to anyone else than Noctis, but they needed to stick together and he doubted having any of them sitting on the back of the car -like Noctis sometimes did despite being clearly advised not to- was a good idea.

"Alright then."

Ignis' usual mount showed up, kneeling to let both riders saddle up. The young girl sat in front, despite the discomfort. She was too pale for the chamberlain to take any risk. They set out at a slow pace, Crowe asking Prompto to keep an eye on the sky while Gladio tried not to doze off and Luna kept stroking Noctis' hair at each of his whimpers or shakes. He looked so exhausted, she was angry at herself for even letting him go on with this. He had made a covenant, fought the empire to rescue her, chased monsters, been thrown from one heavy revelation to the next and not catching any real sleep since then. He kept telling her that the worst of his toll was covered by resting. But he hadn't rested. None of them had. And it was a weary group that arrived half an hour later in Monica's camp.

Ignis had tried obtaining a few answers about Ravus' intentions when he'd snatched her away, but Iris remained silent, pretending she was too dizzy to speak.

It could have been right, she felt ready to throw up and had to focus half of her thoughts on keeping the contents of her stomach inside. But the other half was turning around what she'd learned about the older of the Fleuret siblings. Ravus had only been an enemy in her mind, what with him leading the army and infecting her with the blight… But he was a brother. She could only imagine how far Gladiolus would go if her life meant half the hardships Luna had to face. The man was raving mad, that was a given, but his madness made sense. It was almost… almost nice of him, to forsake everything just to find a way to lighten the load from his sister's shoulders. He had given up an arm, going as far as infecting himself with the worse illness known to their world.

And she wondered if the blight could be healed by anything else than the miracles Luna summoned with her link to the gods. Was he running after chimeras? Was he kicking at clouds and just hurting people for nothing, or could he actually have a chance to…? He was a Fleuret too. But only the women had powers in his family. Just as the men were bodyguards in hers…

She tried to push the thoughts aside, but she'd heard every word thrown between the siblings. Ravus was doing all he could to save Luna from her fate, while letting her follow her heart. He strongly disagreed, but didn't stop her from doing what she thought was right. He had enough trust in her, unlike someone else she knew. Despite herself, Iris respected that part of him. And since he'd saved her, she wondered if she couldn't ease some sort of reconciliation between Luna and her older brother. It was farfetched at best, she was certainly nothing more than the girl his sister had healed in his view, a potential test subject for his research on the blight. But if she could use the fact she'd been blighted and healed as leverage or some sort of advantage. If she could help Luna get back her brother…

The young woman was so selfless and Iris felt guilty and even ashamed for her doubts about her. It was clear as day how much the princess cared for Noctis and she made him happy, something only a handful of people managed. She owed some sort of happiness. No matter how angry she got at Gladiolus, she couldn't imagine what it would feel like if they fought on opposite sides.

…

Crowe hadn't realized how tired she was until they reached the camp. Monica came up to meet them and shook her head in disbelief. Prompto gave a shaky thumbs-up and Gladio simply smirked.

"You should see the other guys."

His voice was strained and Crowe hoped he would be better after a few hours of rest. She needed someone to have her back if she was to make it and despite trying to regain her footing and her independency, it felt easier with him around.

The rest of the day was spent with settling things, running treatments, more healing from Luna and everyone taking turns to watch over Noctis. The prince's fever kept him delirious for a good seven hours, before to lower closer to something normal. Cor checked on him and asked for some sort of report. As night fell, Leonis gathered everyone up, having asserted a few things.

"I think I know what's going on with the prince." He started. "He hasn't collected many royal arms yet, has he?"

"There wasn't that much time." Prompto retorted, ready to defend his buddy.

"It's not a bad thing. I'd heard from Cid that Regis got really sick in a similar way, back when he started his own trip over Lucis. He had only one royal arm and kept using his Armigir with a mix of normal weapons and the royal arm. It unbalances their powers. Either they summon one normal weapon and switch between them, or they use only royal arms all at the same time."

They all sat outside the barrack, needing the fresh air and hoping to let Noctis catch up on more rest. He hadn't woken yet. Monica had cooked behemoth ribs for everyone, refusing both Iris and Ignis in her kitchen. The meat was crispy, the seasoning melting under the tongue and Gladio had already gotten through his third portion, Iris only managing to snatch some for the prince when he would finally wake up.

"So… His fever is an after-effect of him abusing his powers to rush through things?" Luna asserted.

Cor nodded, going on:

"He's being going through one fight to the next nonstop, hasn't he? I don't even understand how either of you could keep up. I mean, you all are clearly strong to follow him. But in the end, he needs to look after himself a bit more. If he burns himself out right from the start, we won't be better off."

"So the solution is to have him gather more royal arms or stop using them altogether?" Ignis asked.

"Pretty much. I would suggest the first option. But for now, he's bedridden. He needs to renew his strength."

"Oh, believe me, I'm not letting him rush anywhere." Luna decided. "I'll watch over him for tonight. You guys…"

"I hope you mean to say you're going to sleep next to him. You need as much rest as any of us." Prompto observed.

Her smile was soft, and her light blush gathered a few laughs.

"It was implied." She whispered, more to herself than anyone in particular.

"Lady, you're going to get teased around here. This is only a sample of what Noctis has been through for the last 20 years of his life." Gladio warned.

…

Since Cor was doing better, Monica had switched her bed to clean sheets and had the prince settled in it. The mattress was large enough for two and while Luna was really sorry to intrude, she had to admit, lying next to Noctis' body and snuggling close to him made her feel a lot better. He instinctively wrapped himself around her, soaking in her warmth, muttering in his sleep. She hadn't heard him to talk in his sleep yet, but the fever seemed to make him more open. One of the main words they'd gotten from him had been her name for most of the afternoon. When he shivered next to her and called for his father, the young woman gave up any pretense, letting her tears flow.

While her brother was out there, hurt, but alive, Noctis had no family left, no sibling, no one but her and his friends. And as strong as he pretended to be, he wasn't ready to face such losses. Who could ever be ready?

…

The rest of the group were faced with some difficulties. The few hunters staying around were bunking in the VR, and they were seven for six beds, without any couple that could snuggle close in a bunk. If Iris was any younger, she would have agreed to sleep with her brother, but Gladio still needed to recover and Crowe, no matter how long she tried to remain up on her feet, had used up all of her strength. They'd rested in turn during the afternoon but every one of them needed a full night of rest. After some arguing, Ignis decided he'd sleep in the Regalia. It would be more comfortable than the floor and it would let everyone use a bed. Cor didn't object, thankful for the option. He was still worn out and didn't exchange much with the others. In fact, everyone found sleep pretty fast.

Ignis had raised the hood of the car, leaning down his seat, his glasses safely stored in the glovebox. He tried laying on his back, but hated how exposed that made him feel. As he turned on his side, he sighed heavily. The seat wasn't long enough to accommodate his legs and the space was cramped. Having worked on the logistics more than the fighting, he felt restless, as though he hadn't done enough yet. He was tired though, but sleep couldn't come, not when his mind kept turning theories and questions around.

Sleeping in a car felt wrong, since he usually drove cars. Roadkills from sleep behind the wheel were uncommon, but not unheard of and a small voice in the back of his head warned him that if he managed to find sleep here, he might open the door to an accident. Its counterpart observed that without sleep, he'd definitely threaten everyone's safety if he drove them anywhere in the morning. Although he doubted Noctis would be up for moving around. The prince needed two full days of rest in a bed, at the very least. But he knew things were still moving and that they needed to act fast. He simply wondered what they could do on their side to relieve his liege. Getting a new car might prove useful. Their group was growing. And if the guys managed to recruit Aranea…

Thinking of her made him even more restless. She had been on his mind since he'd understood it was her and now… He had no idea how he'd react the next time they'd meet. Or if there would be a next time.

He angrily turned on his cell, needing some sort of reprieve. There was no game on the thing, he hated those. A loss of time he'd say. He had a few digital books, but reading didn't seem appropriate. He'd end up focusing too hard and not fall asleep at all. His fingers typed away a few passwords, opening a file he'd kept close for years, transferring it only to know it was still around, if he ever wanted to remember…

The pictures of him and Aria in the photo booths looked freshly taken. He hadn't checked them after seeing her. He couldn't seem to get time alone and wouldn't have the guys teasing him about it. But now, he studied her at length. Forced himself to recall her frame as he'd fought against her. She'd put on some muscles, but she was still thin. He recalled gap in her armor. The Aria he'd known wouldn't have shown her stomach around, but Aranea seemed like a proud fighter, sure of herself.

And the jumps she made…

He scrolled through the pictures, trying not to remember how happy he'd felt that day. The awkward one made him smile. If she was even interested in mending their relationship, things would definitely feel awkward. Five years had gone by.

She was still pale, maybe a little curvier here and there. Had he really noticed these sorts of things? Had he gone as far as noting her scent in his memory? Sweat, spice. He wanted to bang his head against the steering wheel. Those details, he hadn't consciously observed them. They were just a part of his calculations, of his planning as he tried to find the right angle to face her. Instead of moving, he moved to the following picture, where they kissed. He'd tried being with other girls. To take his mind off his work. To pretend he was normal and over it. But if he was honest with himself, Ignis had never felt the same since she'd literally fallen out of his life. And he couldn't believe the girl he'd known was entirely gone. She might have changed her name, put on some make-up and switched clothes, but deep down, his Aria waited.

He was older, stronger and more reliable now. At least, he wanted to be. Thumbing through the pictures a few more times, he permitted himself a few minutes of longing. The idea she'd live away from him for so many years still hurt, but there was comfort in the memories too. They'd always been worlds apart. And still, somehow, life found a way to bring them back together. He drifted to sleep, dreaming of her, testing his food, walking by his side. Or free falling in a flock of feathers, crying out his name. His subconscious had never been fair with him, mixing the memories together, as many bad and good ones as possible, as though he owed to be tortured.

…

Morning came, Noctis waking up from his feverish sleep, his temperature stable, his mind still foggy and his fiancée lying right next to him. Luna was fast asleep, since it was early, but the young man had been sleeping for more than ten hours. Not remembering moving after losing consciousness in the middle of his freshly retaken base, he had to hold back the panic as he took in his surroundings. Any movement caused pain and he ached from everywhere.

"How…?"

His voice sounded crooked and Luna blinked, her eyes puffy, her hair a mess.

"You're awake? How do you feel?" she asked him.

"Painfully alive. Is this… Monica's…?"

He hadn't half raised himself when Lunafreya's hands pushed him back on the mattress.

"Yes, it is, don't try sitting up yet. I'll get you some water. You've pushed yourself too hard."

He wasn't sure he liked how careful she sounded. He wasn't made of glass. Alright, his powers had gone haywire and he felt sick, but he wasn't dying. At least, he didn't think so. And he hated seeing her worried, especially if it was about him.

"Would you mind describing to me how you feel in a little more detail?" she insisted.

"Sore." He retorted, pushing himself up on an elbow, before turning pale and lying back down. "Dizzy like hell. I haven't felt that bad since the first time I warped myself to a wall."

Luna gave off a smile and explained Cor's theory about what had happened. Noctis pondered over it, trying to remember anything he'd read over his ancestors' powers or the stuff his father might have told him. They'd rarely trained together. Regis had given him the basics and let Gladio handle the rest. Cor had supervised a few times and Ignis had joined more than one session. The king had far too much on his plate to perfect his only heir's technique.

"You've been over-using your powers, not only in the fight yesterday, but for the last few weeks. Either you gather more royal arms, or you slow down. And either way, I think you shouldn't move from that bed before the fever goes entirely down."

"What about the guys?"

He gulped down the glass of water she gave him, agreeing to settle his head on her lap as she sat on the bed, holding one of her hands as she toyed with his hair.

"They're mostly better. They could use some rest too."

Half reassured, he looked up to her, giving a slight squeeze.

"You've cried yourself to sleep. What happened to you in that base?"

His voice held no anger, no resentment. Only regret that he hadn't been up and able to look after her, while she looked after him. Luna seemed surprised, but answered with the truth.

"I managed to talk with Ravus. We argued to be honest. I got a few answers from him. About the reasons why he would infect anyone with the blight…"

Noctis didn't comment. If it was from patience or simply from his own fatigue, she couldn't tell, but she was grateful.

"He started by infecting himself, Noct. He's looking for a cure. So that I wouldn't have to go through with all this. He gave up an arm and his health…"

Her voice cracked and the young man grimaced as he managed to raise one hand to her face.

"Don't blame yourself. He makes his own decisions. And no matter how good his intentions…"

"I thought I was reaching him, but as long as I stay the Oracle, he won't stop either."

Her hands stroked his shoulders, the young woman bending her back to lay her forehead against his, trying to control the turmoil inside her.

"If you want us to find him, we'll find him."

"I don't know what I want. I don't want him to hurt, but… He's doing the only thing he knows. Sacrificing himself for the people he cares about. That's what our mother taught us. If I take that away from him, I don't know…"

And somehow, her admission wasn't only about Ravus. She was afraid of the choices in front of her. Of the fact she was learning of another way. But she had Noctis in her life, while Ravus had no one.

"Luna, get down here."

If she wouldn't let him move up, that didn't mean he couldn't wrap her in his arms. She seemed ready to protest.

"I feel as though I've done nothing but crying since we got reunited."

"Well…. You've been hurt for many years and keeping it all in, even in our letters. You keep telling the guys to lean on you."

"But you're hurt, and I shouldn't…"

"Luna, you can't pretend you're okay because I'm not entirely fine myself. We can hurt together. We're definitely setting ourselves to get hurt together at this rate…"

That actually made her laugh through the few tears that fell from her eyes as she snuggled close to him. They needed a lot of fixing and mending. But at least, they were together.

…

"What's up with that hair?" Prompto's voice asked.

Ignis tried to blink the sleep away. The car door next to him was open and the blond man was turning his back on him, staring at something, Gladio peeking from over his shoulders.

"Wait, you mean, what's up with that smile!"

Having mixed feelings from what he heard and the few things he deduced from it, Ignis raised himself into a sitting position, his neck cracking in protest. Sleeping in cars wasn't better than on floors, he noted to himself. His hands were empty and he suddenly realized his phone was gone. Jumping to his feet, he saw the pictures from his younger self and Aria on the screen, Prompto commenting cheerfully. Crowe actually asked to see them too, clearly curious, while Iris remained out of sight.

"Guys." He started, his throat a little too dry.

"Wait, that one's pretty cute." The woman observed.

Ignis cleared his throat, trying to remain calm. This was harmless teasing at worst, but it felt like an invasion of privacy. Prompto's eyes widened and he gave a sheepish smile.

"I didn't mean to pry, Iggy! Gladio just wondered what kind of book could get you to fall asleep on your phone, so I unlocked it and the pictures were right…"

"You know my password?" Ignis deduced, taking back his cell and trying to sound detached and calm.

"I know every one of you guys' passwords." The gunman retorted. "You remember I taught you how to crack down codes and stuff?"

Gladiolus gave a friendly tap on Ignis' shoulder, trying to defuse the situation.

"He never saw you being young or frivolous, man, you can't ask him to see a picture and act as though he doesn't care. He's obsessed with pictures."

"And I never used a photobooth once in my life!"

The chamberlain sighed.

"Just stop. I'm tired, stiff and definitely not up for this."

"Damn, I think this is the most personal things I've heard you say since I joined your little team." Crowe remarked.

It wasn't entirely teasing, but the guys shrugged it off, smirks or light smiles showing.

"Breakfast!" Iris called from over the bunk area.

They gathered up to eat and plan the rest of their day. Monica had checked on the royals and stated they were staying for at least two more days. They were already back to sleep, Noctis needing all the rest he could get.

"If you want to rest up more yourself…"

"I think we should get things done to take a load off Noctis' shoulders instead. We already have enough money to pay the Regalia's repairs." Prompto suggested.

"And maybe Cindy could refer us to car or motorcycles sellers. We're too many to fit in the car and if we ever need Cor to tag along, chocobo riding won't be an option." Gladio added.

"I have my own car, thank you very much." The older man replied.

Ignis decided not to pick up on what Gladiolus might be implying about Cor's riding capabilities. Chocobo riding was a temporary fix either way.

"Off to Hammerhead it is then. I don't think Noctis will have a problem with it."

"With that money, will you pay for a new car?" Iris asked them, looking concerned.

"We'll hunt here and there. And we might only get information today."

"Gladio is not in any shape to…"

His breathing still sounded raspy every now and then. Her brother squared his shoulders, too proud to admit he wasn't entirely better.

"We won't fight big targets. And like Iggy said, we're gathering information. You don't buy a car without giving it some thought."

"Now, he's patronizing me!" she laughed. "Fine, go, but stay safe. I'll keep Monica company."

"That would be appreciated. Anyone else staying? Feel free to."

Prompto was clearly eager to see Hammerhead – and his goddess of the gears- and Ignis wouldn't let anyone else drive the Regalia if he could prevent it. Crowe decided to follow the group after exchanging a brief look with Iris. The girl had something on her mind and wanted time on her own to sort out her thoughts.

"We'll keep you updated if we can't make it back before sundown."

The rest were brief preparations and a few goodbyes. They rolled off into the distance a dozen minutes later, Gladio and Crowe sharing the back seat, the woman careful of not sitting in the middle seat this time, keeping space between them. She felt too comfortable around him and wanted to feel as independent as she'd been before Glaives tried killing her. Prompto was in front, trying to decide whether he should text Cindy to let her know they were coming. The hours passed by before he could make a choice, Crowe chatting up either Ignis or Gladio about weaponry, tactics and much to their driver's surprise, food spicing. They parked at the garage station, jumping off the car, their stiff limbs begging for a good stretching.

"Hey! Wasn't expecting ya'all to show up this early." Cindy observed, a smile on her face.

Prompto instantly noticed the full shirt she was wearing under her yellow jacket. Her shorts were longer too and he had to swallow back down the dozen questions that came to mind.

"I told them we couldn't let the interests accumulate more. You might be fair when it comes to business, but your grandfather is an old rascal." Gladiolus told her.

Cindy smiled, agreeing entirely.

"That and also the fact we could use a few tips to get another car. They're seven of us now and we might recruit more people for the rest of our _journey_." Ignis declared, clearly hesitating as he looked for the last word to describe their endeavor.

"Ya must be Crowe, right? Cindy Aurum." The blond girl presented herself, keeping her dirty gloves on as she raised one extended hand.

Crowe wasn't one to be scared away by crass, and she shook her hand.

"I ate at Takka's place before setting off for my last mission. We passed by each other."

"Ya had a motorcycle, right? A pretty lil' thing too. Those are rare to get by. If ya want another car, I might be able to design ya something. But I can't promise a convertible like that beauty."

"Don't trouble yourself for us." Prompto whispered.

The look that went between them was half tensed half awkward.

"Why don't ya three check on the cars we keep in the back? They're mostly pieces and bits, but we keep them for the good parts. With a nice skeleton to work on, I could make one trustworthy drive."

She was clearly addressing herself to Ignis, Gladiolus and Crowe. The guys sent knowing look to the gunman, who simply grabbed Noctis' credit card from Ignis, so he would be able to keep his end of the bargain.

"Don't go use it for anything else." His tall friend warned him.

Cindy laughed at the face Prompto pulled in answer to his clear doubts.

"Big spender?"

"Nope. Guess he's just afraid I might try to collect some gadgets while I'm here."

The word "gadget" made her eyes glint and she smiled, half turning away from him, rolling one shoulder so he'd follow her. He did, unsure and wary, but the garage was empty, Cid currently eating dinner at Takka's place.

"Ya doing okay?"

"Yeah. We got through a base. Noctis and Luna are taking it easy. They've been pushing themselves pretty hard."

"So ya're not taking any rest, huh? Ya're paler than usual."

"Surely the blood loss." He said, too casual about it for comfort. The shocked look she gave him made him want to slap himself in the face. "I mean, I'm okay, but it was a rough fight. Damn, I'm not trying to sound pitiful or…"

"It's okay. I guess everyone around the young king are pushing themselves."

She pushed a few tools back and started searching for her payment machine. Prompto fiound himself staring at her, studying her movement. Something felt wrong.

"If you don't mind me asking… Why are you wearing a shirt?"

"Smooth, city boy, real smooth." She teased him, sending a brief look at him from over her shoulder. "I got… burned with oil while I worked. So… no bikini until it's done healing."

Her voice cracked in some parts of her explanation and Prompto wondered if he'd missed anything the last time they'd seen each other. He wasn't sure if he could push the question further. Wasn't sure of anything with her.

"You know, I took your advice."

Cindy had finally found her machine and stood up, turning back to face him, head leaned to the side, her eyes curious.

"Which one?"

"I told the guys."

He pointed to his wristband, hoping the result would be different than when she'd discovered the truth for herself. Cindy blinked, but the smile that came on her face was full and sincere.

"Ya did?! And everything's the same as before?"

He nodded, encouraged by the idea she was happy for him. That had to mean things could be mended between them. He had no idea to which point, but still…

"That's good to hear. Although I'll want a full story of how it happened. But before that… Maybe I should tell you what that favor I mentioned was about."

"Sure."

She asked him to wait and vanished into her room, to come back with a rectangular case of metal in her arms.

"Now, I've worked on it, but I didn't have many models to base myself on. So ya can't laugh if I did it wrong."

Prompto was growing even more curious, but he gave her time, barely bouncing once in impatience when she hesitated to open the box. She moved back to let him see the contents, making sure no one was walking into the garage.

"Wait, why would you…?"

Inside the case, resting on a foamy fabric, two handguns glinted. He held one up, looking for unbalance or some sort of imperfection.

"I want to defend myself better." She started. "And guns aren't exactly walking on the streets. The armor vendor that stops by only gave me a base to work from. He hasn't had the chance to develop any stock recently."

"Why guns?"

"Because it's precise and I don't have time to train until I'm as muscled as Crowe Altius."

"So that favor…?"

"I want ya to teach me how to shoot. Ya've got sniper-like precision. I might not get close to that, but… If I learn from the best, I bet ya I can do some serious damage if any monsters ever cross my path again."

Prompto wasn't sure how to take it. It was a huge compliment, but he didn't want her to think she was invincible and rush in beasts' nests or take up hunts to make do if the clients turned rare. They'd talked a bit during the few hours they'd spent together. She was really attached to her job, but she wanted to keep her paw paw comfortable more than anything else. The man had always looked after her and she owed him everything. Except her knack at mechanics and good looks.

"I can't teach you how to fire a gun in a matter of hours."

"Well, we'll plan a few sessions. I don' wanna be unrealistic about it. And if you don't want to do it, it's…"

"No, no, it's the least I can do. If you always excavate car parts from mines…"

Her laugh was slightly nervous, but he gave her a smile.

"I don't want to need them. But imperials are fallin' from the sky every friggin' day, Prompto. If they drop close to us when the hunters are out or…"

"I'll teach you. First, I'll have to test those babies."

Despite how dangerous guns were, he loved them and after taking one apart and putting it back together, he could tell she'd done an incredible job.

"Why don't you go on?"

"In the middle of your garage? With inflammable oil everywhere? And gas?"

She stuck her tongue out at him, realizing she might not have thought all of it through. But his laugh made her feel better and Prompto was pretty sure those sessions might lead him somewhere. She didn't want to jump into awkward discussions. She kept things to herself, but she trusted him around her. She trusted him enough to ask for his advice on something like this.

"First session starts with security questions. And I'm not teaching you unless you promise to never shoot at me."

"That's easy."

"I said promise."

"Well, ya're not giving me my first session now."

"Why, don't have time for it?"

"I could make time." She admitted. "But I don't really want paw-paw to know about it. Not until I'm sharp enough to hit a target at least."

He could understand that. He was good at keeping secrets and sharing one with her made him feel special. He sure hoped he could discover what she was hiding except for the guns and that it wouldn't be anything bad.

If he'd listen to his gut, he'd dig deeper and find out right away, but he was too unsure to rush her. If he'd known, he would have insisted.

…

Iris had drifted around the small camp, talking with a few hunters, convincing one of them to go over the best weapons for a girl of her size. After facing real opponents, she was willing to admit her bare hands might not be enough.

"You're more of a martial artist, huh? I might have just the thing for you." Dave declared.

He browsed through a small collection of weapons and presented her with a retractable bo staff.

"With this, you can keep them at bay and take on three to four people at the same time. You'll need space of course, but with some training, I'm pretty sure you'll deal as much damage as your brother."

"I've already trained with them. I just never claimed a weapon my own. There was no need and my father was against it. He wanted one of his children away from the battlefield."

As she explained it, she realized the pain was still strong when she thought of Clarus. The old man had been strict and hard, but also her role model.

"Nobody said you had to fight." Dave told her, understanding why she could be hesitant.

She grabbed the staff, reminding herself of how hurt the guys had gotten yesterday. She could be a protector too, no matter how small or frail she may look. She packed some muscles and had brute strength that defied everything her gym teachers believed in.

"I'll take it. I have some money if…"

"There's no need. A weapon put to good use is one more chance for our side. We have fewer and fewer fighters. Just try to stay careful. Sending people your age out there…"

Dave sighed deeply and Iris gave him her brightest smile. She knew why he had scruples, she knew how bad it might feel, but she could fend for herself. If they all needed her to prove it to them, she would. She spent most of the morning training, eating with Monica and Luna, although the Oracle only joined them briefly. She hadn't tied Noctis to his bed yet, but might need to do so. The prince was growing restless as the aches and sores receded. Thankfully, he was still too weak to move around.

"If you need help…"

"I should be fine, but I'll be sure to let you know, Iris."

Monica sensed unrest in the younger Amicitia and tried to coax some truth out of her. Iris had many reasons to feel restless. She had been briefly kidnapped, her blood stolen for some sort of experiment, her brother trying to lose himself in battles and Noctis seemed close of doing the same. She wanted to interfere, to make a difference, but they barely gave her any space. When she saw a white dot running in the dry wasteland, she walked out of the camp, past the repelling-daemons lights to get a better look.

Her staff was retracted to one 30 centimeters stick she'd attached to her belt. She had enough potions to treat a dozen men and had never feared the open world. Monica was currently on the phone, back in the bunks and Cor had gathered her hunters further back, trying to organize their stock.

No one minded her and she recognized Pryna, running with purpose. Surely the dog shouldn't be out on his own. She was a small thing, almost defenseless. And Luna might be running around, looking after Noctis, but she was weakened, and when the Oracle was weakened, so was the dog. Iris was merely trying to find herself excuses to follow suit and after listing three more reasons in her mind, she decided she had one clear conscience. She took off into the falling sun, knowing she could always find a camping site with the map on her phone. All she wanted was to keep track of Pryna. And maybe also to find out where the messenger dog might be running to.

Three miles later, she was nearing the border to Duscae and couldn't feel her legs anymore. Pryna had slowed down, looking slightly confused. She hummed at the air, gave a light bark, before rushing around a boulder, yapping as she vanished from Iris' sight. The poor girl rushed forward, only to hear a cough and a groan, coming face to face with a disgruntled Ravus on the other side of the boulder.

Thunder roared above their heads as their eyes met, the man sitting down on the hard ground, his white uniform dirty, eyes dark, Pryna climbing into his lap despite his efforts to keep her away. The picture could have made Iris laugh if he hadn't infected her with the blight and gone to impossible lengths all for one obscure goal. To protect his sister. The dog whined and barked, her tail waving.

"What are _you_ doing here?" he asked, ready to snap at her.

He didn't raise his sword, didn't try to get up. Iris smelled blood and wondered when he'd gotten wounded. The man hadn't fought anyone.

"You saved me the other day. No matter how misguided the reasons behind the gesture, I'm an Almicitia. We always pay back our debt." She heard herself answering.

To be continued…

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Conflict will be back in next chapter. This one ended up long, because it's such a bridge between events and I had like a million little scenes I wanted to mash into it. I could have ended things with Prompto and Cindy, but I like creating some tension with what's coming with Iris. Believe me, I don't plan anything bad for her. Not to bad at least… And I'm convinced that all of the chapter's content was necessary. Be sure to let me know what you think! :D

In next chapter we'll have more Noct/Luna (I get the feeling I went really light on it), maybe a hint of Cornica, an altercation between Ravus and Iris, and more Hammerhead shenanigans. As always, I'll try bringing the chapter out in the following week. So sometimes next Friday or the weekend following next Friday. Sure hope the story is to your liking!

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	24. Here comes the rain again

More hurt and comfort amongst the conflict. There won't be action just yet. Not serious action anyway. Also, Ravus kinda took over this chapter. I love that bastard prince. And yes, technically, Ravus is a prince, isn't he? Otherwise, we have some Noct/Luna in the end, but I've realized that I gave them too much spotlight lately (is that possible?) and I have a lot of people to cover too. Also, I think that after one last serious mission, I'll have to give the gang a chance to rest up for at least one week. There's not even one month that has gone by yet since Insomnia fell!

Have a nice time reading!

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Unexpected

Chapter 24 – Here comes the rain again

The dead pile of cars aligned behind the garage didn't seem very inviting. Ignis doubted there was anything salvageable in there, but he needed the distraction. And Gladio liked tinkering with this sort of stuff in his free time, although he sucked at repairing mechanical things. Crowe hovered about, pushing at a few parts with the tip of her boot. She instantly lost interest in anything that toppled over.

"I wish you'd let me visit Free Crown," she sighed after a few minutes. "Is it far from here?"

"Not that much." Gladio admitted. "But we don't usually visit without Noctis. And with their new installation…"

Ignis was shaking his head, standing behind the woman, trying to get his friend to understand the more he talked, the more she'd insist on going. They couldn't start an anti-daemon chase without the prince… and Crowe wouldn't leave her only living friend to fend for himself against the creatures that polluted the small town of refugees he had under his wing. She was as thick-headed as the prince and his shield. Gladio frowned at Iggy's behavior, unable to think clearly. There was a look in the Glaive's eyes, almost pleading, somewhat playful, a look Iris used on him many times and which usually got a yes out of him. The fact his chest felt too tight and that he couldn't fully breathe in or out didn't help either.

"Maybe we should check on them. They might have extra cars." He added to try and please his bespectacled friend.

Ignis had the decency not to roll his eyes at him. But the crease between his brows deepened slightly.

"We can go. But we need to warn Prompto. He might want to stay here." he sighed.

"For people that had parted so badly, those two sure seems to get along." Gladio admitted.

"Oh, there was definitely tension between them. And not just the good kind." Crowe remarked. "But as long as we don't have to face any dropship, I don't see any harm in leaving him here for a few hours."

They agreed to grab lunch, talk things out with Prompto and move out in a party of either three or four. It might have feel awkward to be around a stranger, but after fighting side by side with her, Ignis had gotten quite accustomed to Crowe and Gladio was at ease, despite trying to keep things professional. The fact she was acting like a tom-boy most of the time certainly helped. While the bodyguard left most of the talking to the other twos, both observed the raspy sounds that kept coming from him every now and then. They were starting to wonder whether he needed a more thorough medical inspection. Free Crown might not have the best installations, but Libertus had been working on a hospital wing, having equipment transferred or constructed.

Prompto was just done paying the repairs when they knocked on the garage door to check on him.

"Free Crown? I wonder how the kids are doing." He looked excited at he mentioned them. If Prompto was good with any sort of people, it was kids, what with being an overexcited man-child himself.

"I visited them the other day," Cindy declared. "Been making deliveries as often as possible. The kids are holding on well."

"Where do you find the time to run this place and…?" Crowe mused.

"I don't need much sleep." The mechanic replied matter-of-factly.

Before going further, Ignis observed that they needed to make plans for the rest of the day. Going to Free Crown left little chance to get back to Monica's camp before the night fell and although the Regalia was equipped for it, he'd rather not drive more than needed. He hadn't gotten the right amount of sleep yet.

"You guys feel up for going without me? Cindy could use my help on a project…"

"Wait, I don' mean to interfere with…!"

"It's all fine." Ignis cut her off. "As long as he gets a place to sleep and food in his stomach. Which reminds me, give me back Noct's credit card."

Prompto obeyed, raising his eyes to the sky at the man's half-faked distrust. The parting was easy and Crowe surprised both men by sitting in front, next to their driver this time around. She got the feeling Ignis might feel left out.

"Now, you both need to tell me what you can about this camp. It's been in development for less than a month, right?"

…

" _You saved me the other day. No matter how misguided the reasons behind the gesture, I'm an Amicitia. We always pay back our debt."_

Ravus glared at the young girl, trying to ignore the dog in his lap. His mechanical arm didn't move and his teeth could have gnashed together if he hadn't felt this tired. His voice sounded serious and cold when he retorted to her declaration:

"I don't need saving."

"Pryna seemed to be thinking otherwise."

"So she brought you to me? You realize I only wanted a sample of your blood."

"You would have gotten it just as well from my corpse."

"I thought vampires were after fresh blood."

If it was an attempt at humor or him being shy, she couldn't tell. Iris rolled her eyes and gestured to their surroundings.

"If you don't need help, why are you sitting here, in the middle of nowhere? This is not a campsite. Anything could jump at you at any moment."

"I'm a soldier, little girl. I can take on beasts and daemons."

Pryna managed to climb high enough in his lap to lick his face and he heaved a sigh, unsure of what he should do. The white ball of fur was not good for his strong image, but there wasn't much chance for putting on a harsh façade. He didn't have the energy to run this time around. The thunder roared once more, closer yet and he slowly got up, grabbing the dog by its fur and raising her so that their eyes were leveled, ignoring Iris.

"I told you before not to run after me. You carry messages, thoughts. You don't drive people into danger."

Pryna lowered her ears and Iris couldn't believe the sight she had in front of her. She managed to halt her laugh mid-way, instantly feeling the glare of Ravus on her.

"Night is going to fall soon. You shouldn't stay here."

"Where will you go? Sulk in some cave until daemons jump at you?"

"Why do you care?"

"Luna cares. And she's my friend."

That got to him, because Lunafreya never had friends. She had servants, wardens, a deceased mother and one taciturn brother. Also, a corresponding prince, which she called her friend on the first day they met, because his novelty made her swoon. But otherwise, she was a lone soul.

"Well, I have some repelling lights, so a cave might be the next best thing to a camp."

The rain started falling then, a cold downpour. He dropped Pryna to the ground, his prosthetic arm limp at his side as he walked off. The dog followed suit and Iris did the same, much to his annoyance.

"You're hurt." She observed, as if it explained why she couldn't leave him alone.

"I can take care of myself. Are you intent on following?"

Logically, the girl shouldn't run around at this hour on her own. He hadn't save her to let her die in the wastelands a few hours later, although he hadn't expected her of ditching the prince's retinue to follow a dog.

"At least until the morning come." Iris answered. "And I could use some explanation for your recent actions. Luna owes more than…"

She was cut off by a shot of lightning flashing through the sky and the violent rumble of thunder that followed. Ravus got walking faster, Pryna running between both human as if to make sure Iris wouldn't leave. The girl wondered if the dog hadn't leaded her to him so someone would look after him. The rain grew stronger yet, making it hard to see in front of them. The imperial commander reached the mountain walls and gave a silent order to Pryna. A few crackling otherworldly sounds warned them of daemons appearing, but the brave canine had found just what she'd been asked for, diving between two rocks. Ravus followed her in, Iris not far behind. It seemed a temporary truce had been agreed on.

But the dark look he gave her was a warning. He would tolerate her presence for the moment, if only to keep Pryna quiet.

The cave was a small hole among the rocks, about one meter and a half high of ceiling for three squared meters of space inside. The opening was a slit in the ground, forcing both to enter sideways.

"As soon as the sun rise tomorrow, you'll get out of my hair and take Pryna with you," he ordered, clearly not opened to protest.

Iris simply considered their austere surroundings, the cave feeling cold and humid. The white dog shook herself up, getting rid of most of the water in her fur, while Ravus set his two-sided repelling light on the floor by the entrance, putting his drenched cape before it, sticking it to the walls with nails as though he'd done it before. If any daemons spotted them, the light would keep them away and nothing would manifest inside, not in such a closed space. Turning back towards the intruder joining him for the evening wasn't easy. He was used to be alone by now and the girl had heard more than he'd wanted.

"You stay on your side of the cave," he warned, taking two steps in and sitting on his own side, getting rations out of his coat's pockets, setting them on the ground to make a quick inventory.

"Are you afraid of a little girl like me?" Iris retorted.

"Aren't you the one who should be afraid?"

He took off his belt, pushing the blade to the side, testing her reaction. She wasn't as confident as she forced herself to sound, but Iris had still 7 good reasons on the 10 she'd found to be here.

"Your right arm can barely move and you look ready to collapse from exhaustion." She pointed out.

"We might have fought twice, but you can't read me. It's only because my sister deemed you worthy of her healing that I'm tolerating you right now."

"From what I've seen of her, she'd heal the emperor himself." Iris commented.

Ravus was reminded of Ardyn's orders, of Verstael's warnings and of how much he wished Luna was a tad more selfish. Pryna pushed on his metallic arm with her head, making him wince from the pain. Blood had tainted his right sleeve, making the wound far too obvious.

"I guess you don't want me to give it a look? You have enough potions and wisdom to patch yourself up on your own? How did you even got hurt in the first place?"

"The landing. Still working on growing wings."

Pryna whined worriedly and Iris shook her head.

"I don't like you and if you weren't Luna's brother, I'm not sure I could get myself to care. But anyone who wants to heal the blight has to have some good inside."

He pushed Pryna aside, bending one leg to give himself some shelter or pretend distance. Ravus wanted a few minutes of peace, but the constant pain, the worries and the idea Luna was now preoccupied with his well-being when she had so much on her plate kept bothering him. This wasn't what an older brother gave his baby sister. His rations wouldn't last more than two days.

"Amicitia huh? Iris, was it?"

She blinked, surprised he'd remembered her name, which hadn't been mentioned more than once around him.

"There's _nothing_ good about me, Iris. So don't go imagining things because I let you sleep here or gave you food." He paused, a scowl growing on his face. "I'm pretty sure you didn't bring food when you took off running after Pryn…"

Iris managed to keep her blush in check. She had acted on impulse, following Pryna and hadn't prepared much. She had a weapon, her phone and her first aid kit, which was more complete than most, but she lacked snacks and camping gear. Picturing the disappointed look on Gladio's face, she almost lowered her eyes, but thought better. Showing weakness around that man wouldn't get her anywhere. He was the first to break eye contact, throwing a military ration into her lap. He tore through his own ration's bag and got munching, letting Pryna have his crumbs. The cold was slipping in, making them both shiver and the only solution he had to keep the girl warm sounded wrong in his head. But as ill-prepared as she was, he wasn't that better.

When her teeth started chattering together, he heaved a sigh, brushing his long and damp hair to the side.

"You wouldn't happen to have some magic on you?"

Iris shook her head no, wanting to point out he was shivering just as hard as her. But Ravus wasn't one for gentle explanations. He shrugged off his overcoat, exposing his prosthetic and one muscled arm. The dark shirt under his uniform clashed with his too-white skin, but black had always reminded Iris of home and her older brother.

"Get on this side. Pryna's just as cold as you."

Iris doubted sitting next to the man or sharing their body's warmth could feel good. She wasn't here for this kind of distraction and had no idea what she could expect from him. Seeing her hesitation, he unclasped his right arm, letting the prosthetic fall to the ground with a metallic thud. Pryna quivered, her muzzle trembling, ears shifting anxiously. Iris's wide eyes reflected a mix of fear and compassion at the sight and he had to swallow down a knot in his throat. Compassion hurt too much.

"I was getting frostbite." He defended himself. "Get here before your fingers turn blue."

The gestures were awkward, her feet almost frozen in her boots as she got to her knees and crossed the space between them. But she had to admit that with only one arm, maintaining his balance thanks to the rock wall in his back, hair clinging to his skull, Ravus didn't look quite as scary as the first time they'd met. She took off her coat, wishing the rain hadn't reached so far through the fabric of her clothes. Leide was usually dry and rain had to fall today, of all days.

From closer up, she noticed the dark bags under his eyes, the veins showing through the skin of his neck. She tried to look at his wounded shoulder, but he tensed up, his hand gripping her waist and forcing her to turn her head to his left side. He wasn't as built as Gladio, but she could tell how strong he was, not matter if he bled or hurt. Her head settled under his neck, his breath falling on her nape, her legs raised against her chest. He didn't talk, didn't give an order, only keeping her close with his left arm. His heart was beating awfully fast under her ear. Pryna climbed in Iris' lap, a bundle of warmth and fur.

When the girl shivered, he rubbed warmth back into her arm and shoulder, going as far as stroking her back, not even meaning to, simply reacting. He'd sat like this with Luna once, after an unplanned expedition that had gotten them lost in colder parts of Tenebrae. That had been the last hug they'd exchanged. Iris wondered an instant if this one-armed embrace could feel comfortable once you'd get used to the fact one arm was missing.

"How does the blight work? People catch it all the time, but I never understood…"

"What do you know of the starscourge?" he started, surprising her once again.

Hearing his voice reverberating through his ribcage felt strangely comforting.

"It was brought upon mankind by Ifrit's actions. It could eat away the day and sun and plunge us into eternal night…" she answered, grasping at what she'd heard back in elementary school.

Those were legends and she doubted they were related to the…

"There's a dark star, or more accurately, a dark moon orbiting around our planet. It's an unstable satellite, breaking down a little more every year. The debris fall and burn through the atmosphere. When it finally reaches our sky, the star's pieces are nothing more than ashes. Toxic ashes."

She wondered how he'd learn those things, but didn't dare interrupt. She was still cold and his voice -unguarded for the first time since Pryna had found him- made her warmer.

"The ashes remain harmless if exposed to natural or Oracle's light. But if they touched a creature as it slept, if you'd breathed them while camping outside… The contamination starts. The process is slow, almost impossible to detect at first. Animals warps into daemons over the course of a few months, a human being can take years to show any beastly signs. The taints are a clue, but as long as they steer away from the heart, the host can remain stable and human."

"How…?"

His laugh sounded harsh, cold.

"You don't want to know how they learned… Believe me."

"But there must be other way to catch it. Your sword…"

Her voice cracked and he tensed slightly. Pryna gave off a huff, Iris holding her too hard and the girl had difficulty relaxing despite everything that had transpired before. This was a strange conversation, judging how they'd first met. Ravus gave her an explanation to the weapon, remembering all too well the feel of its dark blade in his own fIesh.

"It was forged with daemon' bones and bathed in their blood. The scourge settle in the skeleton first, so the bones, talons and fangs of a daemon are the most contagious part of its body. When the final changes kick in, the blight warps the base of our organism, changing the flesh as it grows. The process is… never pretty."

Iris had a hundred questions, but she didn't want gross details.

"Does that mean that getting bitten or slashed by a daemon could…?"

"Even a graze might be infectious. But daemons usually prefer magic or weapons."

She took a few minutes to process all that, thanking the gods for sparing her brother and his friends so far. But that didn't tell her how her own mother had gotten infected.

"How will my blood help in finding a cure?" she asked him.

Ravus' arm dropped to his side and the tremble that ran through his shoulders had nothing to do with the cold. It was one thing to be cold to some nameless girl on a battlefield. Keeping her warm in the middle of the night was almost intimate and he'd never let a stranger this close to him, not if he could help himself.

"I didn't exactly had time to run tests yet."

"Do you even have a lab somewhere in Lucis?"

This time, there was no bite in his answer.

"You should try to sleep."

Iris knew too well what it meant and decided it was time she said what she wanted to tell him in the first place.

"You should come back with me and let your sister look after you. Luna was devastated after you left."

"Don't tell me what to do." He warned, pushing her away and almost losing his precarious balance.

Iris only scooted backward to be able to look back into his dark eyes. Pryna climbed down her lap, ears lowered, totally ignored by both humans.

"Well, you keep doing so with Luna and I, so maybe it's time you tasted your own medicine! I have an older brother too, always looking after me, trying to prevent me from getting hurt. I've got some news flash for you, Ravus, Luna is going to get hurt! That's what life is about. Giving up on your own life won't change it. And seeing how far you're ready to go, she'll only hurt more, knowing you wouldn't hurt if it wasn't for her."

"I already know all…"

"She misses you. And now she blames herself."

"Shut up!"

A bunch of other words wanted to follow, like: _I can't stand her prince, I can't stand her cause. And my methods are giving results._

But his voice might shatter and he couldn't lose his composure, he couldn't let the girl see through him. She'd seen enough already.

"She's all grown up. She can make her own decisions."

"I said shut…"

Pryna barked at him and he flinched, almost hearing Luna's disappointed voice. _What's wrong with you, Ravus?_

He pinched his lips together, biting his tongue, forcing the anger and resentment to cover the pain. If Pryna saw, surely Luna would know somehow. He didn't want to fail. If he failed now…

"You're still bleeding." Iris observed.

This time, when she reached for the wound, he didn't fight back. He winced as horror showed on her face. He'd been butchered up good, metal slapped into flesh, nerves cut raw, muscles left hanging in places. His new arm responded better than any prosthetic made before, but the price was constant pain.

"That's… How the heck did they…?"

He closed his eyes, refusing to grant her an answer. Too soon. Too raw. Iris focused on what she could fix, taking out potions and brushing his hair away, tearing his shirt to view the stump in its entirety. The skin was an angry red where it didn't bleed; metal bolts plunging in his bones to hold the nerve-connecting-ends to his shoulder. The first touch drew a curse from him, but she worked better on gaping flesh than people's mind.

"How can you even walk?"

With a groan for answer, Iris decided to add him on her ever-growing list of too hard-headed men. After a dozen grazes of potions to his wound, he couldn't hold it in anymore, screaming out, trying to push her away even if that meant raising his only arm and almost falling to his side. She steadied him, half sitting in his lap, noticing the tears in his eyes, the shaking that was half physical pain, but mostly emotional.

"I'm almost done. Then you can have your arm back…" The words were all wrong and she realized how bad it sounded, but too late, quickly adding: "I meant attached back."

His mind didn't register either of her four last words. Facing voiceless magiteck soldiers was fine, but Ravus couldn't keep it in. He had been right-handed. He had held his mother's hand with the hand from that arm they'd ripped off. Had helped Luna back to her feet when she'd learned to walk, had toyed with her hair, had tickled her till she'd cry, had… Now it was gone, never coming back, unless he turned into a real monster and he already was one, at least he had to be, otherwise Luna wouldn't…

"No…" was the only word out of him.

The pain took over, the ache of being wrong, of pushing past every ideal, every value that made him a man of his words, a human being. He'd trampled it all, because losing Luna was worse than losing himself. And it still hurt.

Iris felt fear coming back as he almost lunged at her, but his arm gripped to her waist for support, his face looking for shelter, shoulders trembling, chest heaving. Her arms wrapped around him, hesitant at first. He was already so broken, maybe holding too hard would end him…

"Rav…"

A hacked sob cut her off and her throat was too tight for any new words to come out. There was nothing strong about him, nothing proud, only pain, and despite what he'd done to her, he'd done worse to himself for reasons she could entirely understand. She held him in her arms, every shake threatening to send her down, the fact he still tried to hold down most of his tears and coughed on every sob making it harder not to cry with him. She stroked his back, stroked his hair, trying to find a gesture, any gesture that would ease his loss. But there was no easy way out, no magic that could fix how he felt.

"Let it out." She suggested, feeling the coughs worsening as he kept the sobs trapped in his throat.

"No… No, no, no…"

The rain outside felt stuck under his eyelids. The storm had wailed up so many times, threatening to break through every mask and here he was, bending under the wind, ready to snap to pieces.

"It's too soon. If I… fail now…"

"You haven't failed. Getting hurt doesn't mean you've failed."

…

Cor was seething and couldn't believe Monica was the one telling him to calm down. Iris Amicitia, daughter of one of his best friends and esteemed mentor, had gone missing. If Clarus was alive, he'd know the man would have chewed his ear off, but he would have found his daughter first and brought her back. Except Clarus was dead. And he had already failed by losing their last base to the empire, forcing the young king to cover up for him and nearly killing himself in the process.

"She didn't take a car, so she mustn't be far." He told Monica.

"Unless we have a clear idea of where to look for her, I won't let you rush off. Especially at night."

Her eyes were unforgiving and he knew for a fact he wouldn't do much good to the girl in his state. His strength had yet to come entirely back.

"She could get herself killed." He insisted.

"You're not usually reckless, Cor. And since her phone is gone too, we could find her with her GPS."

"But our phones weren't linked. Unless we can get a hold of Jared, who's not been answering either of our calls…"

Monica's face turned even more concerned. The old man wasn't usually too far from his phone. Him not answering after six different calls felt wrong and she had had enough of wrong since Insomnia's fall.

"Is something wrong?" a younger voice asked from behind them.

Both adults turned around, to see Lady Lunafreya, dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt that seemed to belong to her fiancée. She couldn't sleep as much as Noctis today, too tense from all the new revelations she'd heard. She'd prayed and even tried meditating while she watched over him, but she needed to change her mind.

"Um… I wouldn't say wrong, but amiss…" Cor started.

Monica rolled her eyes, before to spell things out for the Oracle:

"We can't find Iris anywhere. She didn't leave with the guys for Hammerhead. Dave gave her a weapon earlier, but I doubted she'd test it on anything. Especially in this weather." Monica added.

They were standing in the half-opened house, steering clear of the open sides. Luna had crossed over, feeling a tension in the air, beneath the thunder rumbling. She paled at the news.

"Iris is gone?!"

A bark made her turn around, to find a drenched-up Umbra walking into camp, ears hanging low. One look in his eyes was enough for Luna to understand. The dogs had a magic of their own and though Umbra always seemed clearer when Noctis was around, she understood him.

"She's with my brother…"

The idea wasn't entirely terrifying. But his last actions and words left her in a lot of doubts. He'd want a sample of blood from Iris. What if the sample wasn't large enough? What if he was with people from the empire and…?

"The imperial's army commander?" Cor asked, sounding bitter despite trying to keep his own feeling to himself.

"Yes, my brother."

She wanted to rush out into the rain, but Monica held her back, forcing her to sit with them and think things through.

"We don't need two lost girls in the middle of a storm." She observed.

"And the prince shouldn't rush off. All we need is a way to find her. If Jared could answer his damn phone…"

Luna frowned and after inquiring what Jared could do to help, she realized they had a solution.

"Noctis certainly has her cell number. We could try calling her first."

Luna led Umbra into the room she shared with Noctis, checking on her prince, who had spent most of his day asleep. He'd just woken and was blinking the daze from his eyes as he saw her fumbling through his stuff.

"Calling someone? Anything going on?"

"I don't know yet. I'll fill you in as soon as I understand the whole situation." She told him.

Her voice was reassuring, but the fact Umbra climbed into the bed, wet from the rain and his paws covered with mud entirely woke him up. He tried sitting up, only to lean back on his pillows, unable to believe how weak he still felt. The dog nuzzled him, whining softly.

"What the hell, Umbra? Did you just run all the way here from Lestallum?"

"I'll be right back." Luna promised, walking out of the room.

If Iris was alright, she'd tell everyone to stop panicking and might hold off until the morning to tell Noctis where the girl was. The first ringtones tested her patience and when the line finally picked, she swore her heart jumped into her throat.

"Hello?"

"Iris?" she asked.

"Yes, what… Luna?!"

"Where are you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. You could say I'm camping." There was some static, but Iris' tone was still clearly filled with doubts.

"Are you alone?"

"No… Your brother's here. He's sleeping. I saw Pryna running and I stopped thinking for an instant."

"Are you okay?" Luna repeated.

The question pained her, but she needed to ask it, because she wasn't sure of Ravus anymore. She could almost see Iris cringing on the other line.

"I'm _fine_. He didn't hurt me, on the contrary he looked after me. He's in bad shape. I don't think he'll accept to come with us…"

"Was that what you were trying to accomplish? Iris, Ravus would never…"

"I know. I can give you some coordinates to come and pick me up in the morning with Cor and Monica or something… But I think you should swing by and talk to him."

The idea she could see Ravus again and maybe even heal his blight…

"In the morning? You're sure Iris? He can be difficult when he wakes up."

And this sounded normal, so normal, it was a breath of fresh air, but Luna doubt she could accept it. She didn't want to encourage risky behavior from the girl.

"I think he's equally difficult all the time. Wait until it's not dangerous to venture out. Unless you tell me Gladio's back and ready to charge into the night."

"No, they're staying at other places. They texted Noct, I didn't have time to check everything, I'm not really good with phones yet."

Iris gave a light laugh.

"I'll fill you in tomorrow. For now, don't worry about me. I've got Pryna to protect me if anything goes bad."

"That's a relief. See you tomorrow then."

She hung up, trying to process how the imperial's army commander could go from experimenting on Iris from afar to sharing a camp with her. It sounded too simple, almost unbelievable and if the look on Cor's face was any indication, the man refused to accept a single word she told him.

"She plans to spend the entire night alone, in the rain, with your brother?"

"He may have a lot of tendencies, but Ravus is still a gentleman." Luna declared.

Monica raised her eyes to the ceiling.

"As long as the girl is okay when we find her, I don't see any point arguing over it. I'll drive you up there first thing tomorrow."

"I can drive her." Cor protested. "You should stay here."

"If someone stays here to make the prince gets rest, it's you. You still need to recover."

Luna knew when an argument was coming and took her leave, knowing Noctis might not fall back to sleep after hearing that something might be going on. She walked back into their room to find him sitting on the floor, glaring up at Umbra who simply waved his tail at the sight of his mistress, lying in the very middle of the mattress.

"What happened?"

"Your dog kicked me out of bed."

Noctis pushed himself up, only to have her rush to his side, forcing him to sit back.

"You're still hurt."

"I'm better. I'm getting pins and needles from all the lying around."

She sat in his lap, giving him a light kiss, leaning half her weight on him. He winced as she put pressure on his left leg, angry at himself for still being so tender.

"You still need rest."

"Who did you call, Luna?"

"If I answer, you must swear you won't jump to conclusion or try to rush out of this room. Because if you try, I'll tie you up to the bed, and I'll leave the mud on the sheets."

He half-smiled, replacing a few stray locks behind her ear.

"I'll behave myself."

"Iris has gone after Ravus. She's with him as we speak."

"She what?!"

Raising one brow, she reminded him he'd promise to behave.

"How did she even find him?"

"I must have been worrying so much about him that Pryna felt compelled to find him. Iris saw Pryna running by the camp and…"

That part seemed foggy at best and Noctis rolled his eyes. Iris was impulsive, but she usually knew where to draw the line.

"… she felt compelled to follow?" he finished for her. "I thought he'd kidnapped her for a few minutes. Stockholm syndrome doesn't work like that."

"I'm sure she meant to help. And from what I heard, she's doing fine. She gave us their coordinates. I'm getting her back tomorrow morning."

"Only tomorrow?!"

"She asked us to wait until it was safe to move out. She's not in danger. Pryna's there too."

He wanted to argue, he wanted to convince her they couldn't wait, but his body had betrayed him. He hadn't tried using his powers again, not even once. He was scared and didn't mind being cared for and cuddled. He just hated being so helpless.

"Gladio is going to kill me." He sighed.

"That sound lousy for someone's shield. Don't blow this out of proportions. She could have fallen on that MA-X's pilot instead."

Noctis had to agree with her point, but if he was supposed to spend another night resting, he needed some way of relaxing. It felt wrong, but each of his friends had told him in their texts he should take better care of himself. And not make Luna worry so much. He leaned his head against the bed, running his hands over her back.

"You're wearing one of my shirts?"

She blushed at the smile that grew on his face, unable to believe she could get flustered over something so simple. Was it even the right time for this? But they both needed the distraction.

"I gave half my clothes to Crowe and most of my shirts needs to be cleaned. Are you feeling hungry? I had trouble keeping track of your meals."

"You're not putting a sleeping draught in them, are you? I understand I need to rest, but I don't usually sleep that much."

"I would never do that." She laughed.

Her face brightening made him want to taste her smile and he pulled her to him, deciding he couldn't help anyone if he moped and worried about things beyond his control. Iris was reported safe, despite being away with a man he despised and he wanted to believe someone sharing the same blood as Luna couldn't be an entire monster. There was still a lot of hate welling up inside him for Ravus. Noctis wasn't the kind to forgive easily.

When their lips were about to meet, she moved her head to the side, expressing doubts about any sort of make-out session.

"I could use a diversion. And I get the feeling I almost lost you back there. Plus, you've been keeping me in bed for over 30 hours. If you think I can accept going back to bed again, I need incentive."

She seemed more impressed than shocked at his choice of words.

"I'm a diversion?"

"I meant it in a good way. I've been dozing off for 30 hours." He tried defending himself.

"I could use some cuddling. And I kinda like the idea to have you at my mercy for once." She added, whispering in his ear.

She did try to take initiatives every now and then, but her inner fears had made her compliant and docile, letting him lead most of the time. Her next kiss was fiery, almost desperate. She had nearly lost him on that battlefield. And even if enjoying themselves might seem wrong at such a time, they were starting to accept that every stolen moment was good enough, no matter the circumstances. Luckily for them, Umbra had fallen asleep, rolled up on himself, his face almost buried beneath one cover.

Three kisses later, Noctis brought her into his lap, not caring if her weight felt painful. He needed her closer. She gave birth to goosebumps and shivers everywhere she touched, grazing with her nails, cupping his face and kissing him fiercely and tenderly in turn.

"I don't think I can live through it another time. You writhing on the ground." She warned him, tears threatening to fall.

He kissed the fear away, trying to silence her voice, to erase the terrifying vision in her mind, to let her feel how better he was already. When they rolled on the floor, she ended up on top, leaning her entire weight on him. She made a trail of kisses down his neck, down his chest, daring to repeat a few of the things she'd tried only once with him, relishing the sounds coming from his throat. He felt alive, sounded alive and it gave her comfort. He pulled off her shirt, needing more skin, more of her and she might have taken her chance right then, because her nerves were far too raw and she could use the diversion. But neither of them wanted their first time to be a simple diversion. It was then that a loud buzz on the floor woke Umbra, making him yap in surprise.

The idea of the dog looking at them broke the moment. With a sigh, Luna reached for his phone, turning it over.

A single text flashed on the screen. Noctis frowned at the unknown number over it.

 _Please help…_

To be continued…

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Awful cliffhanger, I know. But there's actually a small tip in this chapter for you to understand who could be asking for help. Want to take a few guess? The revelation should be in next's week chapter. Yes, next week. No idea when I'll post it. It could be soon if I have a ton of reviews, because chapter 25 is already fully written. I'm trying to hold off because I'm going through stressful times with school and RL deadlines for the month of February.

We'll have some Cindy/Prompto interactions, Free Crown shenanigans and another meeting between Luna and Ravus. :D And after that, I swear, Ravus will be out of the picture for some time, because Aranea will be showing up again. So much fluff and angst coming.

As always, let me know what you think of today's chapter. ;)


	25. Do you still trust me?

This chapter is pretty long. Not the longest, but still pretty long. I loved writing it. I'm sorry to say there's close to no Noct/Luna in there, but they had a lot of fluff lately. And I have three other darling men to look after. I know last chapter was updated only three days ago, but we've reached the 50,000 hits threshold. It's incredible! And all the lovely reviews! I must say that I'm really glad that you liked the Ravus and Iris moment in last chapter. Because there might be more of those in the future. For now, have a good time reading!

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Unexpected

Chapter 25 – Do you still trust me?

Cindy hadn't any pressing job and wondered if their first training session could happen this very afternoon. Prompto seemed hesitant, but she convinced him over dinner, reminding him of the abandoned barn up south that could serve as the perfect practice range. They'd inspect the location first to make sure no one was around and would settle inside. Cid seemed frustrated to see his granddaughter running off with the blond guy that had accompanied her through sewers and mines a couple of days ago, but he groaned something about young people being foolish and waved her of.

"Why do I get the feeling he doesn't like me much?"

"He's got things all wrong and think ya're a bad influence on me." She teased him.

They took her truck this time, Prompto grateful to sit comfortably instead of riding a chocobo. He was a lot better and the potions had helped, but like Gladio, he wasn't a hundred percent back. About 85-ish if he'd gave an estimation.

"How much would you charge us for a car?"

"It depends on the car. For example, this old truck would be around 30 000 gils. But since it's for the prince… I'd have to make it better and rust-less. I'd say 60 000 gils."

His eyes turned rounder than a chocobo chick, his gasp of surprise making her laugh.

"Not in a single payment, city boy, I'm not crazy. Plus, it would serve to gather most of the parts. There are a few cars by the city's gates that could be usable, if only we could salvage them. The imperials guarding the place aren't making it easy to get anything away in one piece."

He frowned and gave her a questioning look, which she ignored superbly, focusing on the road.

"How many times have you been out of Hammerhead? You shouldn't run around the country on your own, you know…"

"I was towing someone out of there." She explained, the chirp to her voice fading slightly. "It didn't go as well as I'd wanted. The man was too stubborn to climb in the truck with me and his car was hit badly. I took him to Free Crown so he'd get the best treatment possible, but…"

She fell silent, her fingers tensing on the wheel. Prompto wasn't sure he had the right to gesture towards her so freely or friendly, but instinctively, he wanted to wrap her in his arms. His hand gently touched her shoulder, squeezing just a bit.

"But what?"

"He lost one leg…" she blurted out, teeth clenched.

The quiver that ran through her was the only sign of hurt she gave off. No surprise the young woman wanted some way to defend herself. How she could even drive or go out… But Prompto reminded himself that she'd been living outside Insomnia for her entire life. The reality he himself was still adapting to had been her daily life since she was only a little girl. It didn't mean that failing when she tried helping someone didn't hurt as much now.

"Damn. Do you ever stop working?"

"Don't. I need a good laugh and to keep my mind off this."

They'd reached the abandoned barn and got out of the car, Prompto taking one gun out in case anything showed up. Cindy stayed close to him, still tense but trying to keep it in. She carried her metal case with her. The inspection went by quickly and she was more than happy to follow his lead as they drew a few targets on the wall that faced the rocks. The wood wouldn't hold the bullets and Prompto might look careless, but security measures had been drilled into his head at an early age.

"First, I'm testing them."

"Knock yourself out!"

He didn't want to show off, he mostly wanted to see a genuine smile on her face, but the first shot surprised him. The gun was well-balanced despite feeling light in the hand, the gunshot wasn't excessively loud and the round ended up right where he wanted, in the left eye of the caricatured imp he'd drawn on the wall. He tried the other one, hitting the right eye and couldn't help his own exhilaration. Nine shots each was unconventional, but if she managed this kind of perfection on her first try…

"I _need_ guns like this." He told her.

She blushed, hearing the underlying praise and feeling intimidated by the look in his eyes. He was like a child in a candy store. And for a minute, she got the impression the guns weren't the only candies he might be looking for.

"I guess it could be yar payment for training me…"

"Hey, there's no string attached to this. You asked for a favor, favors between friends aren't…"

"Well, if I equip one of the prince's fighters, it will only be good for my business." She tried, unsure she was ready for that kind of subject.

Prompto didn't like how awkward she looked, but since she had a lot on her mind, he decided to get on with the training, starting with the security questions. Cindy was an engaged listener, asking questions all the time and turning the half-hour speech his mother usually gave him before he fell asleep into one hour and a half of explanations. They covered the basics, reloading, disassembling -she was pretty fast, but then again, she had built them- how to clean them up, what to do when a bullet got stuck. After another hour and a half, Cindy begged to try the real deal and Prompto didn't see any reason to wait. There was at least two more hours of light in front of them and her truck was well-equipped to repulse daemons.

The first shot surprised her, not because of the aftershock, but more so because it was far easier than she'd thought to let go of the trigger. It wasn't about pulling, not simply that. The wood ripped apart where she hit, not close to the mark, but destroyed nevertheless.

"Your stance's wrong." He told her.

"How…?"

Prompto wasn't sure of himself, but since she'd suggested it, he'd been dying to try something of the like, so he came up to stand behind her, aligning his arms with hers. Cindy tried not to tense at the closeness. He'd been much closer and less clothed before, but she felt more vulnerable than before. And as boyish as he looked, as lean as his limbs were, he felt larger and taller than her.

Something had changed, since she'd learned the truth about him. He hadn't given her much from his past, but somehow, she had pieced some things together. And realized that his precision and reflexes might be just as drilled into him as any crown guards from Insomnia. He had been raised to be an MT, had had to run from it, had to kill potential cellmates from when he was a child.

His scars were old and he was young, too young for having that many. He'd been through a lot. You didn't keep as big a secret for so long otherwise. Now his breathing ran down her neck and he raised her hands, eased her grip, asked her to relax her shoulders and moved her hips, telling her why every little adjustment helped.

"You lean forward, never backward. Keep your weight on the balls of your feet. Here, there's no wind, so you'll have to take account of that later. If you ever try to snipe anything, math will come in handy."

"How about startin' with the MT I drew on that side?"

He laughed into her ears and the shiver that ran through her felt almost too good.

"The one in the middle? Head or chest?" the gunman asked her.

"Chest."

"Keep both eyes open. When you pull the trigger, you don't want the gun to move. You're aligned right now, but the slightest shake or jerk can disrupt the shot."

"How do you do it? You're always jumping around and fidgeting." She remarked, rolling her shoulders into him, trying to get a reaction out of him.

He just corrected her stance, his hands lingering on her hips a bit too long.

"I keep moving all the time so that when I need to stop, there's no nervous energy left inside. You're already precise. Just give it a shot."

"Do you have to stay this close?"

He took a step back with a sigh and let her try. The three first shots missed wildly. He gave her directions and she got a bit closer, but not entirely.

"You're shaking. Steady your grip."

"I'm tryin'."

He let her empty one charger and sighed afterwards. Her alignment was right and he knew she could aim well, she'd managed to shoot a few things back in the mines. She just needed to calm down.

"Say… those burns, you didn't try healing them with some potion?"

The gun almost dropped to the floor as she turned to look at him.

"What has that got ta do with…?"

"I expected things to be awkward, but now you're the one hiding something and…"

Cindy paled and slid the gun in her tool belt.

"Ya want to talk?"

"I'd like to. I get the feeling you're trusting me again, but…"

"I didn't stop trusting ya. I was shocked. What we've been through was a lot. We got close and I… I know I can rely on ya. It's just…"

She ran a nervous hand through her hair, her cap abandoned with their pack of ammunitions by the door. Tears were showing up in her eyes. He tried taking a step toward her, but she was skittish, a word he'd never associate with Cindy.

"I'm tired of feeling scared and helpless. And I didn't want to burden ya after the way I reacted to… the fact ya're from the empire."

She sounded so ashamed of herself, it was almost painful to hear.

"Burden me? Cindy, if you keep hiding things from me, I'm going to imagine the worse."

Her shoulders slumped down and she wrapped her arms around herself, as though she was cold.

"I know I preach honesty above all, but the timing ain't right. I can't… I'm scared, but I can't…"

He retorted by erasing the space between them and grabbing her shoulders.

"You wouldn't get hurt from oil, not after working for so many years…"

"I can't tell paw-paw." She said. "The king dying, he took it hard, Prom…"

"It's the blight, isn't it? Somehow you caught it?"

His voice was dark and the tears that rolled down her face proved his point. Prompto wasn't sure if he could take it. He simply held her closer, hoping they could achieve one meeting where no dark secret would ruin the mood.

"I can understand hiding it from Cid, but why from…"

"The taint started showing up two days ago. I was scared, but at that time, I still thought the Oracle had been kidnapped and things were crazy for ya all. I can't ask her to heal me with everything she's going through."

"You can ask her. You should. I could take you to her right…"

"People don't die from this overnight! It hurts and I'm not at the top of my game, but this doesn't mean that we should rush and force the gal… I mean, the mistakes I made aren't because of…"

The first sob ran through her. Because she still felt guilty about the guy she'd towed with her truck and who'd gotten hurt. Prompto kissed the top of her head as she hid her face against his chest, the tears dampening his shirt. The poor girl wanted to help so much.

"Don't blame yourself. You could have let him rot instead of risking your life to rescue his car."

"That's ridiculous. Someone calls for towing, I tow 'em where they need ta be. The world might be endin', but there's got to be some reliable things in it."

"You're way beyond amazing, Cindy."

She laughed through her tears, snuggling her face against him.

"Ya need to stop seein' me at my worst." She complained, trying to swallow back her tears.

"If you're asking me on a normal date, the answer's yes." He told her, rubbing her back as she leaned backward, their eyes meeting.

"Sounds good. A date one day, a shooting training the next one, and some prayers when ya think yar friend the princess is up for it. If you can schedule all that between taking down bases and fighting people falling from the sky."

He wished he'd only feel happy about the prospect, but now there was a new pressure on his heart. The girl he liked had gotten hurt. He could bet it was on his watch. He knew a thing or two about the blight. A daemon might have scratched her too deep. But he forced his voice to sound confident as he leaned his forehead against hers, enjoying the feel of her breath mingling with his.

"You've got yourself a deal."

…

Gladiolus had three coughing fits by the time they'd reached Free Crown. Ignis had voiced concerns and despite the fact the large man repeated he was fine, Crowe had decided that she'd find him a doctor to examine him seriously, even if she had to knock him out for the examination.

There was a run-down car and a small teenager hiding by it where the base used to be. She recognized Ignis and Gladio and helped them sneaking the Regalia in a nearby cave they used as a secret garage before to lead them inside the old mines. The building effort had made tremendous advances, electricity running beneath the surface. Guards saluted them and it wasn't long until they were surrounded by excited people.

They'd help in every way they could on their few visits and since the refugees were starting to get more comfortable with their way of life, they wanted to share it with the young king's men.

"Guys, we'd like to see Libertus first." Gladio warned, sensing Crowe's slight panic at the sight of this many people at once.

The main room opening after the long tunnels was a wide space buzzling with activity. Stands lined up the east wall, maps stretched from ceiling to the floor, calculations being done, inventory run. There was a makeshift school with open classrooms on the west side. The children were sitting on the floor, on either blankets or cushions, a few men and women giving them instructions, telling them stories for the most. Crowe instinctively took a step closer to Gladio and he had to fight against his urge to put an arm around her or literally take her hand in his. He was starting to realize the protectiveness he felt for her was a bit possessive, but the feeling was only stronger a few minutes later, when they got down three more tunnels to enter a five meters square room where Libertus was arguing about the usage of phones around Free Crown. He was sitting behind a rundown desk littered with papers and two laptops when they walked in.

The man's eyes widened and he cursed, sending his aids and comrades off, getting up with a slight grimace. His leg still ached, but he had trouble processing what his eyes were showing him. Crowe stood between Gladio and Ignis, her trademark back-braided half bun leaving two curtains of hair on either side of her face.

"It's the lack of sleep. You can't be…"

"Good to see you too, Libertus." She retorted, only managing to keep her voice even through all of her words.

"Oh my god…"

He crossed half of the room, Crowe walking over the remaining space and the hug they shared was half tears half laughs. Ignis shuffled out and had to drag Gladiolus, who wasn't exactly fine with leaving Crowe alone with another Glaive after what they'd done to her. But in the end, the king's shield relented, rationalizing with himself that the woman was quite capable of defending herself.

"I can't believe it, girl. You've been gone for…"

"I'm here. I'm alive. And I'm glad you're here. I can't believe you're…"

She broke off in tears as she recognized his scent, the scent of their home. All the longing and loss was rushing back to her. Gladio and Ignis agreed to give them time and went to check on the people around Free Crown, Ignis naturally checking the plans for the expanding of the base and construction of more rooms, while the larger man asked to see the defenses of the place.

Libertus almost cried as much as Crowe, especially when she asked him details about Nyx's death. But after some more comforting and half an hour of talking, the young woman teased him about turning from revolutionary to an administrator.

"Hey, I do crazy hours here. And all the building back… It's similar to what we were doing in Galahd until we had to run. The big difference is, we're not going to run. We could make an entire city here. We got enough water from the underground lake we found, as soon as the daemons are cleared out…"

"Daemons?" she repeated.

She'd taken a seat on his desk while he leaned against a wall, arms crossed, trying to draw her a clear picture of the current situation.

"The prince said he'd come by with his guys and get on it. It's not urgent, we got two floors to modernize and sanitize. People can't sleep on each other forever. And our lights are strong enough to keep the daemons away from our living quarters."

"No losses?"

His face darkened.

"Of course, we had a few in the beginning. But we can't send everyone to Lestallum. It's too long a trip and we're trying to make a living out of this place. We actually have plans to excavate minerals and shards."

"Wow. You're still as ambitious as ever…"

She nudged him in the shoulder, only to receive a smirk in answer.

"So, you've been following the prince's retinue since they found you? You didn't think it would be nice to give me a call, let me know you were alive?"

She shrugged, knowing how grumpier that would make him.

"It's not like I didn't want to see you. I've spent days in the wilds, hiding from human people in fear they'd slit my throats. After being rescued, I jumped into the first hunt they were doing to feel more in control and then the base was attacked back in Leide and we rushed over…"

"You were never good with standing still. I don't think either of us ever was. Anyway…" He pushed himself off the wall. "Things don't get dull around here. And if you want to stay, I'd be more than happy to…"

Crowe hadn't prepared herself for such a question. Joining Noctis' men had given her a newfound purpose, but it was really fresh and she wasn't exactly ready for it. She wanted to be ready. Her failed mission weighted heavily on her mind and she had the impression she could make a serious difference out there.

"This might sound unfair, but right now… I can't stand crowded places. And I think they could use one more girl on that team. You know what happens when you leave men in charge of everything."

"Men," he laughed. "They're boys. But if you're fine with it, I won't argue. You better stay safe though. I've lost enough friends as it is."

"Same goes for you, Libertus."

He helped her in finding the guys, giving her the tour of the place at the same time. He was still limping and admitted he might never walk straight again.

"But believe it or not, women like invalids. Feel less threatened, maybe?" he suggested.

"I think that a lot of women might give you attention because you saved them." She retorted.

They entered the center room where Gladiolus was playing with the kids after telling them how he'd hunt down Deadeye with the prince, while changing a few details of his tale. And something pulled at her heart at the sight of his large frame, the honest smile on his face and the kids gathered around him, a little girl actually perched on his shoulders. Libertus wasn't blind, but he was bright enough to remain silent. It might be good for the woman to have someone not from Galahd in her life for once. They couldn't keep living in the past. Before to space out, Crowe reminded herself of the raspy breathing the shield had displayed and asked her friend how equipped his infirmary wing was.

"Well, they managed a few surgeries, I couldn't tell you the name of their equipment, but most of our efforts were put in that wing."

"I think Gladio needs some x-rays."

"I see."

His cynical tone wasn't lost on her, but Crowe went right through the crowd of kids, stroking a few heads as she walked along them. Being surrounded by children wasn't as frightening as adult people. Gladio instantly spotted her and frowned at the serious look on her face.

"Get down from the big man, sweetheart."

"Who's that?!" a few kids asked, while the younger commented on simpler things like: "Pretty!"

There was something so endearing about the dozen small voices and the bright eyes looking up at her, Crowe forgot her fears for an instant. Gladio coughed a bit, getting a pointed look from the brunette and slowly understood what she might have in mind.

"She's a Glaive." Libertus called from the other side of the crowd.

 _Ohs_ and _Ahs_ surged and it took a whole ten minutes to convince the kids to let both adults leave without another epic story. Glaives were considered with respect since Libertus had been one and had taken over the role of guardian, savior and commander all at the same time. Crowe kept a hold of Gladio's hand until they were standing next to her grumpy friend, who showed them to the infirmary wing.

"I got some work to get done. You guys are staying for the night, right? Give me a text when you're hungry and we'll dine together, get caught up with everything happening."

"Sure." Gladiolus said, eying the rows of white beds and surgical tools aligned on metal tables. He hated hospitals and Crowe could almost feel the protests seeping from him. She waited until Libertus was gone to pry.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of needles?"

"As if." He hmphed.

A nurse walked up to them, a light smile on her round face.

"What would seem to be the problem?"

"He's not breathing right." Crowe said, before the man could even place a word.

A few minutes later, Gladio had been stripped of his coat and necklace, which were both in Crowe's hands while he underwent a medical exam, a few questions and x-rays. The woman had convinced Prompto to give her at least the big man's password so she could stay connected with the others and texted Ignis to make sure he hadn't gotten bored yet of lending a hand. She wasn't sure she could get herself a new phone in the chaos the world had been plunged in and felt it was quite easier to stare at the small screen than watch the half-naked bodyguard. She'd seen her fair share of muscled chests, but that guy… Well, the tattoos were intriguing, and although she'd only caught him working out once, she was positively impressed. It was no surprise he could carry her with only one arm.

She just couldn't help but feel worried. She knew the taller simply fell from higher and didn't like the feeling she'd got from him on the battlefield. He wasn't exactly reckless, but he clearly put everyone's else safety before his own. In fact, everyone on their team seemed to think the same way. And she could understand. The three guys were all crown's guards, the only line between Noctis and death. Lunafreya was a selfless Oracle of light, ready to heal a stranger just because she couldn't see someone hurting. Iris seemed to be equally selfless and the young king… She didn't want to go there. Galahd didn't have a king, but they'd had head figures, ministers and an entire political system that had been infected and crumbled in a matter of months.

People on the outskirts of the wide cities like her family and Nyx's had been hit later on, when the empire made sure his control was total. She'd been a hunter in training back then, turning to revolutionary soldier only to be enrolled by the neighboring country. She didn't want to fall into a new camp again. She didn't want to see more people dying. But she didn't want to lay down the fight.

Gladio walked back in after the x-rays, looking cold and slightly bored. He sat next to her and took back his necklace first, eying his phone with curiosity.

"Playing a game?"

"Running out your battery." After a pause, gesturing for him to take back his coat, she added: "You should wear shirts sometimes."

He chuckled at her comment, leaning toward her with mischievous eyes.

"Wouldn't that be a crime? I worked hard on these abs."

"Well, shouldn't you wear armor when you fight to protect those abs?" she retorted, poking him in the ribs.

They weren't sure where this could have led them, but the noise of someone clearing her throat brought their attention back to Gladio's nurse.

"The x-rays are out. What you got, mister Amicitia, are compressed lungs, or technically speaking, _compressive atelectasis_. The shock you took in your recent fight has compressed your ribcage and caused lesions that prevent your lungs from fully expanding when you breathe."

"Okay…"

"In your case, it should correct itself naturally. You're young and… quite healthy."

The nurse blushed, having just looked him over despite herself, which only brought a smug grin on Gladio's face. Crowe mentally rolled her eyes, despite the fact she wanted to smile a bit. She wondered if he'd acted the same way with his sister around.

"Don't stay idle, but refrain from getting into battles for a few days. If you ever feel the need to cough, just cough, it actually helps. And no hit in the chest."

"Understood. How about you check on the lady now? She's been pretty anxious lately."

"I didn't…!"

"If the Oracle's light didn't heal some internal lesions, she might have missed stuff on you too." He observed.

The nurse gave a nod, motioning for Crowe to sit on the nearby bed.

"We'll just go with a routine examination then. I can pull the curtain if…"

"I don't mind." The brunette said, taking off her top without hesitation.

She just wanted to see the look on his face. Gladio's eyes widened for a few seconds, but he didn't blush, at least not immediately. She was wearing a bra, but despite having seen her even more exposed once before, the circumstances felt different. And she was a beautiful woman. While the nurse went on with her examination, Crowe observed the man's slow but definite loss of composure as he put on his coat. When his eyes came back to her, seemingly attracted like magnets, she gestured to herself as casually as possible, mouthing the words:

 _No defined abs, but I worked hard._

He gave her an appraising look, before to nod his approval, the hint of a blush showing on his cheeks as her smile turning cheeky. They were flirting now, he couldn't pretend otherwise, but he had no idea if it was wrong. It had started naturally, his old habits showing up to cover his stress. He liked the look of surprise on her face, the way she bounced right back instead of backing down or shying away. But now that she was mostly clean and giving him an eyeful just to get under his skin, he had to admit that he didn't feel entirely comfortable. If something went wrong, it would make working with her more difficult.

When he dared to lock his gaze with hers again, she saw questions and a nervousness she hadn't expected from him. She wasn't sure if she'd taken his game a little too far, and she wouldn't have time to know either.

His phone buzzed and as he looked down, his face changed, the blush vanishing and his features tensing. His reaction made him cough a bit and she jumped off the bed, her question not entirely out before he gave her an explanation:

"Something's up with Jared."

"Jar…?"

"My butler. He never texts, but…"

She walked up to him and checked the message on the screen.

 _Please help…_

…

"Help? Who needs… I don't know that number." Noctis cursed.

A knock on the door reminded them they were lying in a tangled mess of limbs on the floor, not to mention shirtless. Umbra gave a reproving bark and Luna hurriedly put her shirt back on, before to tell their visitor to get in.

Monica appeared in the doorway, hair dripping, looking out of breath.

"Cor just received a text from Jared. He's leaving with a few hunters. We're staying here, because there's only one of our cars equipped with repelling lights, but I wanted to make sure you wouldn't try anything foolish."

"Jared?" Noctis repeated.

Luna shivered next to him, her hand looking for his and he held it, wondering if the world could just stop for more than 24 hours and give them a break.

"It might be nothing, but he's not answering his phone and he didn't send more than one text. It was cryptic at best."

"You want us to sit here while some old man could very well be…"

"I want you to think straight. Even if Cor finds him, this is a six to seven hour drive to reach him. What good can any of us do?!"

Monica looked distressed and both royals understood they were all in the same boat.

"Come in. You're going to catch a cold in the rain. I don't think either of us can sleep. Let's focus on what we should do." Luna suggested.

Noctis' eyes widened as the older woman walked in, closing the door behind her.

"If Jared texted everyone, he must have written to Gladio too. The guys might just rush ahead…"

"Call them, order them to stay put." Monica asked him almost instantly.

"You didn't have to ask."

…

Iris was woken up when Ravus started shifting around. The cold helping, she'd clung to him in her sleep, snuggling to his chest, Pryna in her arms and his left hand resting on her head. Luna's dog being a ball of warmth and fluffiness, she had helped them remaining asleep despite being cold wherever the other's body didn't touch.

It took the young girl a moment to realize where she was and to remember why. Ravus' arm tensed, his fingers clutching her hair and for an instant, she worried he might not remember last night's events and try something, or react in self-defense. She doubted he ever let anyone that close to him. She tried pushing herself up, whispering his name as gently as possible. She was wondering what Luna could have meant by saying her brother was "difficult" in the morning.

"Rav…"

"Get off." He asked, his voice hoarse.

 _He's grumpy in the morning too,_ Iris thought, trying to school her features so her annoyance wouldn't show.

She shuffled away from him, realizing he couldn't easily sit up, even without her weight on him. As she tried extending one hand to help him, he almost snapped.

"You've done enough, just… look the other side or something."

He sounded bitter and she realized he hadn't planned to sleep on his back. Not with his mechanical arm unattached. He had to roll on his blighted side and push himself up gradually, using his legs, his head against the ground and his left arm. It was a pitiful sight and she pretended to take care of Pryna until she heard metal clinking.

"Wait, you should disinfect it first." She tried.

"It's fine." He hissed through clenched teeth, snapping the metal against the flesh.

His prosthetic hand curled and unfurled before that he rolled his shoulder backward once and forward. A snap sound made her jump and he smiled at her reaction.

"Don't tell me you're scared now."

"No, I'm just on edge."

He massaged the back of his neck, bending it until it cracked. The sound was sickening but she felt stiff too.

"You'd better not complain about how bad you slept. I was on the rocks while you used me as a pillow."

She blushed at the accusation, but felt her patience running thin.

"What would you have done if I hadn't been there?" Iris asked him.

"Rot and die, that's what you want to hear?"

"Are you like this because you cried?!"

A twitch in his brows told her she'd hit a nerve.

"That… I'd rather you'd keep that to yourself." He stated, unable to look her in the eyes.

He got up and removed the nails keeping his cape on the entrance, folding the fabric quickly. The sun was slowly getting up, a few rays managing to sneak into the small cave. He stored his repelling light, his cape and considered giving the girl another of his ration. He doubted that would buy her silence about his outburst.

"Say, Rav…"

Tires screeching on the ground and Luna's voice calling her name interrupted her. Ravus took three full steps back, careful of not walking into her.

"Get out now. Take the dog, and get out."

Iris glared at him.

"You could go see your sister for a second at least."

He ignored her, taking his white coat of the ground and removing the dust from it. Iris might have insisted, but Pryna was already running out to greet her mistress and Noctis' voice was calling out her name. She squirmed herself out of the cave, raising one hand to cover her eyes from the strong sunlight. Luna was already out of the car, Noctis sitting in the driver seat, Monica accompanying them. The car wasn't exactly made for rolling off-road, but the prince had never let that stop him before. He got off the car, looking too pale to be out of bed.

"We were so worried!" Luna said, wrapping Iris in a hug.

The young girl was surprised to notice the smell of her hair was similar to Ravus'. She held the older woman back, apologizing three times before that Lunafreya let her out of her grasp, her blue eyes filled with questions. Iris motioned to the small opening in the rocks.

"He's moping in there. You should talk to him." She told her.

"He didn't…?"

The question hurt Luna more than it did the girl, but Iris could understand.

"He didn't hurt me. Even fed me with army rations. But he's not been charming enough to owe himself my thanks."

"I'll give him a talk." Luna swore, a light smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Noctis stood a few feet behind, arms crossed over his chest, trying to ignore the spectacle of Umbra and Pryna running around each other, yapping and barking happily. The prince had agreed with Luna to let her handle her brother, at the condition they found Iris unscathed. Otherwise, he'd given Ravus the beating of his life. The Amicitia girl walked up to him, squaring her shoulders.

"What are you doing out of your bed?" she asked before that he could say anything.

A scolding was coming, and although Noctis never gave her any of those before, she wasn't surprised to hear bite in his instant answer.

"Never mind that." He barked. "What-were-you _thinking_?! Cor almost went running head first into danger to make sure you were alright. I had to cover up for you and pretend you were still with us to make sure Gladio wouldn't freak out even more."

"I… Wait? Why did you say more?"

Noctis' anger half fell, but the menace that followed made Monica smile while Iris wondered if he'd dare to go through with it.

"Check your phone. And if I see you try and run off to Duscae, I'm finding a room where you will be grounded until Gladiolus thinks you're fit to get back on the team."

Iris wanted to protest, but her brother freaking out never meant a good thing. Pulling her cell from her pocket, she gasped in shock. The text had come in after she'd fell to sleep, but it was entirely uncommon. Jared would never ask for help.

"Did something happen with Talcott?!"

…

Luna had slipped herself between the rocks and walked into the small cave, discovering her brother trying to slip one sleeve of his army uniform back on. His mechanical arm wasn't exactly cooperating and the sight nearly broke her heart. It was still hard for her to process that he'd lost a limb. Not in some tragic incident, only because Ardyn…

Ravus wasn't sure how to react to her presence. He had known she'd walk right in, but he'd hope she'd give him some time to prepare himself. He wanted to be harsh, so she'd stay back, to marvel out loud at the fact her trident wasn't summoned this time, but the first words that came out were different:

"If you're here to heal me, I want you to leave."

"Ravus… I'd never use my magic on you against your will. I don't want to fight with you. The other day…"

She took a step in and he wondered why he felt like a cornered animal. His emotions were still too volatile.

"I'm not here to get mad at you. I just want a chance to give my brother a hug and get a good look at him. We haven't seen each other in years and now I barely catch glimpses of you…"

He dropped the coat, knowing what she meant by getting a good look at him. She wanted to know how badly he was hurt. With her training, she'd grown obsessed with the idea she could mend anything the empire might try to break in him. He tried to keep his respiration normal when she reached for the prosthetic, taking his metallic hand in hers. She gave it a squeeze, studying the material, its weight. His throat felt tighter than when he'd cry, but he withstood it in silence.

"If I ask, you wouldn't…?"

He shook his head, denying her any answers. He didn't want to bring her down with him. Luna experimentally poked his left side. This time he flinched, because the skin was tender. When she motioned to raise his shirt, he halted her, trying to be both firm and gentle.

"I swear, sister. I've got it under control."

The look in her eyes held a warning, but she didn't laugh in his face, didn't try to tell him why he was wrong. Instead, she did what she'd wanted to do from the moment she'd understood how far he'd gone for her. She wrapped him into a tight hug, her face against his chest. She didn't cry or murmur a word. She just held him and for a second he was home, he felt whole and his pain melted into something pure and bright. He wrapped his human arm around her, unsure if the metal of his right hand should touch her.

"You don't have to do this, Ravus. I love you, no matter what you'll do, but…"

One of her hands was on his right shoulder, the other on the back of his head and he let out a shuddering breath, holding her tighter, hoping she would just stop being so damn perfect.

"You can come with us if you…"

"I can't." He cut her off. "I'm not done yet. I won't ask you to stop, so be fair with me…"

Luna couldn't endure the heavy silence and observed what she could, hoping she might get a smirk from him as she took a step back, looking into his eyes.

"You've lost weight."

"So did you." He pointed out.

"Well, I'm working on that. Where will you go?"

"Not back to the empire. They'd rip off one of my…"

The paleness that grew on her face shut him off.

"Come on, if I don't make fun of it, I'll… I'll lose it."

"Ravus, you should live your life for yourself. I'm not worth this kind of…"

"You're worth everything I've done and ten times more. I hope your prince knows that."

And there it was, the anger he needed to fuel the pain into something that wouldn't cause more tears in his eyes. She took a step back, crossing her arms behind her back as he shuffled his weight from one leg to the other. All this standing around and talking was making him restless.

"Stop worrying about me. I love him."

"What I worry about is if he can make you happy. And if he can keep you safe."

"I'll keep myself safe. And if it weren't for all the people hurting around us, I know we'd be entirely happy." Her sad smile suddenly brightened as she seemed to remember something. "Oh, Ravus, he… he asked me to marry him!"

She pulled on the chain of her moon pendant, showing him the ring Noctis gave her. Ravus grimaced at the sight, but it didn't last long. For a moment, she was just a girl, in love and happy about it. As much as he hated the guy, he had to admit seeing Luna's smile was worth some aggravation.

"I'm not giving you my benediction. You were already marrying him anyway."

"Yes, but it's not… It's for us this time. If… If we manage to find time and fix a date and have it really take place, you'll be there, right?"

She seemed unsure and almost scared at the prospect of him missing the occasion. Not of the wedding not taking place. Of her brother not being there on her big day. He swallowed the knot in his throat.

"I'm not walking you down the…"

"You have to! You even got a beard like father had!"

Now that sounded childish and Ravus hated himself for letting his shoulders relax and the hint of a smile graze his expression.

"Fine! Fine, I'll walk you down the aisle. But I won't…!"

"You'll dance with me once at the very least."

How could she tell what he was going to say every damn time? Rolling his eyes, he relented.

"Luna!" came Noctis' voice, breaking the light atmosphere and reminding the siblings why they hadn't talked as much for months.

"You'd better go. I'm not up for a rematch with your fiancé."

She worried her lower lip, clearly torn up inside.

"You'll stay safe?" she asked.

"You'll stop sending the dogs after me?"

She hung her shoulders, unable to hold back her laugh.

"At least, try to be careful. You mean a lot to me."

"I'll do what I can. Which is a lot, but you know me. Just go before I change my mind about your prince."

She didn't want to leave, but had half turned away from him when he thought of the white flesh on the MT.

"Wait! I… There's something you should know."

She looked up to him, a mixture of curiosity and apprehension on her face.

"I won't ask you anything but this one thing, Luna. Ardyn had you healing MTs…"

The paleness was back and he walked up to her, grabbing her hands in his.

"…don't ever do that again." Ravus asked, his voice not commanding in the least. It sounded more as though he was begging.

"What?!"

He wondered if it was wrong to tell her. Wondered if she hadn't been hurt enough yet.

"Luna, you almost managed to heal it. I saw it with my own eyes. His heart was human and the flesh over it too. You can't do this sort of miracles. It'd kill you."

"I… He was partly healed? Wait, did you…?"

And the hurt in her eyes was a knife driven in his heart, because she wasn't a fool. Of course, he'd killed the thing. Why else would he talk of it in the past tense? He couldn't lie to her.

"You'd never make any living thing worse off, only yourself. But if you try anything like that again…"

"I can heal daemons?"

"You can't, Luna, that's the whole point of me telling you this!" Ravus insisted, shaking her up. "Just promise me you won't try it again."

He had some nerves, asking for such a promise. And the defiance in her eyes was like a dark omen.

"Let us do what we both think best. I'm glad you told me, brother, but I won't promise you anything. Especially considering you've blighted yourself."

He would have protested, but she slipped off his grasp, slipping back into the open air and the light of day. If he loved her too much to worry about himself, he couldn't ask her to be any different.

Under the sun, Luna walked back to Noctis and their intertwined fate. Her resolve was stronger than ever.

To be continued…

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Ha, now I'm worried! But this 21 pages chapter was worth it! I hope I can finally squeeze some Noct/Luna in the next chapter. Splitting the party up was such a bad idea, although the plot is thickening. Next chapter should include a reunion of the team, some more Cindy/Prompto, and an explanation about what's going on with Jared. Although the game spoiled some of it already. And Aranea will be showing up, definitely! Angst is coming.

Also, just to mention, Ravus' beard is nothing more than a stubble. ;)

Review to let me know what you think, guys! Reviews make my days brighter and writing this so worth it. I can use all the cheering I can have lately, what with school being a load of stress right now. No idea when I'll complete next chapter. Got around four pages in, but my most stressful deadlines is coming on fast. D:


	26. Falling from the sky

Most of this chapter is a bridge between events. I get the feeling I wrote it in a rush, but I included all the little scenes I thought essential for what's coming and I did have to juggle with stressful last minutes analysis all week long. Now I'm prepared for my seminar and I've got pretty interesting results to share. It's tomorrow, so then I'll have more free time to write. Though not much. School is still on. As for the fic, we've gone over the 25 chapters count and the first two months of existence. Cause this fic is no more than two months old and a few days. Crazy, right? I will stay with my one-week updating schedule, unless I'm incredibly inspired, which is still the case, but it's mostly a question of time. I do hope you'll like this chapter. I jump a lot between characters, but I hope it's not too scattered. Not to mention that WishIhadnopast made an awesome beta-reading job here. :D We got a bit of everyone, although we may say I brought the spotlight on Ignis to compensate how left out he was in the last few chapters.

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Unexpected

Chapter 26 – Falling from the sky

It was a good thing Noctis called Gladio so quickly. Crowe had barely had the time to pull her shirt back on when the phone rang and the prince was ordering his shield to stand down.

"…but I could…" The big man tried protesting.

"You're too far from there and you are not leaving our team stranded here to rush with the Regalia."

Noctis might have thought it necessary to insist, but Gladiolus was reminded of the fact they had a lot more going on than just one old man being in danger. His king and future queen were working on saving the entire country, if not the whole world. He had to keep his priorities straight. They might have lacked a car, but they needed a fast method of transport if they were to accomplish anything. Who was to say something new wouldn't happen in Leide? His duty was to his king first.

"I understand. How's Iris taking this?" he asked.

On the other end of the line, Noctis felt his heart filling up with dread.

"She's already asleep. We'll let her know in the morning."

The lie sounded unbelievable in his mouth, and Luna was frowning as she sat next to him, but Gladio accepted it with clear relief.

"She might try something crazy. We'll leave first thing in the morning. You'll keep her in check in the meantime."

Noctis hmphed into the phone and turned off the call, his shoulders lowering.

"We need to get Iris back here in one piece first thing in the morning, or he's definitely going to skin me alive." He whispered.

Monica raised one brow.

"He might have to get through me first. The girl was pretty much under my watch."

Luna shook her head, not wanting anyone to blame him or herself.

"She'll be fine."

 _I healed her and Ravus knows. He wouldn't hurt someone I've healed. He knows what it does to me._ She thought.

…

Cindy asked for another try at the range before they'd call it a day and improved tremendously now that the cat was out of the bag. She wasn't perfect yet, but her shots were becoming more calculated. When she missed the heart, she usually got the liver and she was even getting efficient at direct headshots.

Prompto went as far as suggesting that she get field practice after one or two more sessions to make sure it wasn't beginner's luck. She stuck her tongue out in reply and the first shot of thunder hit right when they started packing their stuff. One look at the sky and it seemed clear that the ride back would be awful.

"You're feeling up for it?" he asked her. "I would offer to drive but… I tend to kill manual cars."

"Maybe I can give ya a few lessons eventually. But I'm dead on my feet. How about ya call your chocobo and we settle for the night?"

He gave her a questioning look, wondering what she could mean and she had the decency to blush.

"I don't mean… Don't get ideas, 'kay? The night we snuggled in a bundle of smelly feathers was the best sleep I got in a long time. And I could use one night without nightmares."

"So I'm your comfort object?"

He tried to make it sound playful, but he didn't like the vagueness of it all. She had pretended things were casual before kissing him, had agreed on a date and had let him hold her, but he had no idea where either of them stood. And he desperately needed to know.

"Nope. You're the frog I kissed back to human. Big difference."

He wanted to laugh but he could tell she was covering up her little meltdown with humor now.

"I guess it's just hard to understand what you expect from me. You kissed me when I was human too and it's not…"

She had been looking for provisions in her bag and almost dropped the canned food she'd taken out, realizing what he was getting at. She wasn't used to getting this close to someone in such a fashion. She could blame it on the stress of the moment, she could pretend all sort of things, but… Pretending wasn't honest.

"Yellow."

"What?"

"My favorite color. It's yellow. Call that chocobo or start a fire." She asked him, looking fidgety.

"Why are you…?"

"What happened on that beach… I needed it, not because I was looking for yar secret or anything, but… I ain't the kinda gal that feels safe around just anyone. And I think that for anything more to take place in the future, I'd need to know ya better."

That sounded possible.

"So we're… friends for now, huh?" he asked.

She gave him a nod, looking unsure. Somehow, Prompto didn't feel hurt. Cindy was clearly leaving the door open for development. She wanted them to get to know each other first. Things had to be done properly and he would give it his best, no matter how scared he was deep inside. So they settled for the night, shared a simple meal and talked for hours.

It was easier than the time they'd sat at Galdyn Quay. She talked of her parents, before the daemons attacked and he told her everything he could remember of his real mother. When their discussions got too heavy, they switched to easier things, like schooling or her few visits to Insomnia. Cindy had been self-tutored for the most part. Cid had merely taught her how to handle a car and fix it.

When she got him to talk of his few driving lessons, she understood why he'd never gotten good at it. She had never been faced with traffic, not when she was behind the wheel. The roads were so quiet all over Lucis, she'd almost forgotten the highways' look and the large boulevards all over Insomnia.

The idea of a place buzzling with cars brought stars into her eyes, and Prompto made the silly wish that they could someday manage a new city, with plenty of cars for Cindy to fix and marvel at. It was a miracle Hammerhead was still functioning despite the few people driving around and the small population Lucis had.

He didn't call the chocobo, not wanting to force the poor creature into the rain and storm outside. But he let Cindy sit between his legs, held her close and securely in his arms, wrapped himself in two warm sheets, and talked with her until the worst of the storm subsided and there was only rumbling in the distance.

"Does it hurt all the time?" he asked her after a moment of silence.

"Nope. Mostly only when I move. Why?"

"Nothing. I'll get you to Luna first thing in the morning."

"I said I can wait."

A few minutes later, his phone rang and the conversation he had with Gladio didn't sound too encouraging to Cindy.

"From what I gathered, we can't do anything about the kid. You'd better drive me up to Noctis, get healed and go back home then. The guys could go right for Monica's outpost and we would be reunited faster."

In the end, she agreed with him and they drifted to sleep, comforted by each other's presence.

…

"It was careless, reckless…"

"…and irresponsible!"

It had been five minutes since they'd gotten back on the road, and Noctis was driving while chiding Iris some more for her impetuous decision. Monica had joined in, but only did so to complete Noctis' sentences if he paused in the middle of them to refocus on driving. Iris and Luna were in the back, the young girl hoping her king might lay off her for a bit. She tried to take it all with a straight face, but she felt the urge to puff her cheeks and had already crossed her arms over her chest.

"If you'd seen Pryna running by, what would you have done?"

"Made sure Luna wasn't running off somewhere." He shot right back, earning himself a shocked expression from his girlfriend.

He winked playfully at her in the rearview mirror, only making Iris a little more uncomfortable. Pryna was sitting in Monica's lap while Umbra was nestled between Iris and Luna. His head was on Luna's thigh, slowly dozing off.

"Wait, do you mean to say the dogs are… pretty much reflecting your own actions?"

Both royals blinked at that observation from Monica. They had always assumed it, although they hadn't told other people of it. It sounded childish and surreal when said out loud.

"I wouldn't say that. Pryna and Umbra have a magic of their own, and although most of their decisions are influenced by each of our thoughts, they have their own personality and quirks." Luna intervened.

It seemed like a nice way to change the subject, but Noctis wasn't sure Iris had understood how dangerous her decision had been. After letting both girls in the backseat exchange for a bit over Ravus' attitude in the early morning, he tried to drive his point home. Next to him, Monica had pulled up her phone and was apparently trying to put some order back in the communications she received from her many hunters.

"I know Gladio will tell you as much, but you could have gotten yourself killed. And I'm not talking about Ravus here. There are daemons out at night. No one should be out alone. Pryna can evade them on her own, but she can't protect you from them."

Iris nodded in understanding. Umbra shuffled closer to Luna, feeling the brunette's unrest. She was close to snapping, worrying over her butler and his grandson. Jared would never ask for help. If he ever experienced back pain or something that might hinder his work, he'd just tough it out in silence. Usually, she had to order him to sit still when she realized he was pushing himself.

"Just wait until the whole thing with Talcott is settled before telling my brother about this." She pleaded.

The situation wasn't ideal, but Noctis couldn't help but worry about the fact Luna barely supported his criticism of Iris' rash actions. He didn't want to say her brother was a monster, he had already been harsh and didn't want to hurt her feelings. But he was afraid that Luna's own rashness could resurface before long. Her brother was clearly taking big risks for her. Could he believe for sure that she wouldn't take similar risks? As much as he worried for the younger Amicitia, his fiancée remained his top priority.

The rest of the drive was spent in uneasy silence. Luna was subdued at best, lost in thoughts, while Noctis felt more awake and alert but his confusion over the whole situation wasn't helping his weakened state. Iris kept imagining what might have happened to Jared, and Monica didn't see any ways to lift the heavy mood. She had as much questions as the young people surrounding her.

They reached the outpost at the same time as Cindy parked her truck. It was funny to see the gunman almost forcing her out of the car, dragging her as gently as possible to meet up with them.

"I don't remember hearing you guys would be going out. Everyone okay?" Prompto asked.

Luna felt like asking him the same question right back, but Noctis went ahead with the truth, hoping his best friend would be able to keep a secret for once. Would it be too soon to tell Gladio once he'd gotten to the outpost? Of course it would. Prompto was clearly disappointed they had no news about Jared or Talcott, but he made his biggest surprise clear.

"You spent a night with the guy that tried to kill you?!"

"And Luna's dog!" Iris quickly added. "How come everyone keeps forgetting about the fact that I was looking after Pryna?"

She was starting to feel far too embarrassed about an already awkward situation. Monica decided to defuse the tension with the notion of breakfast. They gathered in the half-opened shack, Prompto waiting until they'd gotten over the meat and eggs to ask Luna how she was feeling.

"I'm fine. What is it?" she asked back.

"You're looking a bit pale. And I wanted to ask for a favor…" he said, struggling for the right way to phrase it.

Cindy cleared her throat:

"In fact, I want ta ask for a favor. I don' wanna impose, so…"

Luna gave her a genuine smile, the first she'd shown since she'd gotten out of that cave to Noctis' knowledge. The princess understood almost instantly.

"You need healing. It's not quite settled yet, so it shouldn't leave me that weak. And I haven't healed anyone since a few days ago. I need to do my duty as the Oracle."

Noctis would have objected, but he could tell Prompto was worried just from how much he toyed with his food. Monica supervised the whole thing from afar, eating as she stood up, pretending she was checking up information on her computer. Would she get to see one of Lady Lunafreya's miracles? On the very end of the table, Iris had exchanged a dozen texts with Gladiolus, trying to help him calm down about the mysterious situation with Jared. There was nothing they could do and Cor was bound to reach the old man's signal any minute now.

Cindy insisted it could wait, while Prompto tried to join in the conversation, but soon enough, Luna had closed the debate, declaring the girl would be healed even if she kept protesting. She had managed to heal Iris and Crowe and had almost fixed a daemon. Of course she could fix a single person's blight. Noctis just watched it all, knowing better than to contradict Luna. He felt helpless about the scourge, especially when he thought of what healing the blight did to Luna. For Ravus to be ready to go so far, there might be consequences he hadn't noticed yet.

…

It would be preposterous to say Ignis had gotten any sleep that night. Gladio was coughing an awful lot, and Crowe had almost had to knock him out to make sure he would stop pacing around. The advisor had been left to his own devices, only cooking half an hour before being dragged to the commons. It was a large cave with rows and rows of beds and the impression of human bodies all around made him feel claustrophobic. He was worried about Noctis, about Prompto, about Gladio and about Aria, too. And to top it all, he was now worried about Talcott and Jared, although he barely knew them. His mother had been good friends with Talcott's father, until her own untimely death. He knew bad news was coming. The text Gladio had received was a dark omen. People were dying left and right, but somehow, as methodical and logical as death could seem, he was reaching his own limit. Since Insomnia's fall, they had only been reacting, barely processing anything. However, he was proud of his wit and quickness of spirit. He wasn't one to worry about material loss.

But right now, he felt as though the hinges of his logical reasoning were coming lose. He needed to hold himself together, he needed to stay cool-headed through the turmoil, if only for the others… But the questions and worries were piling up at an alarming rate and he was lacking the only thing that helped in such a case. Control.

He felt like screaming into his small pillow as he woke up from the weird daze he'd been in for most of the night, turning around thoughts in his head. He was tired and far too stiff and hated the feel of his cold sweat on the fabric of his clothes. He needed to wash that shirt. He needed a good shave, a long, scalding hot shower and most of all, he needed sleep.

But alas, he wouldn't get any of those things. Gladio might have dragged them out without breakfast if Crowe hadn't insisted on eating with Libertus again. She wasn't that much different with the other Glaive than she acted with them. Although at this point, Ignis wasn't sure he was still keen on the things happening around him.

Half an hour later, as they set out in the Regalia, Ignis being their driver once more and the pair of fighters sitting on the backseat, Crowe did her best to keep Gladio's mind occupied by reading out loud one of his books after he'd given up texting Iris, they discovered a shadow on the horizon.

"Is that… an imperial dropship?" Gladiolus asked.

Crowe looked up and confirmed it with a sigh. Ignis decided not to stop the car. If they didn't act suspicious, they might just…

"It's following us." Crowe observed a minute later.

The advisor didn't feel up for a fight. But despite being tired, he realized something was off.

"They're not dropping anyone on us?"

Usually, MTs came out at the first sign of activity. He'd heard more than one refugee explain how they'd barely make it out with their lives as they ran from either the beasts or the mannequin soldiers.

Just as Gladio was cursing, a straight shot came down from the sky, hitting the road a mere three meters from the car. And it took a fraction of a second for Ignis to realize someone had been in that shot, a red lance shining, dark armor glinting under the sun. He slammed on the brakes and managed to stop the Regalia only a few inches from Aranea. She seemed annoyed and he was close to seething.

"What the bloody hell?!"

The woman raised one brow, her helmet already pulled back.

"Don't panic alright! I come in peace. I need to know where the prince is."

"Like hell, you're…!" Gladio started, almost standing up in the car, pulling his blade out.

Crowe had drawn one dagger, but Aranea retorted by driving her spear in the road, walking up to them with open hands.

"I have a traumatized kid onboard and bad news for you. So I'd rather we make this easier on everyone." She declared with an even voice.

"You were working for the empire a mere week ago." Ignis shot back.

"And you're still driving that car. Might as well put a target on your chest."

She turned her attention to Gladiolus, her movements almost too sharp. The chamberlain noticed the bandages on her stomach, where she left her skin exposed for reasons that eluded him. He remembered she was wounded when she'd leaped away on their last encounter. Despite all his efforts to see her as a potential enemy, he felt the instinctive protectiveness he'd tried to keep in check whenever they'd see each other.

"Amicitia? I found your butler. And I'm not looking for ransom. I just want to make sure his grandson's safe."

That seemed to calm everyone. The weapons lowered, while Gladio got off the car to stand in front of the dragoon woman.

"What's your deal? I thought you were a mercenary." He asked.

"So I'm supposed to be heartless? The kid needed help. I can lower the ship and let you inspect it if you want to go on about security. I doubt you have the space in that trunk for…"

She bit her lower lip and heaved a sigh.

"Just state your conditions and we'll get through this."

It was awkward, but she clearly didn't want to fight with them. Gladio agreed to inspect the ship. It might have been a trap, but a moment later, the sight of a shivering Talcott, huddled in a corner of the hangar filled with rations and crates… and a body bag in the back… Ignis could already piece everything together. Crowe stood back by the entrance, not wanting to leave the boy on his own. Gladiolus was interrogating Aranea, demanding all the specifics. Ignis was running the real security inspection, looking as much for MTs as for clues about the sort of past Aria could have had in the last five years. He found neither while she gave a brief explanation to the prince's shield.

"I was passing by when I spotted MTs taking out their anger on the little guy. It was too late for the old man… I only got a few words from him since then. From what I gathered, the only people that can look after him are now in your prince's retinue."

Gladiolus felt a coughing fit coming up. Jared had gotten himself killed and the poor kid was a mess. Crowe had tried talking to him, but he was still under shock, refusing to talk or even move. He held something close to his heart, covered in green fur that looked like a plush. The boy was too old for such things, but whatever it was, it seemed to be the only thing keeping him sane. He had almost certainly seen his grandfather killed under his very eyes.

 _And we weren't there._ Was the only thought on his mind.

Ignis walked up to them, still reeling from the entire situation, but trying to control himself. The armor-clad woman looked colder whenever she turned her attention to him, but he could tell she was hiding something.

"I've already seen the empire's files on you. You're on their black list and they've revoked your access codes. But although we might be able to trust you, I don't think we should take this ship up to the prince. Unless you can assure me that the empire can't track it."

"You think I'd let anyone keep track of me?"

The questions felt like jabs to his guts, but he didn't falter, holding back her glare.

"I revamped the ship to my standards. Without trackers." Aranea added bitterly.

Gladiolus just hacked out the coughs he couldn't hold back, rasping a bit and effectively cutting the tension short.

"Talcott won't feel any better in the car or on this ship. I say we meet up with Noct ASAP." The big guy decided.

Monica's outpost could easily be switched places. Right now, they needed to regroup and get the whole story out of the kid and find ways to comfort him. Iris would be devastated. They agreed on taking the car inside the ship and send some warning texts to make sure the others wouldn't panic when they'd see the imperial vessel coming down.

…

Luna took Cindy to the side, trying to calm down the young woman. Magic wasn't running the streets and the poor girl was very nervous, taken out of her element.

"It will be over and done before you know it. It might hurt a bit more at first." She warned, her voice gentle.

"Come on, I'm pretty sure I can handle it." Cindy shot back, trying to convince herself more than anything.

There had been rumors that if you didn't believe in the Oracle's prayers, they didn't work on you. And her faith had been tested often enough for Cindy to have reason to doubt. The others gave them space, observing the miracle happening before them from a few feet away.

It was over way faster than Monica had expected. Noctis and Prompto had both seen Luna's healing sessions, so they weren't as impressed. Iris had already been in one, not counting the couple of hours spent on Crowe's wounds. But this time, the brunette looked at the process with far more attention. She wondered if something that could only be changed by magic might also be fixed through natural means.

"There, it should all be gone. How do you feel?" Luna asked.

Cindy looked a bit pale, but she raised the hem of her shirt, her eyes widening at the sight of her unstained stomach. She tried moving and twisting around a bit, just to ascertain the pain was entirely gone.

"I didn't think it would work… I mean… Paw-paw always said prayers worked on both sides and I ain't exactly… that religious."

Lunafreya's smile simply grew.

"You don't have to believe to deserve healing. Just stay safe for now, okay?"

The group gathered closer, Noctis almost hovering around Luna, expecting her to falter at any moment. She leaned back into him without protest, while Prompto congratulated Cindy on her full recovery and got a playful smack on the shoulder in exchange. Iris was thankful for Umbra and Pryna's antics, because otherwise, she might just have fallen into despair.

It was the sound of Cid calling his granddaughter that set everyone back into motion. Everyone was nervous but there was also a hint of excitement, knowing things needed to be done while they were powerless to interfere on anything.

"Someone needs towing. I'd rather stay and extend my thanks, but duty calls. Be sure ta send me a call if ya need anything. I'll let ya know if I find any good deals or scraps to work on for your new car."

Noctis was puzzled, not knowing of Ignis' latest plan for their mode of transportation. Prompto had barely managed to bid his goddess goodbye, and since Luna looked paler than usual, the prince decided to take her back to bed. They had hardly slept last night and could both use some more rest. He gave a single look to Iris, before asking Umbra to keep an eye on the girl. The dog barked in agreement, much to Monica's amusement and Iris' silent annoyance.

She wanted to smile and cry at the same time. But tears would have to wait until she'd learned what happened with Jared and Talcott. Because that text had to be from Talcott.

…

In the confines of their temporary room, Luna insisted she only needed some shuteye and slipped onto the bed, once more looking lost in thoughts. Noctis hated the impression she was miles away from him and lied next to her.

"You're not tired, Luna."

"And what am I?" she asked, trying to relax in his embrace.

"Preoccupied. You barely supported me when I tried to warn Iris. You're not thinking of running away again?"

She gasped at the very notion and turned around to look into his eyes.

"No! Of course not. I'm staying with you, Noct."

The look in her eyes and the sound of her voice stirred something deep inside. He gave her a peck on the lips, which earned him a full-on, sloppy but gentle kiss. As they parted, she smiled.

"You're growing way too attentive of me. I just healed someone… after accepting not to heal my brother a few hours earlier. It's… He's hurting so bad!" she stammered. "And I can't do anything about it. If I stopped him now, after all he's been through, I think I'd lose him."

And although he lacked a real brother, he could understand. If he ever grew estranged from any of the guys, he'd be devastated.

"You won't lose him. If you haven't lost him yet, you won't now."

She forced out a smile, before admitting out loud what was really on her mind.

"You remember the Magiteck soldier Ardyn had me heal, and I'd messed up?"

Her voice was frail, so Noctis managed to keep his instant anger down.

"Ravus said I'd almost healed him. If my powers were at their maximum, I might be able to heal daemons."

She wasn't entirely surprised by the reaction that followed.

"Luna, you can't heal daemons! I'm the one supposed to stop the Starscourge, and the fact that you can heal infected people doesn't mean you have to revert what it's already done to them. You almost died…"

"I know. It's just… You can get stronger by gathering royal arms and forging covenants. And now I can forge some covenants, too. So… I was wondering if maybe I could get stronger as well. But don't worry, I won't try anything rash."

"You need to give me a chance to catch up, Luna." He tried teasing her, despite the small trembling in his voice.

She caressed his face, hoping she could smother away the worry lines and erase the pain. He kissed her fingers and hugged her even closer. They could have stayed like this for hours, if Iris hadn't called them to come out. An imperial ship was landing next to the outpost.

…

Gladio and Crowe stood guard by Talcott's side as the ship wafted through the clouds. The large man had tried to talk with the boy, but he only quivered more and asked to be left alone. His plush was emitting small, cooing noises and the Glaive suspected it wasn't a plush or a toy. It seemed the thing calmed him down at the very least. Standing out of hearing distance, both adults tried to understand the situation better.

"He's 11 or 12, isn't he?" Crowe had started, keeping her voice down.

"Not much more than that. He's like a little brother for Iris. And Jared was always close by. The most reliable guy I know apart from Iggy."

Talking of yet another person in the past tense felt so wrong. But what else could he do?

"What's Ignis' deal with the dragoon woman?"

"They share a history. She was his first love and they got separated for reasons he never really explained."

Crowe looked astonished. Ignis didn't seem like the type to go after women like Aranea. And with the clear tension, borderline consuming anger that ran between the two, it was clear that the separation hadn't exactly been on good terms.

"Can you be a little more specific?"

"There was a cliff involved. She fell and he didn't from what we gathered."

The young woman would have laughed if the current situation wasn't so pressing on everyone's nerves. The older Amicitia could say some things with such a straight face.

"So he thought she was dead until you guys faced off against her a few days ago?"

Gladio hadn't really taken the time to worry about Ignis. But after hearing things like that, he had to wonder how hard the chamberlain was pushing himself. Among all the guys, Iggy was the one he understood the least. They had a tacit agreement not to pry in each other's affairs and simply support the other in his work. He'd always respected how dedicated Scientia was. Too often, he forgot that his dedication might go too far. He himself barely kept any limits. When you are expected to give up your own life in protecting another man, it was a bit comforting to see other people forsaking their own lives to do the same.

Running one hand over his face, he let out a groan.

"We're all pretty messed up. You might have been better off in Free Crown."

"To hear Libertus whining all the time? I love the guy like a brother, but it doesn't mean he ever helped with my patience."

He managed a chuckle, thankful for the impression she gave of preferring to be here with him. He wasn't sure he could have kept himself together on his own. Losing Jared only reminded him of Clarus. And he did not want to go there…

…

"Would you stop looming?" Aranea complained after enduring five entire minutes of silence while Ignis studied the controls of her ship. And also studying her, as she sat and handled the said controls.

"I'm making sure you're taking us to the right place." He retorted.

He sounded almost obnoxious and felt the urge to apologize for it, but she was cold and taking every little occasion to express her anger at him. And beneath all the worries, he felt angry too. He just didn't know if he'd be able to keep up with her little game and pretend he was unaffected, except from his resentment over her five year long absence.

She rolled her eyes.

"You want to drive it, don't you? You always hated that people knew how to do things you couldn't."

She was right, of course, but admitting it felt like adding a strike to her current record. He couldn't let her know how easily she got under his skin. Not until she'd tell him what had happened to her. And he couldn't ask, couldn't hope to demand an answer. Not when she kept the pretense that no cliff had ever come between them.

He grabbed his phone and made sure he'd warned Iris, Monica and Noctis. He doubted such news should have been sent over a simple text. As they finally neared the outpost and started their landing, his cell buzzed in his hand. Noctis had sent him only two questions.

 _Is everyone alright? Are YOU okay, man?_

Reading the words was an admonition to his state of mind. His thoughts were running lose while he was trying hard to control himself. Talcott needed to be looked after first. His friends needed to be accounted for first. There were priorities and rules and…

He almost flinched when the ship touched the ground. Aranea got off her chair, still moving too sharply to his liking. She was hurt on so many levels and part of him wanted to go to her and comfort her. As for the rest of his desires, he couldn't even begin to put them into words.

…

Noctis, Luna, Prompto, Iris and Monica stepped right into the ship as the door opened. Gladio and Crowe gave them a slight salute and Talcott seemed to stir from his catatonic state at the sight of the prince. He got up, the green bundle of fur in his shirt poking its head out and squealing at Noctis. The king almost wanted to ask his friends to pinch him to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Talcott was holding Carbuncle in his arms, the same Carbuncle that appeared in his dreams whenever he needed to heal or to hold on through hard times. Aranea and Ignis joined them in the middle of the ship's hangar, the dragoon keeping a safe distance from everyone.

"I think we owe you our thanks," Noctis started, focusing his attention on Aranea while Iris exchanged a short glance with Gladio, looking close to tears but managing to walk up to Talcott.

"Keep them. I did it for the kid." Aranea retorted.

There was a hint of sadness to her voice and Noctis wondered why she'd go out of her way for some unknown child.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Luna asked, feeling the inner turmoil and rising tension in everyone.

"Maybe I should…" Talcott started, taking a few steps forward. There were splatters of blood on his shirt and dirt in his hair, not to mention his red and puffy eyes.

"It's okay, Talcott." Iris told him.

"No! It was my fault… I… I knew gramps couldn't gather as much intel as you needed." He said quickly, looking up at Noctis. "I wanted to help and heard of a small camp of MTs starting up near the Meteor. I thought I'd give it a look, maybe snap a few pics."

He paused and no one wanted to tell him how foolish his plan sounded. He had just wanted to help. His voice was half shattering on the words and Noctis wondered how the child was still standing up. How any of them could listen on without pulling him into a hug? Gladio couldn't even look at the kid, and his eyes kept going back to the body bag, with the knowledge that this tragedy could have been prevented if only they'd been less rushed by everything happening around them.

"Gramps followed me. I noticed him of course, but we both kept hiding and by the time he could have told me off, we were too close to take risks, and I think he wanted to learn more, too. But then… One MT almost discovered my hiding place and… I don't know if he had a cramp or if he was trying to keep their attention off me. They saw gramps. He was no fighter, there was no chance he could… I wanted to do something, but I… I just froze and watched."

A shudder shook him from head to toes and Iris fell to her knees and simply pulled him into her arms. They both started crying, half silent, half sobs, the dejection crawling its way to the whole group. Luna reached for Noctis' hand, hoping he wouldn't blame himself for this. But she knew he would, of course. He already blamed himself for things he couldn't change and he was the one who had ordered Jared to find intel before he'd left.

Aranea hated standing still, so she cleared her throat and cast a gaze in the direction of the body bag.

"I thought he needed a proper burial, so I brought him too. The boy wouldn't have followed me if I hadn't."

Noctis nodded, words eluding him. This was… He hadn't even gotten back onto his feet yet from Ravus' base and now… The dark bag held a corpse. It could have been any of the people they'd lost recently. One of Gladio's maids, his father. And the idea of a proper burial… Regis hadn't even been allowed as much. His body had to be lying in the mess Insomnia was, slowly decaying in the middle of his broken castle. He tried to swallow back the knot in his throat at the notion. How many more people would he still fail before he'd finally get things right?!

"You must be tired." Monica observed.

"I'm not here to stay." Aranea protested. "I'm just leaving him with people that will look after him."

Ignis' face fell for an instant and through the guilt, Noctis realized that no matter how bad things looked, having the dragoon here might actually have helped.

"I… Actually, we were about to go look for you. If you're a mercenary, then…"

"Recruiting? At a time like this?" Aranea observed, sounding amused despite her hard eyes.

It might have sounded wrong, but Noctis felt better as he saw the use he could make of her dropship. He needed to hit the imperials back, to take back as much control as he could, to ensure the safety of his people. And what better way to attack flying things than to come at them with one of their own machines?

"You have any jobs at the moment?" the prince shot back.

She shrugged in answer, not entirely refusing the option. Monica motioned for the others to leave and Gladio gently nudged Iris and Talcott into walking outside. Carbuncle slipped from the boy's grasp, confident he could leave him alone, walking up to the pair of nobles. Luna gave him a brief smile, Noctis entirely focusing on the dragoon.

"I'm not cheap. And I won't be your flying taxi." She warned.

"We can promise you the best dishes all around Lucis and you can fix your price for working with us. I'd offer a permanent position as a crownsguard if I dared, but I need you to take down the imperial fleet. As soon as I know we can all work together." He added.

Ignis was still there and couldn't help but raise one brow at the mention of his cooking. Aranea took a full minute to consider the proposition.

"I need to set a few conditions with Iggy first. But I think this might be a good partnership."

She almost dragged Ignis to a side door, taking him into a cabin to talk whatever conditions she had in mind, leaving Noctis, Luna and the small Carbuncle alone in the hangar. The doglike creature squealed, raising his head to the prince.

"What are you doing here?" Noctis asked him.

Words resounded in his head, as gentle as a breeze.

 _I thought you'd need all the help you could get._

"Did you have Aranea find Talcott?" the royal insisted, kneeling to get a better look into the small guardian spirit's eyes.

Carbuncle blinked twice, his gaze glinting with intelligence. Noctis wasn't sure how to thank him, so he smiled to him, before scratching his neck, amazed that for once, the green fennec appeared in the real world.

…

Ignis was between rage and hope at this point. Aranea whirled on herself, crossing her arms over her chest before explaining what she expected from him.

"We're keeping this professional. No reference to our past. And if you cook any of my favorite meals…!"

She seemed ready to threaten him and he had had enough, more than enough of enduring her rants without ever asking for any explanation.

"As soon as we're out of this room, I won't ask you a single question, but you need to tell…"

"I don't owe you anything!" she snapped at him.

She slapped him in the face, hard; but when she raised her other hand, he retorted with an armlock, which lead to more retaliation. She instinctively defended herself and he parried her, kicks and punches being thrown and missing until he had pinned her against the wall, holding her arms on either side of her head, refusing to back down from this.

"You owe me at least an explanation. I thought you were dead for five years." He started.

"You could have come looking before your dear capital fell."

"I went looking! I was almost halfway down that damn cliff when Clarus caught up to me and beat me into submission."

Part of her anger fell and she stopped squirming in his grip, her eyes warning him she wasn't impressed.

"Of course he did. It was always your prince first. I had warned you we wouldn't work."

"Ari…!"

"Don't use my name! I was the one lost and half broken lying in the middle of nowhere. Do you have any idea how…?! I called your name like an idiot, Iggy. I called for you, and you never…!"

She seemed close to tears now and his grip faltered as she closed her eyes, gathering her senses. She didn't want to be emotional. She had buried that part of her with her old name. But seeing him now, from this up close… He took a step back, torn up inside. Right now, apologizing wouldn't earn him forgiveness. And she clearly remembered everything.

"I came back that night." He whispered. "I couldn't…"

His voice sounded hoarse and she stared at him, trying to determine which was the truth and which was the excuse. But it felt too genuine. His shoulders were hanging too low, his stance not straight, his eyes… She had to look away, hating the old feelings that resurfaced despite her best efforts.

"Hunters found me as the sun was falling. They nursed me back to health. And since the choice was made for me, I became a huntress. I turned mercenary as soon as I'd acquired more experience."

Ignis didn't know what to tell her. She had steeled herself, had grown into someone almost entirely new. He saw shadows of his Aria in places, but most of her was gone. She was a full-grown woman. And her hazel eyes were like daggers in his heart. But she was far from done with him.

"Do you want to know why I trained to master the dragoon fighting style?"

She barely gave him time to answer, going on with her explanation:

"Every time I jump, I end up falling." For an instant, she was vulnerable, a single tear threatening to fall, a shiver running through her and it took all his willpower to stand back and wait for the harsh words that were sure to follow. "And every time I fall, I remind myself that I don't need anyone to catch me."

 _I don't need you. No matter how you've changed, I'll never need you again._

The words flooded him, breaking everything he'd tried holding together since he'd seen her bare face in that imperial base.

"Whatever's going on in your head, do your work and let me do mine." She declared. "We're adults and you were always the professional one. So be a good boy. And leave the past where it is."

His throat felt too tight for an answer, his neck merely able to move enough for his head to nod in acquiescence when she asked him if he'd accept her conditions. He could tell what Noctis had in mind, that Aranea would be invaluable to them. But he had no idea if he could do his part the way he felt…

To be continued…

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This is angst people, angst everywhere! D: But everything is settled for the upcoming chapters. And I managed to finish this around the schedule I had prepared. I should be able to write some hurt/comfort and humor and maybe even some shameless fluff in what's coming next. Although we're set for a lot of hurt and comfort. I have a 3 to 4 parts arc of piecing everyone back together. Talcott needs help, Noctis needs help and Ignis desperately needs to be comforted too. Once everyone feels better and we've enjoyed some guys-only time and girls-only time for both halves of the group (also some training) they're set to remove the daemons from Free Crown, before going through the impossible task of taking down the imperial fleet of dropships. And then we go back to gathering royal arms, and forging Covenants. And we'll hear from Ravus too, don't worry.

Let me know what you think and if the cliff incident has cleared up a bit. We will have one last important mention to it. Ignis/Aranea is still amongst the main pairings of this story. :)


	27. Scarred - Part I

7500+ words. This chapter includes hurt/comfort, a full burial and some absolutely shameless fluff with two pairings. Not telling which ones. Plus interesting information for the future of this fic. Another villain might be introduced in here! It took me everything to have the strength to sit down and write. I knew what I wanted to happen. But I was pretty tired and delivered something unrefined that WishIhadNoPast (my awesome beta) turned into a well-written chapter that doesn't feel forced like it did at first. All the stress from my seminar and mountains of deadline took its toll, but I'm back on my feet and should manage to write as regurlarly as before. Although I can't promise you anything with the deadline. Writing on 10 different characters at the same time feels like too much sometimes. XD Anyway, I sure hope you'll like it!

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Unexpected

Chapter 27 – Scar/red Part I

Monica felt as though she'd been taken back to the very night Insomnia had fallen. The faces of everyone around her were filled with sorrow. Talcott had cried himself to sleep, then Iris had done the same and after both of the kids were tucked in bed, Gladiolus looked like a broken giant as he tried to keep himself busy. Luna had coerced Aranea into accepting treatment, since she was supposed to be their ally now, recruiting Crowe to help in her endeavor. The three young women hadn't stopped talking since the check-up and healing was over. It was mostly Crowe and Luna doing the talking, but Aranea seemed to appreciate the distraction.

Ignis had enrolled Prompto for vegetable hunting. He was set on a particular meal for tonight's dinner and both men left for a couple of hours in the Regalia, coming back with tons of ingredients, the chamberlain looking in a better mood. Monica had tried to get Noctis to talk, but the prince wanted time on his own. At first, he'd been in deep conversation with the green dog Talcott had brought with him, but Carbuncle had eventually evaporated. Afterwards, the prince remained deep in thought, barely keeping track of his surroundings. There was nothing healthy in his attitude, but how could he consider health a priority when they were not only planning to bury an old man, but also find a suitable home for a freshly orphaned boy and take over the empire which had destroyed their way of life?

Cor texting her in the middle of everything to warn her he hadn't found Jared and was setting off to check the freshly taken bases only added to her worries, but Monica forced herself to try and stay calm and level-headed. Everyone around her seemed on edge and if they needed an anchor, she needed to be strong for them. She had been sitting in silence for so long that she almost jumped when Noctis greeted her. He was done with his deep thinking.

"What do you think we should do with Jared? According to Gladio, he wanted to be cremated…"

"I… We can't do it here. Maybe near the tomb… The fire would have to last for hours and the smell might…"

As she looked up to the young prince and saw the look on his face, she found her voice wavering. He hadn't had a chance to bury his own father and now he was trying to plan the burial of someone else's family member.

"I can take care of this…" she offered.

"No, this… His death was my fault. And although it sounds awful, I… I have a way to cremate him quickly and cleanly. We won't let him rot somewhere...he deserves better than that."

Monica held her breath for an instant, noticing the many signs of stress on the young man. He couldn't hold her gaze and had trouble keeping still. His shoulders were hunched over and he kept biting his tongue.

"Noctis, stop worrying over it. You should still be recovering. We still need you to be ready for whatever comes next."

And he wanted to retort he should have been on his feet and fighting, but there was no opposition left in him. Instead he shifted his attention to Gladio, who had started training and was now getting an earful from Crowe for being reckless. The sight brought a hint of a smile to his face. Even after everything, life was still moving on. And despite all the pain and sorrow, he still had some things to look up to. Nevertheless, sometimes he just wanted to run away from it all and have some peace and quiet.

Noctis insisted on getting the funeral prepared and commenced as quickly as possible. He wanted to repay the old man for his sacrifice. He couldn't imagine what Talcott had been through. He might not have succeeded in gaining intel, but his effort and dedication moved the prince. Noctis secretly hoped that giving final rites to Jared would give Talcott and himself the closure they needed. Even having a proper funeral was somewhat of a luxury now. There had been over a hundred funerals put on hold in Free crown, as well as an endless list of missing people kept growing. Everyone was on edge to survive.

Monica suggested to clean up the body and Luna, Gladio and Noctis offered to help. Iris had also wanted to join the effort, but her brother convinced her to look after Talcott instead. The boy was reluctantly playing with Umbra and Pryna, while Prompto was jabbering incessantly to put the kid's mind on other things.

Crowe had asked Aranea to spar with her and Ignis had settled himself in a cooking frenzy, preparing a literal feast as well as snacks for the next few days. He wasn't as careful as usual, venting out some of his anger as he battered, prepared marinades and arranged the meat. Luckily, it was only directed at the food. His attention went to the women sparring. Aranea's long jumps and Crowe's efficient counters and all their parades. Both of them were outsiders, as well as battle-hardened survivors and it seemed only fitting that they'd get along.

Washing up Jared's body proved to be a tedious and trying task. Opening the bag and discovering the wounds in crude, plain light was almost too much for Gladio. He'd seen many corpses before, but they were either enemies or recruits he'd barely known. The man had cooked his meals, helped fix his uniform and looked after his little sister. To see the large bruises contrast all over the pale skin, the cuts and deep gashes, and the fact that some fingers and other parts -parts that made everyone gag or gasp in shock- had been hacked off. The MTs had played a sick game with the old man and none of them could tell if the damage had been done before or after Jared's death. They did their best to contain themselves and keep their reactions in check.

Luna and Monica held their own far better than the guys. Monica had arranged corpses for funerals before, always the resourceful woman, while Luna had seen people hurt beyond recognition. The guys lifted up the corpse and they removed the tattered, bloody clothes from the stiffened limbs. They fitted the man with clean clothes, making sure his face looked normal and peaceful, Monica giving the final touches. Sacrificing a few pieces of clothing to restore the old man's dignity and pay their respects was among the easier choices they'd faced.

Gladio went to the VR's shower, not minding the cold water if it meant he could feel clean. He also needed time on his own to process everything and went through a few coughing fits, noticing that for once there wasn't anyone to tell him how he should breath or that he should rest.

Ignis patrolled their outpost, delivering food for a belated lunch and making sure everyone ate enough to at least stay on their feet. He barely exchanged a word with anyone, feeling far too unstable to risk voicing his concerns. With every passing minute, Prompto couldn't help but get the feeling that this new wound could be the last straw. For once, moving on felt impossible and putting the smallest hint of a smile on Talcott's face was the only victory he could look forward to. He hadn't known Jared, but he'd always liked his grandson. The boy reminded him of himself, or at least, of what he would've been like if he had grown up in a healthy family. When Noctis walked up to them, his face ashen, everyone became silent, Pryna and Umbra growing overly quiet.

They had a hard discussion, but Talcott endured it well. Noctis wanted to make sure it was okay with him if they buried his grandfather during the afternoon. Going to the nearby tomb would be easier with the sun still up and the longer they waited, the harder it would get.

"You really don't have to do so much for me, your highness."

Luna sighed and Noctis simply shook his head.

"I know this might not feel as though it's helping right now. But staying in the same place for too long isn't good and I want to know you're safe, Talcott."

"Thank you." Was all the boy could answer.

Iris suggested that they all wash up in turns, and by then, half the afternoon had passed. Monica was nice enough to help Ignis wash their clothes, while Aranea recruited Talcott, Gladio, Crowe and Iris in the hiding of her ship. The procedure wasn't as automatized as the piloting and although she'd parked in a strategic spot, she wasn't comfortable with leaving it in plain sight for more than a few hours.

Prompto was particularly fidgety and when he noticed that Noctis looked even gloomier than when he'd told them his father had died, he became increasingly worried. As Luna's turn to shower came, the gunman cornered the prince and sat him down in the run-down shack.

"Tell me you're not blaming yourself over this, man!"

Noctis let his shoulders slump down and admitted what his friend suspected.

"What else am I supposed to do? I ordered Jared to get me intel. It got him killed."

"Technically, he wasn't following your orders. He was following Talcott. And if any of us got killed defending you, we would simply be doing our job. You can't go on if you keep hitting yourself on the head."

"Thanks. I feel _so much_ better now." Noctis groaned.

"I know things are looking bad. But there's no way you can blame yourself for everything that's happening. You're just one person, Noct. And the bullshit soldiers say about being responsible or not… Well, that's what it is - bullshit. Getting ordered by some superior to kill someone doesn't mean the guy who pulls the trigger isn't responsible."

"Prompto, you're a civilian…"

"No, Noct. I was _bred_ to become a soldier. I've heard some sick stuff and they tried drilling things in my head before my mom got me out. I saw other kids die. Sometimes I wonder if I haven't forgotten things I might have done… But this isn't supposed to turn into my own sad life story. I just want you to remember all you've accomplished so far. You took a base from Ravus, not once, but twice. You saved your girl and we're all still here. What's more, there's almost 8 of us now. We left the capital less than a month ago, Noct."

Noctis looked back into Prompto's eyes, unsure of how he should respond. Prompto's childhood sounded awful and he felt half bad for forgetting that for even an instant… But Prompto was over it. That was what mattered. Noctis took a deep breath and tried to pull himself together. To show the speech was working and that he could get over his own problems, too.

"That's pretty crazy." He admitted. "I understand why Ignis thought we needed another car."

"Well, we got ourselves an airship now." Prompto observed, happy to hear the casualness back in his best friend's voice, if only for the time being.

"It's going to cost me an arm and a leg to keep that airship around. Unless those two can make up."

"Don't tell me Luna's matchmaking ideas are rubbing off on you? You should have seen Iggy when we hunt. He stabbed one of them over ten times. I never saw him kill anything that furiously."

Noctis gulped as he imagined the sight.

"What did he say?" he asked despite himself.

"He apologized, of course. I kept telling him to just lash out at some monsters and when he finally did, he looked annoyed. As though he'd given in and lost a bet."

They both laughed, recognizing their Ignis a lot more in such a familiar reaction.

"I think we should be careful around him. We may have to sneak some sleeping pills in his food to get him to rest." Noctis suggested.

"Are you two planning something nefarious here?" Gladio asked, walking into the shack.

"We were just thinking of a way to ensure Ignis will sleep tonight." Prompto explained, smiling.

Gladiolus seemed interested but their master plan was put on hold when Luna joined in to tell Noctis it was his turn to use the shower. He'd insisted on going last. While everybody prepared for the funeral procession, Aranea offered to stay behind and keep an eye on the outpost, not too interested in seeing the burial. Noctis gave her some payment, if only to prove that she would be paid for her services and that staying in one single place was worth her time.

They had about four hours of light left as they set out. They took turns carrying the body and laid it out on the ground when they were in sight of the old king's tomb. Luna offered up prayers to keep monsters at bay while Ignis and Prompto both kept a lookout, and Monica gave a short speech for Jared. Talcott remained silent and Gladio managed a few words before having his elegy completed by Iris, who broke down in tears and hid herself in her brother's arms.

The red sky gazed down upon them as Noctis finally set fire to the old man, reducing him to ashes in a matter of minutes. The prince had thought he'd feel worse after the funeral, but the walk back to the outpost lightened his mind. Talcott trudged along and was still quite shaken, but he had his grandfather's ashes in a metal box. No one could ever hurt poor Jared again.

Ignis' food brought some smiles on the weary faces as they gathered together, sitting on the ground in a large circle. It took some convincing, but Aranea finally agreed to sit between Crowe and Luna, still weary of everyone's presence. Thankfully, Crowe had given her a rundown of the group, while the mercenary already knew Gladio, Iris and Noctis from Ignis' occasional tales regarding his work.

The clanking of beers resounded as the night advanced, and after two full courses, they all felt much better. Ignis then revealed a chocolate dessert that made everyone's mouths water.

"Where did you even find chocolate?!" Noctis demanded.

"Just be glad we did," Prompto shot back.

Aranea stared at her plate, almost suspicious, but as she saw everyone else wolfing down the pastry, she couldn't help herself. Ignis had done everything he could to ignore her up to this point, but found himself stealing glances at her now. He knew this was against the conditions she'd set, but he desperately wanted a glimpse of the old Aria beneath all the armor and roughness. He monitored her reactions, thankful for his glasses that sharpened all the fine details. He saw her closing her eyes a tad too long on the first bite, before scolding herself and trying to eat it more casually. Ignis noticed the light shiver that ran through her as she was halfway done and how slowly she ate, as if to savor every bite of it. He wasn't sure what to make of that.

The next minute, her face softened and he couldn't avert his eyes anymore, couldn't look away fast enough. Her hazel eyes met his and despite furrowing her eyebrows, she gave him a slight nod, which Ignis picked up as a sign he hadn't lost his touch with food. Ignis wondered if he could allow himself to hope. Not longing, hope. He didn't want to admit anything more. He barely heard the other compliments going around for his cooking.

It had been a long day and everyone was ready to get to sleep early. Ignis and Prompto agreed on sharing the RV, while Noctis and Luna would still use Monica's room, since the woman insisted on it. Iris, Talcott, Crowe and Gladio would bunk up in the larger house. Aranea was dead set on sleeping in her ship. No one was willing to insist, having her word that she wouldn't abandon them in the middle of the night.

Of course, Ignis had a few doubts, but he knew better than to take the risk of pushing her further away by getting accusative. He found himself having trouble thinking straight, and hated himself for that. He always thought things through carefully before acting on them. Thankfully, he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, and went through a dreamless sleep.

Prompto was amazed that they didn't even need to use their master plan, but then again, the advisor had been pushing himself even more than anyone else on the team lately. And even he had a breaking point.

…

Talcott had quickly fallen asleep, but Gladio couldn't seem to do the same and eventually walked out after half an hour of lying motionless in his cramped bed. The night air felt fresh and cool against his face and he walked around the outpost, until he'd reached the very edge of the camp. The repelling lights were like a beacon in the darkness. Nothing close to Insomnia's streets at night. With a huff, he sat down on the hard ground, trying to remember the few camping trips with his father without any bitterness. _Focus only on the happy memories_ , he told himself.

Leide looked quiet and empty, only the bigger beasts staying out at night. Daemons wouldn't materialize close to the camp. If they did, they'd just hurl themselves at the light while he stood and watched. He didn't want to fight, but felt a sense of restlessness building up. People...too many people had died and he needed to clear up his head. Half an hour later, he heard footsteps and turned to see Crowe, wearing her hair down and looking just as restless as him.

"Couldn't sleep either, huh?" she asked, nudging his left shoulder as she sat next to him.

"Pretty sharp." He laughed. "Aren't you tired though? You've sparred with that Highwind woman for a few hours."

"It was good to have a sparring partner my own size," she went on, giving him a wink. "I haven't trained a lot lately, except when we went hunting. And Aranea has an impressive technique. I bet you it won't be easy to fight against all of us at the same time. We make quite the team."

He coughed twice before giving his approval, noticing the worried look on her face.

"I'm fine. The nurse said coughing would help. If anything, I didn't move around enough today."

She pretended not to hear and crossed her arms.

"What do you think Noctis has in mind to take over the imperial fleet?"

"Ignis got us some information with all the data he cracked. Apparently, their dropships are all fueled and manufactured by a flying base they called Quetzalcoatl. It's a city-vessel that flies by the border, over the ocean. We find this Quetzalcoatl, we clear it off and MTs should stop falling on everybody's heads."

She smiled, squaring her shoulders.

"That sounds like one more impossible feat. Can't have too many of those, huh? Count me in."

He chuckled and they fell into a peaceful silence, until a roar resounded in the night, making her shiver despite all her efforts.

"Maybe you should get back inside." Gladio suggested.

"I need to get over that stupid fear." She retorted. "And I doubt you really want to stay alone. Unless you tell me so."

He would have in other circumstances, but Crowe's presence had grown to be comforting. But was he ready to admit that? The flirting the other day was still in the back on his mind and when he noticed the goosebumps on her arms, he wondered how far it could go. Or if it was even okay to go further.

"Cold?"

"A little. That's a nice jacket." She observed, rubbing her bare arms and looking resolutely into the darkness in front of her.

"I'd offer it to you, but then I'd be the one getting cold." He teased.

"Wow. Such. A. Gentleman."

"You could always sit here," he went on, motioning to the space between his arms.

He hadn't exactly wanted to sound flirty, but it happened again without him realizing, coming off as second nature. And despite herself, Crowe wondered if he secretly desired some human contact as much as she did.

"Looking for a shoulder to cry on?"

He shook his head no and her smile was playful as she shifted to sit between his legs, letting him wrap her in a warm hug. Instead of sitting with her back to his chest, she let her shoulder brush his pecs, her hair tickling him.

"I'm starting to wonder where we're going. It feels almost too easy to be around you." She sighed into his neck.

He tried not to shiver, not to hold her any closer. Although he did want that kind of embrace, he doubted going any further would be helpful in the long run. He knew her, albeit not that well, but the fact that he knew her scared him more than any flirting he'd done before. So he kept it light.

"I could say the same for you."

They remained silent for a moment, trying to take comfort in each other's presence and convince themselves this was enough. She wanted to think of the future, a future that held more fights, more danger, but also some hope for real change. He was tired of all the thinking. Tired of feeling so lost, considering he was the one supposed to guide Noctis.

Suddenly, a hiss came from their left and Crowe instinctively shuffled closer to him, tensing up in his arms as he looked around in alarm. A snake was slithering on the ground a few feet away from them. He was going after some tiny beast, not caring for the pair of humans whatsoever and as the woman relaxed, Gladio was reminded of how good she felt next to him.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to be any clingier than I already am…"

"Don't be. You have a right to be nervous after all you went through. And I'd like to think I can still protect some people..."

There were so many insecurities laced into his sentence, Crowe looked up to him with even more concerns than before. His jaw was set and he seemed even tenser than her.

"You don't have to protect people all the time. Unless you tell me it's your main pick-up line."

"I'm not flirting with you." He laughed, before meeting her deep brown eyes and feeling some emotion opening up inside.

"Maybe not now, but we both know what was going on the other day."

As the two drew closer, the awkwardness vanished and neither of them moved to push the other away. Instead, she ran two fingers over his stubble, letting her fingertips ghost the tense muscles in his neck, as if to convince him to relax. He didn't, and looked right back in her face. He wanted to voice his questions. He desperately wanted to ask her, "What do you expect from me?", but didn't trust himself to say those words. But here she was, opening him up with simple touches. Maybe it was just the timing. Maybe it was because he'd seen her so open and vulnerable. But he couldn't ignore how her hands on him made him feel.

"I bet you keep things casual with women?" Crowe guessed.

"Yeah. Relationships aren't exactly easy to keep in my line of work."

 _But I wonder if there's a slight chance they can still work in these times_ , they both thought.

"So, you're a playboy then." She teased him.

"Hey, I'm not crushing hearts left and right. I make my intentions clear right from the start."

Her smile was half sad, half genuine.

"Don't get defensive. I've been surrounded by men for most of my life. I know that type. I'm just trying to understand where we stand. Because I usually don't do casual."

And there it was, out in the open, almost too clear. But was it enough invitation? He had no idea what she wanted, except for some clarity.

"Well, since we're working together, I don't want things to get . . . awkward."

Gladio cringed after saying it out loud and realized the more he thought over it, the less he knew what he wanted. She was strong and hard-headed and if Insomnia was still standing, he could totally picture himself hitting on her in a bar. And the awesome nights that would follow. But going there felt wrong. His eyes already had trouble focusing on hers and her hand on his neck gave him a strange impression. Was she slowly pulling him down or was he just leaning into her ever so slightly?

"I need to pull myself together." She observed. "And you need to stop losing people close to you."

Those were the cold hard facts, but her next question was so unexpected it almost sent him off the rails.

"What would you do if I was one of those girls you flirt with?"

Her lips looked inviting and he held her closer, hiding his face against her bare shoulder, trying hard to hold off the various impulses and feelings she'd released in him. When he breathed her in and sighed against her skin, he felt her shiver.

"So . . . You'd sniff me up?"

Gladios' resulting laugh ran through her chest, making her feel just as confused as him.

"You smell clean. And feel so damn soft."

"Soft?" she repeated, her voice catching a bit as his hands moved onto her, one slipping through her hair, the other holding the small of her back.

His lips brushed against her neck, the ghost of a caress, but Crowe caught herself. This wasn't the right time. Their current state of emotions was running wild. And even though she knew it was half a mistake, she raised his chin, appreciating the space he gave her, the fact he didn't impose on her.

Crowe slowly let out a breath. Their eyes met for a split second, and Crowe realized she knew what she wanted. All the questions, all the doubts vanished, the need taking over and they were moving before thoughts could hold them back. She gripped his collar as he cupped the side of her face, their kiss filled with all the pent-up tension and fear. They were waves crashing into each other, their noses poking at each other, but there was too much teeth, too little lips, trying to find a rhythm to their dance. And no matter how rushed it felt, they needed more.

Gladiolus hadn't expected to find her so solid and firm. Women usually melted into his touch, but she was wildfire against his skin. He had to fight the urge to tackle her to the ground and it seemed she was holding herself back, too, demanding through the tenderness, almost too rough, even for him. Maybe calling her soft had been a bad idea… The scratch of his stubble against her neck and jaw felt exhilarating, maybe as good as his hands on her, but what she wanted was one, real kiss. Or rather multiple, earth-shattering kisses.

Neither knew who parted first and who pulled the other back for more. He lost his breath first though, and a coughing fit followed, breaking the atmosphere and bringing both fighters back to reality. She let him bend over her and held onto him until the worst was over, but when he looked ready to lean in for another kiss, she shook her head.

"We shouldn't be doing this." She warned.

"Yeah, we shouldn't." Gladio was only half convinced and she could tell how much more love the man needed. But this simple embrace had already gone so much further than she expected.

"Listen. I don't want to depend on you for everything. I don't want to start something just out of fear and because I felt too lonely." Crowe stated.

He nodded, loving how she felt in his arms. Usually, the pleasure came with interchangeable faces. But her face already felt familiar, as was the sight of her flushed lips, and the lingering feeling of her fingers in his hair. It seemed different. It was different.

"I'm just . . . too emotional right now. I'm not clingy or…" He admitted, hating the fact he sounded as though he wanted to apologize.

He never apologized for such things. He was no teen boy. Right!?

"Gladio, it's okay. You're attractive. And you make me feel safe. I just… think we shouldn't try being casual or… It's just too much too fast. And as you said, we're working together."

If she was getting any clarity from this, it was misguided, because he felt more confused than ever. To him, Crowe almost sounded interested to take this further at some point in the future. And that meant complication either way.

"So we stay professional then?" he asked, trying to sound unaffected.

Crowe bit her lower lip, clearly more affected than she let on. She got up to regain some composure and he followed her example, unconsciously taking a step towards her.

"At least, let's not make out like teenagers. You'd lose any rights to tease the prince."

They shared a warm laugh, agreeing on a temporary truce for those difficult questions. But as she went to find herself a midnight snack and he stood back, both couldn't help but wonder. How could it feel so natural to be together when they'd been strangers mere weeks ago? And they both came to the realization. All it took was a deep, emotional connection. They hadn't realized how much they needed one, until now.

…

Iris was happy that Talcott fell asleep quickly, but she couldn't seem to find any rest. She had thought of joining her brother and Crowe outside, but had decided to mess around with her phone a bit more. She had a few very boring books on there just in case for these situations...

 _Vampire stalker talking. How is Luna?_

The text that flashed on her screen seemed cryptic, coming from some unknown number. Although she could tell right away who it was.

 _Ravus? How the hell did you get my number?!_ She typed back.

The answer took a few minutes to arrive.

 _R: I asked you a question first. We were stuck in a cave for over ten hours and my sister still lacks a phone, for reasons beyond me, so of course I picked your number. I can't let her keep sending Pryna and Umbra after me with messages that could be intercepted._

 _I : Okay. But Vampire… stalker?!_

 _R: I thought it'd draw your interest. And it worked since you answered. Now, would you tell me how Luna is?_

Iris couldn't believe it. It almost didn't sound like Ravus Nox Fleuret, except for the fact he was obnoxious and authoritative.

 _I: You saw her this very morning, she hasn't gotten into any trouble. She's fine._

It took longer for the next answer to come and Iris rolled on her side in her bed, hoping the light from her screen wouldn't wake Talcott. It seemed pretty surreal to think Ravus was texting her. Could he even do it with his mechanical hand? She wanted to complain this wasn't the time for his orders, but this new situation couldn't be ignored, and since she wasn't sleeping yet…

 _R: This may sound weird, but since you said you were her friend, I'd ask for you to watch over her. And report back to me if she gets in trouble or anything._

 _I: Wait. You want me to spy on your sister for you? No way!_

Ravus replied quickly.

 _R: Not spying, watching out for her. Your brother would want to know if you were in danger, wouldn't he?_

 _I: Okay. . .Why would she be in danger right now?_

 _R: She always puts others before herself._

 _I: Sounds like a family trait._

Iris was typing madly, letting herself get caught up as though she was writing with some school friends. Part of it felt entirely normal, except for the fact the guy on the other side of the phone had once tried killing her. She almost regretted sending her last message, only to see the reluctant reply that followed.

 _R: I thought warning her that she could almost heal daemons would make her more considerate of how she uses her powers._

 _I: And she left without promising not to heal any daemons in the future? Serves you right!_

 _R: You can think whatever you want. Now then, will you let me know how she is?_

 _I: I could lend her my phone._

 _R: I doubt she'd be truthful._

 _I: What do I get from this? I've already helped you a lot._

She felt a bit bold to ask for repayment, but it was the least he owed her. Not to mention he'd beaten up Noctis and broken his father's car and whatnot… Her head was spinning in circles as she tried to recall all his crimes and wrongdoings and almost wanted to toss the phone aside. The new text that showed up surprised her.

 _R: What do you want?_

He was admitting she was right?! He even sounded ready to let her decide her price? Was this too good to be true? If it wasn't, she wouldn't let this potential opportunity slip by. After five minutes of thinking hard about it, she knew exactly what she wanted.

 _I: Intel on the empire. And the promise you won't ever hurt Noctis again._

 _R: That prince of yours again. Alright, fine. As for the empire…_

 _I: I want continuous intel. I keep tabs on your sister, in exchange, you help us._

 _R: You realize I just defected?_

 _I: How long did you work for the empire?_

 _R: Over 14 years._

That made her feel quite young and she stared at the ceiling, trying to picture herself over a decade from now. She'd been a Crownsguard all of her life in her heart, but it sounded childish and she was sick of getting treated like a child.

 _I: Then you must know stuff that will help us. Like MTs factories' locations, passwords, high people, anything._

 _R: I don't know for how long my intel can be accurate or relevant._

 _I: Then you'd better keep me updated on your research, too._

 _R: Don't push it, Amicitia._

Iris felt the anger rising, but managed to contain herself. She would have to show Ravus she was just as mature as him if she wanted him to treat her equally.

 _I: How would you feel if I called you Nif? Start treating me like a real person, Fleuret, or this deal is over. And you hear nothing back about Luna._

The following answer was delayed by a whole four minutes. Iris tensed up. Did she go too far? Or did she luck out and Ravus' willingness to protect his sister go further than his allegiance to the empire?

She instantly knew when she saw his reply.

 _R: I can tell you they have a new army commander. Ace Galahad Drautos. He's supervising whatever they're doing in Insomnia right now._

 _I: What are they doing? You know of it?_

 _R: You see, that's the risk with giving you intel. I know if I tell you certain things, you'll rush into danger and take Luna right along. Don't make me call the deal off._

 _I: Please. Insomnia is my home. I have a right to know._

Since he didn't answer, she insisted with four more texts. When there was still no reply, she went as far as threatening to call him.

 _R: You won't be able to sleep._

 _I: I already can't sleep. We buried my family's butler today._

 _R: Always busy, are you? You really don't need to know this._

 _I: We had an agreement. No patronizing._

 _R: Very well. Alright, Ace is collecting the people that were stuck in the capital. They…might be turned into more MTs or slave workers._

Iris couldn't believe it, couldn't accept it. Some of her friends might still be there and now, it seemed they were facing a fate even worse than death.

 _I: How… How exactly does the empire work?_

 _R: It's a long process. I can't answer much more at the moment. I need you to keep me updated about Luna._

 _I: I will. But I'll need to know more soon._

 _R: Go to sleep, Iris._

She had thousands of more questions, but needed time to process the new development. This could be huge. Ravus was still his obnoxious self, but he was actually willing to help them. Conditionally, of course.

When Crowe walked back into the room, Iris had her back turned to the door, curled in a tight ball, her phone held close. The Glaive checked on Talcott first, replacing his sheets and stroking his hair. As Gladio walked in, he saw Crowe looking after his sleeping sister, replacing a strand of her hair and tucking her in. The sight warmed his heart, but also gave birth to doubts. His past conquests almost never met with his family, because Iris had lost a mother once and had very few occasions where there were older women looking after her as she grew up. She could've been off with someone to look up to. Luna might have been a good fit, but she'd dragged Noctis further away from the poor girl. And Iris had saved Crowe as much as him. If he tried to take things further and messed things up, Iris would only suffer more.

He couldn't live with himself if that happened. Iris meant everything to him.

…

Noctis and Luna were both far too restless to fall asleep. He locked the door to their room and she tried to restore some comfort between them, asking him how he felt.

"Lighter, somehow. What about you?"

Umbra and Pryna had played all day and were sleeping in a corner of their room on top of each other, snuggled together. Luna smiled at the sight, but the dissatisfaction lingered and she shrugged.

"Are you really feeling lighter? You were a mess the whole day."

"Well, we've just been losing and losing... I'm nowhere near okay. But you know what? We'll get there. Luna… If anything's wrong…" Concern laced his voice.

"It's just… seeing Jared in that state when Monica opened the bag. I've showered and it still feels as though the smell of death is on my hands. I keep healing people, but more and more keep dying." It pained Noctis to hear those words. In a way, being the Oracle was also a curse.

He walked up to her, wrapping his arms around her, trying to shush her, only to feel her hands clasping at his forearms, her eyes shining with despair.

"I need to feel alive. And to make sure you…"

She didn't add another word, kissing him on the lips, making her desire clear to him. Instead of cowering, Noctis found himself answering back, the same need reignited, hiding just beneath the surface. After facing so much death, so much blood and pain, they both wanted to feel alive. To feel each others' strength.

She pulled off his coat, almost clawing at his shirt and any reservations or fear were gone when she tugged on his belt. Noctis had a dozen question in his head, a dozen doubts running wild in back of his mind. He'd seen himself losing her a hundred times in the last few days, and wondered how many more times he could take resisting her. He thought about the timing, but their precarious situation meant they might never find the right time. Noctis felt himself losing control, the rush taking over. He gripped her thighs and lifted her against him, drifting from her mouth to her jawline and neck. He knew what she liked, the spots that made her moan, squirm or whine, and he desperately needed those sounds from her.

Her first gasp preceded his four steps toward the bed and the fight on whose clothes would come off first. It was a draw, of course. There was something rough and pressing in the gestures, but the pain made them feel alive and no sensation seemed strong enough to compensate their fear. Luna was gently touching him, almost inspecting him, as though to make sure everything was still there. Noctis had gone from her collarbone to her shoulder before crossing the few lines she'd kept, barely keeping himself together. His fingers were on a quest to give back every shiver, to find the core of her nerve endings and return the bliss. He wanted to win back some control too, to slow the whole thing down because at this rate, he was afraid he'd forget himself and hurt her.

Noctis knew how much he loved Luna and she knew it too, but he wasn't sure how to show it. Words could only go so far. But actions here could backfire and it was hard to process the very notion of risk in the throes of passion.

"Luna, I thought we weren't rushing…"

"I want to feel you, Noct." She pleaded, pulling him down to kiss him some more.

Noctis found himself obliging with abandon, stroking and kissing and nibbling, letting his senses overload him. He'd been wanting this for damn years and suddenly he realized how long she must have wanted the same.

"I'm here, Luna. I'm here with you and…"

The words he wanted to say sounded too corny for some reason and he tried to contain himself, to focus on her. On her shivers and sighs. On how her skin reacted to his touch, on the lovely shade of…

A bark snapped him awake. Had he been dreaming? Since when had he fallen asleep? He let out a sigh as he blinked. Nevertheless, he was glad since it was getting a little too graphic, considering he was lying alone in bed while Luna combed Pryna's fur, sitting on the floor.

"Everything okay?" his fiancée asked.

Noctis muttered a yes before he buried his face into his pillow. He hadn't had this sort of dream in a long time. Not since he first thought of her in that way. And he really, really didn't want to embarrass her if she hadn't noticed anything. In fact, he'd much prefer that she hadn't noticed anything.

But a minute later, as she slipped into bed next to him and snuggled close, she whispered in his ear.

"I know you're here with me." Her breath tickled and sent shivers through him.

He could almost hear the smile on her face and wondered if he should feel shame or merely self-derision.

"Do I talk in my sleep?" he asked sheepishly.

"It happens sometimes. In this particular case, I take it as a compliment."

"Yeah?"

"It's always flattering to feel wanted."

"Good. I so want you." He sighed into her shoulder, before nibbling at her ear.

She shivered and tried to stay relaxed in his arms. Noctis had been forward, but never blunt. He felt the slight tense in her frame and instantly stopped himself, wanting to comfort her.

"Sorry. I won't rush you."

"I don't feel rushed, Noctis. If anything, you've been incredibly patient with me. And I want you, too. Don't think you're the only one who has to endure this."

Tonight was out of the question, because death was still freshly buried in their minds and she was tired of all the prayers she'd made. But they might not hold off much longer. They just wanted it to feel right. For everything to fall in place naturally.

"Dream of me tonight?" he asked her playfully.

"Hold me tight through the night." She retorted, lazily caressing the arms holding her.

They might have lost many people in such little time, but at least they had each other. Noctis felt so thankful for that as he sighed into the warmth in front of him...

To be continued…

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Ravus first's text is the one thing that I doubt the most about in this chapter. And I swear, this is the last time I cockblock Noct/Luna. Action will come in next chapter and the whole Scar/red arc shouldn't last more than one other chapter. I need the drama to stop. XD

Let me know what you think! :D

Any theory on who Ace Galahad Drautos is? Or how Iris is supposed to give the information she gets from Ravus to her friends without admitting she's keeping tabs on Luna or that Ravus is texting her every now and then? Cause it might turn out awkward once Gladio learn of one thing or two. XD


	28. Scarred - Part II

The first little part is in the name of continuation. And because even though I wanted to throw it in my Cornica's drabble, I thought it fitted here. I've been under the weather for the last half of February and trying to come back at full strength. I also work a whole lot better with less characters in the same scene. So I cut things down in here. Let's hope you'll like it.

As for the wait, let's say school has been rough. I want to thank my beta reader once again. Amazing work as always. Can I also blame my new Zelda game and the fact my spring break week wasn,t much a of break? Anyway, I'll let you to read. We have a lot of characters interaction and some Ignis/Aranea! I need so much more of it.

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Unexpected

Chapter 28 – Scar/red Part II

Monica had dialed the number without thinking, the ringtone driving her a little edgier with every new ring. It was quite late, but she had news she couldn't share over a text and had waited until she couldn't take it anymore.

"Mon?"

Cor's voice sounded weary and she cringed at the idea she might have just woke him. She knew he needed more rest, she knew he barely slept more than three hours every night, but all the efforts she'd mustered were dying down. Her shoulders slumped and a trembling ran through her voice as she asked:

"Is this a bad time?"

"No, it's fine. We've just finished setting up camp for the night. Everything okay?"

"I don't know how to tell you this." She admitted.

It wasn't her first time being the bearer of bad news, but right now, it had never felt harder.

"Mon, whatever's going on…"

"Someone found Jared and his grandson." She shot back, barely breathing as she stringed the words together.

 _Like a band-aid. In one shot._ Monica thought.

"Jared was killed by MTs."

He cursed on his side of the line, and Monica felt the tears flowing down her cheeks as she dropped into a chair, feeling helplessness creeping in as she remembered the look on all of their faces. As she tried to add explanations or at least report on Noctis' retinue, her voice refused to come out. A sob got through and Cor's worried voice filled her ears.

"Hey, Monica, you can't…"

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to hear your voice…" she whispered.

Needed was more like it, but she didn't want to pressure him. Or admit how much she'd grown to depend on him. He let out a long breath, the sound mixing with static. He was trying to process the news. He had known Jared, of course, and losing him meant losing a little more of the Amicitia family. But she sounded in such distress…he'd better keep talking and not linger on the depressing news.

"I'm doing okay. We've got both bases secured. People from Lestallum helped with the fortifications and the defenses. I think we'll be able to keep those ones. Mon, are you… crying?"

"I'm trying not to. I need to look after the kids."

"Don't focus on them. Just let it out. Or talk my ears off like when you were trying to keep me conscious the other day."

She almost laughed at the memory. How could her life still feel normal when they'd been through so much?

"Do you even have time for this?" she asked.

"For you? Always."

…

There was a light twinkling in the dark, from the control board on the wall. Aranea turned her back on it, her armor's pieces given up on the side. She wore a sport tank top and a pair of shorts. She'd learn to love these small comforts. About five years ago, she'd never fallen asleep in less than a full attire, with her boots on and everything. But she'd honed her skills to reach a point where she felt secure enough to permit herself some luxury.

Of course, her spear wasn't far from her cot and there was a dagger beneath her pillow. She was always ready for an assault. Her sleep had been light for her whole life. The tension in her shoulders was like an old friend, the stiffness in her muscles the very reason why she still breathed. She was trying to come to terms with her last decision. The way she'd accepted to work for the prince of losing causes.

Evidently, she needed a new job. Gils could be gathered through hunts and Biggs and Wedge would surely welcome her back in their hunting duo with wide arms. But she had depended on them for far too long. If she ever had anything in life, it was her pride and she'd keep it.

 _But it wasn't your pride that decided you should stay around here_ , she thought to herself bitterly.

She'd been wondering for years how it would feel to see him again. She'd wondered why the last memory she had of him was his bewildered eyes as she slipped from his grip and down an endless fall. Surely those stupid daggerquills had attacked him, surely something had happened to explain everything… And she'd hated herself for giving him excuses when all her heart wanted to do was hate him. But after the fear and the pain had died down, what she'd feared the most as she fell for him had resurfaced. The longing and the hundred and one questions. There was nothing to remember him by, not a jewel, not a picture. Living on the streets didn't make a girl material. Even now, she only kept the strict minimum. Two changes of clothes, a spare pair of boots, a vast arsenal of weapons to be prepared and that was about it.

Aranea could picture what Ignis would call the strict minimum. It surely involved spices and a full set of cutlery. As comprehensive as he got, the young man had been raised in a fine environment and considered minimal comfort essential to life.

She tossed and turned on her small mattress, feeling the sweat on her scalp and the way the sheets cling to her skin. Keeping her ship turned off and sitting under the sun for hours wasn't one of her best decisions. The security light twinkled sporadically. It disturbed her immensely.

Not as much as Iggy's spiked up hair. The first time she'd seen him, she'd wondered if he was undergoing a weird phase or something. Then the fact he stood next to his prince and liege had erased any assumptions she'd made. He had chosen the crown over their relationship. She couldn't deduce anything else. Knowing Scientia like she did, he would have found her if he had tried. Maybe had she been a daydreaming fool, lost in love. But still. The new hairstyle might be suiting if Ignis managed to relax. The look in his eyes as he'd pushed her back against the wall revealed his constant anxiety and worry. And the chocolate pastry yesterday had been a peace offering as much as a war declaration. He wanted answers, maybe even wanted the right to call her Aria again and as much as a part of her wanted to see him try…

She was scared of how she might react if he got too close again. He'd been one of the best things that had ever happened to her, but that was in the past.

"Stop." She commanded herself.

She tossed again and kicked off her sheets and stared up at the metal ceiling with a groan. How many times had she wondered how he'd feel if she agreed the first time he asked her to stay at his place? Air conditioning. Amazing food every night. But it was all gone now. Insomnia had fallen and his flat had surely toppled over with every building ransacked by daemons and imperial dreadnaughts.

She shook her head, angry at her own imagination. When she closed her eyes, she could almost feel his breath on her face as he'd immobilized her, losing part of his self-control. His body against hers. The smell of his cold sweat, and how raw he'd looked for a few seconds, as she'd throw venom at his face. She could have touched him then, could have reached for his arms, let the mask fall and admit the fear, the wanting, was still alive within her.

Blinking and sitting up, she tried to fight against the dizziness that surfaced. To push any thoughts of the tall, lean, perfectionist away from her mind. The damn light was still twinkling. Like the glint that would catch in his glasses as they'd talked on the park bench. Like the lights in his eyes when they'd wake together in the morning.

Her throat felt too tight and she wanted to scream. To lock up her memories somewhere inaccessible, so they wouldn't hurt anymore. It had been five years. She had tried to forget him, so many times, because she'd never opened herself like she did with him.

Her radio clicked on, static echoing before hearing a voice on the speaker that made her blood freeze and froze all her thoughts. Councilor Ardyn Izuna was sending instructions through the civil channels. He had to know she could hear it too.

"…ragoon, Highwind, has deflected with one of our ships. If there is one thing I can't tolerate, it's disloyalty. She might have been nothing more than a mercenary, but I want that red ship destroyed. And I'll give a thousand gils to the person that can bring me Cor Leonis or Ravus Nox Fleuret's head."

The radio turned off with that and Aranea heaved a sigh. At least, he didn't want her head, only her ship. But that meant whatever the prince had in mind, they'd better do it fast. And worrying over Ignis wouldn't solve this. She gazed down at her armor, wondering if she should try to lay low. It wasn't like her at all and she hated the idea a single man could make her crawl. She'd rose from slum trash to top game mercenary entirely on her own. No one had ever ruled her life and she wouldn't let that change now.

She considered whether the group thought she joined Noctis' retinue to get protection. What she really wanted was a way to retaliate at the empire. Being on the inside hadn't worked, but at least, she knew what to expect from them.

…

Ravus had snuck into Insomnia through the sewers. It had only taken him a single day. He fought off monsters, using his synthetic arm to hinder MTs with the magnetic anti-magic field they'd put in it. He'd given up his white coat and stole rags from corpses, keeping only the minimum from his old attire - boots, underwear and the belt for his sword. He went as far as wearing the dog tag he'd found on some hunter. He needed to fit in once he entered the city. Or what was left of it.

He tied his long hair, refusing to cut it until his beard might serve as a useful way to hide his face. His red metallic hand was covered with a glove, and he wrapped the wing on Regis' blade with bandages.

There were few people on the streets, most were scurrying around, trying to grab food from a grocery store. They moved in groups, constantly throwing glances over their shoulders. They all carried weapons, from swords to broom sticks. Ravus kept his head low with an ice-cold expression. Not a single person approached him.

The former army commander was aiming for a school, preferably of university level. He needed a lab to run his tests and some quiet environment to check up on Verstael.

The outer parts of the city showed little damage, but into the inner roads and backstreets, the buildings seemed to crumble in size, and chunks of stone and concrete larger than behemoths blocked the streets and crushed houses and apartment complexes. There were broken bits of glass, dust and dirt everywhere. Fires were burning in a few places and the more he advanced, the worse Ravus felt. This was reminding him of Tenebrae and the towns he had laid to waste as he worked for Nifelheim. He found four schools and had to run a dozen times as imperial ships passed by. Not that he wanted to, but he couldn't afford to blow his cover.

When he encountered MTs, he slaughtered them without a second thought. His shoulder still ached and his side hurt, but he had work to get done. The walk up to Insomnia could have taken him far longer, if he hadn't found a run-down car by the side of the road that he managed to fix. He had gathered all the odd skills he could over the few last years, but as he inspected the fourth school, his patience started running thin. His blood sample was stored in a cooling vial, but there was a limit to what science could do.

"I think this is it." He sighed as he walked into the lab wing and found clean medical tools.

Of course, he had to find a power source to get anything working, since the electricity had been cut and the water might stop coming soon too. But schools of this size had generators and he'd rather stay off the grid in every way possible. It took Ravus around four hours of work to settle a work space with enough light and the right instruments. He washed his human hand and sterilized the metal one before getting into any precise manipulation.

Sleep would have to wait after he'd seen the first result. Iris' blood might hold the key, but he first had to isolate any trace of the blight, like he'd managed before on samples of his own blood. The process was tedious, requiring calculations, recalibrations and most of his formulas were stored in his mind. Keeping any sensible information on his phone was way too dangerous. He'd already caught some information from the state of the streets and had noticed the presence of Ace Galahad Drautos, one of the rare human recruits who'd joined under his orders, when he was still working in imperial territory. According to Ace, imperial territory meant the whole world. He hated that boy almost as much as he hated Noctis.

His phone buzzed again, and since the perimeter was looking clear and his tests were running smoothly, he took it out, hearing Verstael on the other end.

"You're getting pretty popular, forlorn prince. Your head has a price on it now."

"Nice. Got any results on your side?" he replied.

Being hunted was the least of his worries.

"The common blight has evolved into the strand you'd worked on. We were right. And at this rate, it will grow even more potent. It seems the process has accelerated again."

"It took years for the blight to evolve to what it is now…" Ravus observed.

"Now it takes a few months. I think even the Oracle's powers aren't enough anymore. And we'll lose the emperor in a matter of weeks. By then, I might not be able to help you anymore."

"The test subjects are still dying?"

"Like flies. Your pseudo-vaccine worked for the first few weeks, but it eventually broke down every host."

Ravus cringed at the notion. Verstael had gotten over human deaths long ago.

"We lack all the facts underlying the healing process. Give me a couple days, I'll get back to you."

"You have a decent lab now? In the middle of all this?"

"Don't forget who you're talking to."

Hanging up, Ravus checked the tests' results only to see nothing was out yet. It would take at least another hour. He pondered ways to kill time as he saw how dark it was outside. No use going out if he could help it.

 _Maybe it's too soon…_ He wondered, looking at the clock on his cell.

It was well past into the night and he had seen Luna twice in the last few days, which was more than he'd seen her the entire last year. But he couldn't help himself. She had left with that defiant look on her face. The one he wore all the time when people tried telling him he couldn't do something.

He had only four contacts on his phone. Two belonged to Verstael, the third one was Tenebrae's castle, which he never called. He'd deleted or blocked all the extra numbers from fellow soldiers. However, the new one was the brunette girl, the one named after a flower. The one that always got in his way since Insomnia had fallen. Her blood was being analyzed at the very moment. Texting her seemed even harder than writing a letter. But he couldn't call her. No way to know if she was still awake.

"And what do you write?"

Being alone too often had given him some bad tendencies. He started talking to himself whenever he got too annoyed.

"Hi" sounded stupid. "Hello" too. _This is the pycho that tried killing you. I've resorted to stalking you._

"Now I wouldn't block this sort of message…" he mocked himself, wracking his brain.

Maybe should he opt for keeping things simple and straightforward without being blunt. Psycho… He wasn't mad either. If anything, he was too sane for his own good.

 _"What are you… a vampire?!"_

Those words had really left an impression on him. And he guessed he could do worse.

…

The guys took some time by themselves in the early morning, Luna having insisted to make breakfast with Iris, especially forbidding Ignis from cooking duty. Aranea hadn't shown up yet and Crowe was chatting with Monica, wanting an update on what was going on with the few hunters patrolling the country. The boys were sitting together, wondering if they should focus on planning for the rest of the day, before the big guy brought up a lighter subject.

"So Noct, you never got around to telling us how the date went." Gladio started.

The serious look on the prince's face softened.

"It went really well. She liked the picnic."

"Oh come on, how well?" Prompto insisted.

"I won't go into the details, but we flirted, we danced, we kissed, and she liked every part of it. I don't know if we'll find time for another date, but… I asked for her hand and she said yes!"

Saying it made him even more excited about the fact, but neither of the guys knew how to answer at first. It was plain to see the man was in love with his princess, and the effect she had on him. But a wedding seemed so far-fetched with everything they'd been through.

"Hadn't she… like already said yes? When the empire asked?" Prompto observed.

"As if that counted. I gave her an honest to goodness ring, one that won't kill her."

Gladio frowned, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"Is that all you've been worrying about? Cause it's pretty messed up." The tall man almost mocked.

"Now now," Ignis interfered. "I think the right answer is some congratulations. It's not as though either of us ever managed as much."

He didn't even sound bitter, which Noctis would have expected, seeing how much he'd pined after his Aria back in the days.

"Yeah. Even though you've been friends with her for most of your life, tying the knot is something else, man. Got a date fixed yet?" Prompto asked. "I'll be your photographer. You can't say no to that!"

"There's no date yet, we've just agreed on the wedding." Noctis laughed. "And I wouldn't have anyone else as our official photographer. But I think we'll have to wait until things calm down a bit more."

None of the men wanted to point out that was the understatement of the year. Now wasn't the time to talk about such subjects. Noctis sensed the change of mood and quickly averted it by putting Prompto on the grill.

"You seem to have made progress with Cindy."

The gunman scrapped at the back of his head, frowning slightly.

"I think we've made up. Although we're "friends" for now."

"Ouch." Gladio half-heartedly sympathized.

"You're one to talk. I saw you yesterday with Crowe, all cozy and cuddly."

Ignis raised one brow while Noctis slumped his shoulders at the curious idea.

"Cuddly? Tell me you took pictures!"

"'T'was too dark." Prompto deplored.

"And there was nothing to see. She was cold…"

"Oh oh, next time I'm cold, stay back. You were french-kissing her."

"Are you serious?" Noctis mused.

Ignis looked partially amused by the look on Gladiolus' face. For once, the prince's shield wasn't keen to laugh at himself.

"I got impulsive, she brushed me off. There's nothing going on, so spare me. This was a guy only trip and I could use less drama. Unless you too have plans, Iggy?"

The advisor shrugged nonchalantly.

"I've already pushed my luck with the fudge cakes."

"You sneaky bastard, are you telling me that chocolate wasn't for Iris and Talcott? I risked my life in that kitchen for you and…" Prompto started, not sounding resentful at all.

"What kitchen? How much stuff has happened while I was sleeping?!"Noctis demanded to know.

They might have gone on for a while longer, but the girls called them up for breakfast. Aranea joined up half an hour later, looking tired. She warned the prince her airship might be hunted down, and that she preferred not to use it and put them in more danger. Ignis looked for worry or anxiety in her features, but the silver-haired woman simply looked annoyed.

"How do you know of that?" Iris asked.

"I think the chancellor doesn't care who knows, as long as the dirty work gets done. He's put a price on two guys' head too, all broadcasted to the main stations."

Luna frowned. That sounded too direct for Ardyn. Monica wanted all the information she could have, and as Aranea gave the names, some faces tensed. Sensing the morale declining, the older woman reminded them they should worry about the present, or at the very least over what they could control.

"Cor was already on their hit list and I'm sure Luna's brother can look after himself. We should get to Free Crown soon."

"And training must come first since we got daemons to hunt down in there." Noctis sighed.

Breakfast was mostly done and the prince guessed if he wanted to test out his powers, it was now or never. Iris was almost as fidgety as Ignis, both for different reasons. The girl wanted to share her intel but had no idea how and could tell it wasn't the right time. She'd already try running an internet search to get a few answers for herself about that Drautos guy, but there was no internet anymore and the very fact anyone's phone still worked was a miracle in itself.

Everyone needed the workout. Iris wanted to practice with her retractable bo staff and Aranea agreed, not even asking for conditions. She'd been restless for the last few days and couldn't refuse exercise. Gladiolus was named referee, since he couldn't fight and risked re-injuring his chest before it had fully healed.

"Should we really train with real weapons?" Luna asked as everyone warmed up.

Gladio had to stifle a laugh as he realized how nervous she was. Crowe had observed that Luna should get over her of killing MTs the other day. It wasn't a fear as much as a going against her morals, but the princess was ready to forsake some of them if it meant keeping her friends alive. Although she'd trained with the guys once or twice, it was always against monsters and about teaming up with Noctis and the others.

"Training with calculated risks to learn real lessons. We've got plenty of potions to fix any cuts or bruises, which should be enough as long as you guys don't get carried away and try to kill each other. You're only going to give them a hard time." Gladio told her. "I think we should start with hand to hand combat."

It sounded like a game according to the king's shield, but he needed some fun. Iris volunteered for the first round and Prompto agree to be her first victim. He was a deadly marksman, but without his guns, he was too light in muscles department. Iris had learned how to use an enemy's strength against him, and having a brother several times her size had certainly helped in that regard. And, if anything, she packed a mean punch.

"Stop running!" Iris protested.

"Stop hitting me in the ribs!"

"Okay, that's enough. There's no time for games and we haven't got all day."

For the next matches, they focused on double encounters, Noctis up against Aranea while Luna was facing Crowe. Ignis tried not to focus on his old flame too much, but he was worried about her. She might very well end up on the empire's hit list. That is, if she wasn't already on it and had simply refused to tell them to avoid unnecessary complications.

Luna was quick on her feet, but Crowe seemed even faster. The Oracle lacked training and hadn't mastered the many nuances of combat. She usually kept her enemies at a distance with her trident and missed it greatly as she tried avoiding kicks and gave back punches that were a tad too lax to inflict any serious damage.

Noctis wasn't given any chance to worry about his fiancée. Aranea had been giving him quite the hard time, using all sorts of tricks to try and gain an advantage. She punched and kicked and even without her lance, made incredible jumps. He was starting to wonder how she pulled them off as he dove to the side and tried finding a weakness in her defense. She could suddenly move in mid-air, as though invisible treads followed her and she just pulled at one to change her course. For some reason, each hit coming from up high felt twice, even thrice as strong as her normal kicks. After managing to tackle her by warping through an assault, he asked:

"How do you adapt to closed-up space? We're going down in mines…"

"I refrain from jumping when I have a low ceiling above my head."

Luna was hurtled to the ground with a gasp of pain and Noctis lost focus at this point, rushing to his fiancée without a second thought. Gladiolus suggested they take a break before starting over with paired-up battle. Iris paired up with Noctis against Luna and Crowe, then Aranea and Iris faced off against Crowe and Ignis. The young girl was trying to master her bo staff without hindering her partner while the glaive and advisor threw out one tactic after another without as much as a word exchanged between the two of them. They were so in sync, the dragoon thought she'd be sick to her stomach. From what she'd gathered, it hadn't been a long time since Crowe had joined their team. She knew Ignis was a perfectionist and would adapt to anyone's fighting style in a matter of hours, but it felt as though he really understood Crowe's intentions and could sometimes predict them. He was only being logical, but the more she saw of the team's apparent chemistry, the more jealous she felt.

Prompto was sitting this part of training out, because he lacked training rounds and Gladio wanted him to save his ammo. There would be no shortage of times he would need them in the future.

"How about having the royals pair up for the last one?" the broad man suggested.

Noctis and Luna agreed but it was the next offer that raised some doubts.

"Against… Iggy and Aranea? I'd rather make sure your history won't prove to be a problem."

The dragoon looked insulted and Ignis shrugged, as though his friend was underestimating him. Iris wondered how well this could go.

"We need to find the best pairs to have the best combinations in mind before we need them. With the eight of us, we could cover much more ground at the same time." Noctis observed.

"Well spoken. Shall we do this?" Ignis asked.

The circle where they'd already fought a dozen times was filled with small craters where Aranea's spear had hit the ground, not to mention the few spells Crowe had used against the prince that had turned earth to ashes. Both pairs readied their stances, Luna knowing she couldn't hold back against their newest recruit. The imperial runaway was an advocate of the no pain no gain mantra.

Noctis had his engine blade ready, rolling his shoulders to relax his muscles before the upcoming assault. Ignis and Aranea were both quick and although they'd been separated for five years, the prince had wedged a bet with Prompto for the outcome. A draw was the only way he'd see things go, while Prompto had rooted in Iggy's favor.

As the weapons were drawn out, Aranea took a step away from Ignis, trying to get the space she needed. She jumped a lot less when working with a partner and was growing slightly tired from all the fighting - she'd been in the most fights since she was the main one being tested here. As Gladio gave the signal, Noctis aimed straight for her, only to be kicked backwards. However, he instantly warped back to her.

"Cheater!" Aranea taunted him, unable to fight back the growing smirk on her face.

It was somehow good on her ego to see the extent of which the prince used his powers when he fought her. Although, he still had to be holding back some of it. He had been far more aggressive when they'd faced each other in Ardyn's base.

Luna crossed blades with Ignis, trying not to apologize when she managed to disarm him from one of his daggers by getting it caught between two of her trident's teeth. Before long, it seemed clear that the royals were trying to keep both partner separated from each other. They didn't even have to use verbal communication, a conclusion that comforted Ignis about Noctis' relationship with Luna. But at the same time, it made him wonder if he shouldn't be more aware of what Aranea might expect from him in the given situation. The silver-haired woman was clashing against the prince while the princess pushed herself to outwit him, only to be rebuked with parades and feints. He had picked up his lost dagger and kept getting under Luna's guard, although it was getting harder with every one of his new tries.

With a backflip, Ignis fell back on his feet, taking some distance to readjust his stance. His glasses were slipping off his nose and he kept feeling the urge to glance at Aranea's side. He wasn't worried for Noctis or for her. He didn't want to worry. He just couldn't help himself. The only time where he'd shared a battlefield with the imperial girl had been taxing. She'd broken her ankle and he'd had to carry her to safety and keep her confined to his apartment to make sure she'd stayed safe.

Carrying her in his arms had proved quite the feat and he had had to stop a dozen times to catch his breath. But she hadn't fought against the arms lifting her up, against his help or his care. She'd complained from the pain and the heat and then the air-conditioning, but it was all to keep their minds off the fact they'd almost gotten killed.

Now, he was barely out of breath, but he couldn't tell what was on her mind. He desperately wanted to. He also deeply wanted to win and prove to the guys how well he could work with that hard-headed woman. He'd always strived for perfection and he wouldn't stop now.

Catching Aranea's eyes for an instant, he saw something familiar, not a full plan or an order, but something else. Was it his imagination…? She wanted to switch opponents with him. He knew the prince better after all. He tripped Lunafreya, using the moment she was distracted to charge at Noctis. The dragoon took a leap and the fight took a new turn.

A kick, a swerve, metal clinking, dust rising and Noctis' hand finally slipped, forcing him to retreat for at least an instant. On the girl's side, Aranea's landing was broken off by Luna's trident, the Oracle growing a little more restless after all the training she'd been put through. Aranea came down with a cracking sound and only managed to disarm the princess before letting go of her spear, her face disfigured by pain.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" Luna started.

"No, that one's on me. I underestimated your aim." The silver haired woman cut her off.

She tried getting up, only to find herself held up by Ignis' arm, unable to lean any weight on her right leg.

"You could have called this off anytime." The advisor warned.

"I'm. Fine." She protested.

"You don't look fine." Noctis observed.

"I'll fix you right up. Just sit her down on the bench." Lunafreya asked.

Aranea hopped on her foot, trying not to lean on Ignis any more than necessary and was thankful the man didn't impose on her, taking a few steps back as soon as she sat down. Iris was already taking out her potions, while Prompto exchanged a look with the prince, doubting this could count as a draw.

The group of fighters tried to stand back during the healing process, but Luna's exclamation of surprise as she removed the young woman's leather boot brought back everyone's attention. Scars ran on Aranea's ankle, going up her legs, following almost surgical patterns.

"What happened to you?" Luna inquired worriedly.

"It's a long story. Can you just fix me and…?"

She winced as the Oracle gently probed her ankle. Luna needed to assert the damage to use the right magic.

"It doesn't feel broken, but something feels…wrong…"

She didn't see another way to describe it, no matter how bad it sounded.

"Most of the bones in my legs were replaced with metal." Aranea declared, keeping a straight face.

"Whoa."

Prompto didn't know many doctors that used such procedures and Ignis couldn't avert his eyes, or even believe his ears. Seeing as everyone was curious, Aranea's shoulders sagged slightly, but she went on:

"You might have heard I fell off a cliff once. I was pretty lucky to survive the fall, but I broke both of my legs. Very badly."

Despite herself, she looked away from Luna and her hazel eyes found Ignis' stare. He was so tense, she felt her voice dropping an octave as she added:

"Two hunters found me at the bottom. They did the best they could to fix me up, but I needed surgery. There was an experimental clinic back in those days… They replaced what they could to bring me back on my feet. If anything, my ankle is severely twisted right now."

"I see. Well...thanks for explaining, it will help with the healing."

Luna refused to use potions, calling on her powers. A few muscles had torn off and sewn themselves back, Aranea enduring it with a mere grimace.

"Most of the damage must be off. But I can't help and ask… Being so heavily wounded, why would you even want to fight with a dragoon style..."

"After repaying my debts to Biggs and Wedge, I went mercenary. I was… aggressively recruited by Nifelheim soon afterwards. They added me to an experimental program that developed enhanced soldiers. Not MTs, thankfully. Since I had metal in my legs, they thought I'd be easy to augment or something. So I found myself in the dragoon program. I'm, to my current knowledge, the only one that got through the rehabilitation."

Crowe winced in sympathy.

"Does it hurt?" the Glaive asked.

"Only when it rains." Aranea answered truthfully.

"But when you jump and land?" Iris insisted.

"Well, I get stronger from all this shit. Would be crazy not to use it. Only downside is I can't wear shorts anymore."

The guys saw the expression on Ignis' face, and wondered how bad he was taking the news. He was paler than ever and his breathing was only half-controlled. Seeing the worried looks his friends were sending his way, the advisor grumbled something about lunch and walked off.

Those were answers he hadn't been ready for. Answers that only showed him how hurt Aria had gotten because of his own failure to help. Finding her down the cliff wouldn't have helped. Unless he might have fixed one leg before the damage turned irreversible enough to for her to consider metal implants to replace her own bones. Monica refused to let him into her kitchen when she saw the dangerous look on his face. Ignis admitted that manipulating a knife right now might be a bad idea in his current state.

But he needed to keep his mind off the pictures that ran through his head. Facing Aranea now sounded almost impossible. There were so many emotions running wild beneath all the apparent control. Ignis felt as though he had to tug on a dozen strings stretched out impossibly thin, as though all the anger, self-resentment and pain were trying to burst out of him. She'd been butchered, she'd been experimented on, and who knows what else…

His long legs took him all the way across the outpost, past Talcott who sat down with Umbra and Pryna, reading one of Gladio's books under the shade, past the bunks and the repelling lights that were turned off. Sweat trickled down his spine and when his feet stopped moving, he let go of the strings, no longer trying to control his breathing, keeping his eyes resolute to prevent the pictures from appearing behind his eyes. Footsteps approached him, sounding light but with an air of determination.

"Iggy…" she started.

"Can you stop… calling me that?" he cut her off, keeping his back turned to her.

His face was too open and he doubted he wouldn't try something if he met her eyes. Aranea let out a shaky breath and he wondered if the mortification could feel any worse.

"I know I was rough on you the other day. And I might be even rougher in the future. But that doesn't mean I hold you responsible for every little thing that happened in my life."

He let out a half-broken chuckle, trying to unclench his fists. His nails had almost dug through his gloves and the pain wasn't enough right now.

"What are you doing?! Letting me off easy? Trying to ease our cooperation or something?"

"I don't know myself, alright? I saw your face falling, your shoulders tensing and you looked like some bow string ready to snap…"

"Stop it. You don't want my sympathy, so…"

"Iggy, don't be difficult."

"I can be as professional as you want, but not at every damn hour of the day!"

The entire time, he'd kept his back to her and Aranea was starting to feel annoyed about it. He'd uncrossed his arms and was waving them angrily, in a gesture to ask her to leave him alone. Instead, she stood her ground and pulled on his left arm, almost too harshly, yanking him backward. He resisted as much as he could, unable to keep his composure.

"You're cursing now?"

"If this is a new condition, just spell it out and let me be." He barked back.

"It's not a condition. I get the feeling I'm… I don't want to apologize for what I went through or for what learning about my legs put you through, but I can't be the weak link on this team. I'm putting my life on the line for your prince."

"You think I'm going to fail you again?!"

"I won't give you a chance to do so." She warned, pulling harder on his arm, managing to see half of his face.

The unshed tears in his eyes shook her down to her core. All the venom had died down, but she found herself having trouble moving closer or farther, having trouble giving him comfort.

"For all it's worth… I'm sorry, Aranea." Ignis breathed out, his voice rough with emotion.

He knew how little she cared for apologies. She had the impression he wanted more hatred thrown to his face as punishment for failing her. And as much as she'd wanted to punch him, to be furious at him, the words were stuck in her throat. She wanted to slap that look off his face. She wanted to see the proud, confident but overly meticulus Ignis Scientia who strategized about everything, even flirting. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and tell him he was forgiven, if only to push the tears away. He looked ready to break, ready to give up on his self-control and although she'd always wondered how he'd react if he let himself go for an instant… it felt frightening. And she wasn't sure she'd be able to handle it.

"I won't forgive you, Iggy."

His eyes turned to slits and he shrugged her hand off his wrist.

"Don't call me that."

"If I call you Ignis… it hurts worse." She admitted.

It meant giving him power over her, but she knew she could take it back. And the tentative but frail smile on his face partly mended something she hadn't realized had been broken. She tried to warn her heart against it, to temper down her emotions, but his smiles were already so rare at normal times, and to see him smile now...

"Maybe you should just… refrain from ever addressing me." He suggested, putting all the seriousness he could in his words.

He tried to return to his normal self and keep the mess of feelings in his chest at bay.

"But that sounds hardly productive. I'll bear with Iggy." He added, pushing his glasses higher on his nose, the sun gleaming against them.

"I'll try keeping it to minimum. Pretty sure I can find you another nickname." She half teased him.

"Promises and threats. Is there anything else I should learn about you from the past five years before we head into real danger?"

"What, my medical record wasn't enough? Now your friends are going to look at me as though I'm some Frankenstein monster."

It was meant as a joke, but Ignis couldn't help himself. He detected deeper insecurities and fought down the urge to erase the distance between them.

"You wear that armor pretty well." He told her instead.

She leaned her head to one side, a full smile brightening her face.

"So you HAVE been staring."

Ignis hated getting anything out of pity, but he had the impression Aranea wanted to call some sort of truce. And the casual banter was so welcome, he decided to just roll with it. When his mood improved, he'd try going further.

To be continued…

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I don't want to hear anything about metal poisoning here. (The technology used on Aranea was pretty advanced and the metal was developed with high standards, surely someone similar to Ravus' arm). This is only my theory as to how a normal human being could make the jumps a dragoon makes. In every other final fantasy games, I explained it to myself with magic, but since magic isn't gifted to everyone in FFXV, I thought Aranea's capabilities needed more explaining. And she had to get hurt in the fall I put her through. I don't want her to sound as a victim though. She chose to follow the program and turn into a dragoon. She's proud of what she's become and of her strength.

I also wanted to give her and Ignis a chance to explain a bit, but there will still be a lot of tension between them. You might think Aranea went way too easy on him here. But she wants this team work to function. She can't be bitter all the time either. It's far from being healthy and she's bigger than that.

The following chapter will include a return to Free Crown, daemons fighting, some flirting here and there and I don't want to predict more because I tend to try to put too much stuff in the chapter and splits things. I have a pretty awesome new game, so I'm a bit diverted, but this story is still entirely going. And technically, we've kept a one-week schedule. More or less. I think things will settle in May. Before then, I have a dozen deadlines to run. March might be just as bad as February for me. Let me know if you loved this chapter, please, please! :D


	29. Fighting daemons in the dark

Here it is. Despite Zelda and school, I've managed to produce a full chapter. Despite all the side writing I've made. And the gradings I had to complete on papers and mid-term exams. And no, nothing is over with school and I'm barely on top of things, you'll see why in my end chapter comments. Today we have some NoctxLuna, action, and some setting up for the next small arcs of the story. Try to determine which things feel the more exciting among the various missions and events I'm preparing for you. :D

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Unexpected

Chapter 29 – Daemons in the dark

After a brief lunch, the gang packed up the Regalia and Monica's car and prepared to leave. Ignis insisted on driving when Noctis tried to offer his help, and Monica also refused Crowe's offer to take her place behind the wheel. The easiest part was agreeing to split into two groups. Prompto was in the passenger seat next to Iggy, Luna and Noctis siting on either side of Talcott, even though the kid had said he was fine. Luna told him stories from her province of Tenebrae. Aranea served as a copilot for Monica, while Iris sat between Crowe and Gladio, mostly lost in thought while her brother had plunged himself in one of his books. The former Glaive kept a close eye on their whereabouts. They met two dropships on their way and got rid of them quickly, their ride remaining uneventful otherwise.

Killing off the MTs was a walk in the park for their new team, Talcott and Monica able to stay behind and remain secure despite the 12 to 20 mannequins dropping from the sky. The morning training had paid off, with some of the pairs of fighters showing good chemistry on the field. Prompto wasn't too surprised by anyone's tactics, having observed them well enough. Gladio might be the one who hated the fights the most, since everyone was looking out for him and forcing him to stand behind. He would still rasp and cough here and there, but he was the one tasked with being the king's shield, not the other way around. He complained about stolen kills under his breath, only to see Monica smirk at his antics.

The whole group was received with joy in Free Crown, the refugees always happy to see their prince. It was hard for everyone to consider him as their king. He was the rightful king, technically speaking, but no ceremony had officialized it. Even so, he casually talked with Libertus and everyone that dared speak up. Heads turned and smiles grew at his passage.

"Your highness!"

"Lady Lunafreya!

"Easy, easy there everyone." Libertus warned, limping next to Noctis.

There was a lot of catching up to do first and the prince had yet to visit the new Free Crown. Monica asked how she could help and Talcott was quickly recruited to help with the schooling of the younger kids. He wasn't sure he wanted to leave the group to be with new people, so Iris joined him, happy to take her mind off the news she'd received and her little conundrum on how she was supposed to share it with anyone.

"It's too late for you to go down the mines, but we can go over what's been done and what's left to do." Libertus explained.

The dorms were slowly getting insulated, one wall at a time, to control the room temperature and humidity level. The hospital wing had been insulated first and was almost entirely done and separate living quarters would be developed over the following weeks. Noctis was amazed at the material they had gotten, but it turned out that Lestallum had accepted a contract with Free Crown, delivering all sort of metals in exchange for the resources hiding in the mines.

"We have 9 mining sites as of now and once the lower levels are opened, we should be able to multiply the stocks. We have natural wells on two floors and the storm from the other day helped with our water supply. As for food, we hunt the monsters nearby and have projects to develop inner gardens."

The 600 refugees had all been registered with their respective names, ages and job experiences in the last few days, and teams were being developed for every task. They had 40 hunters, 100 construction workers and about 50 military trained personnel. There were almost 200 kids and a lot of the youngest didn't make it. Luna paled when the nursery maid explained that only one orphan toddler was still alive among the 6 they had. There might be others in partial families, but the orphans were countless. Visiting the entire three floors took the whole afternoon, but Noctis insisted on seeing as much of Free Crown as possible to know where help was needed and what he could do.

Prompto quickly volunteered to help with the construction effort, Gladio joining him while Aranea inquired over their defenses, soon allowed to give them tips under Ignis' watch. Libertus had voiced concerns about the woman. She'd been seen among the imperials by a few Glaives and he didn't want all his work to amount to nothing because of misplaced trust. The prince vouched for her and promised to take responsibility if anything bad happened.

"If you have any wounded, I'll take care of them." Luna offered.

"It will be appreciated, Lady Luna." The limping Glaive admitted.

Before that he knew it, Noctis was left only with Crowe, Libertus and Monica to talk about planning and strategies for the next three hours. Free Crown was a budding village, a community focused on healing its wounds while building up a habitable home.

There was a lot of work that needed to be done and even though they had made some progress, they didn't have enough workers to accomplish their goals.

"We had reports from the capital." Libertus admitted after a while. "There's a lot more survivors than what we first thought."

"How did you even get reports from the city?" Noctis asked.

Monica interfered:

"Cor had sent a few spies to infiltrate Insomnia through the secret passage before the base was stolen. They've been disguised as normal citizens among the streets and have reported to either Libertus, Cor or myself. We don't know much, there's little trust among the streets and everyone keeps to themselves."

Nodding, Crowe asked about the number of survivors.

"Over 2000, maybe 3000. We can sustain half of them with the people we have here, but we need space for all of them." Libertus explained.

"Which is why you want us to free the lower levels from daemons." The prince observed.

"Right. We have repelling lights for at least four full levels. Technicians will instruct you on how close to fix them. We have multiples elevators, and the entrances are all secured, but we need to focus on what we already have here."

"I'm pretty sure we can secure two levels in a single day. Luna can repel the daemons with her prayers and I'll kill those that are persistent."

"Which brings me to a suggestion I had. I don't know how you'll react to it, though." Monica started. "Shouldn't Luna lead one group of four people while you lead another one? You would cover more ground a lot faster and technicians could follow up on you to finalize the placement. I've gotten pretty good at setting up permanent repelling lights."

Noctis clenched his fist, realizing this was the most logical plan. The mines had small tunnels and a group of eight people couldn't move efficiently in such a closed-up space. But two teams… The idea of leaving Luna on her own, because they needed to split their powers... He wanted to protest, but channeled all the maturity, all the strength he could and nodded.

"It would make sense. I'll talk with everyone."

Their discussion seemed over, when Crowe cleared her throat, gathering their attention.

"Libertus, you've been in contact with all sorts of people lately. I was wondering if you didn't learn of a way for… forging a pact similar to the one we had with Regis with the prince. I know how to use magic and the people on our team are already quite strong, but I can't help but feel as though we have too much on our plate as it is."

The Galahdan man heaved a sigh, throwing a cautious glance at Noctis. The prince simply shrugged in answer. Regis had been the first king in a while to take as many initiatives with the powers the crystal had granted him. He hadn't told much to his son about it, and sadly, the prince didn't inquire much about it, either. Both Caelums had been afraid of what those initiatives might lead to in the long-run.

"I did some searches over it, I'll admit. Warping was pretty convenient and as much as I can hold myself in a fight, with my leg in this state, I can't do much except throw orders and use a hammer."

"Then you must know I can't do anything without the crystal." The royal heir observed.

"That's the point actually. You need the crystal. And I've heard from someone, really convincingly, that the crystal had been broken by one of your ancestors. So here is my theory for this question. Could you share your powers with other people with a fragment of the crystal in your possession?"

As Noctis processed the question, he considered all the implications. The young man didn't want to force any more burdens on the people around him than what they already faced, but if he could give them more chances to survive, could he really say no? Even though he had only the inkling of an idea over how he was supposed to share his powers with a normal person using the crystal.

"Well, I would certainly try. I guess it will be a lot more limited than what my father could do with the whole thing." He warned them.

Crowe looked excited and Libertus had a sparkle in his eyes that clearly meant he knew more than he let on. Fortunately, he didn't keep it to himself.

"Good to hear. Because there's a rumor about how a widow queen buried an important piece of the crystal in Steyliff Grove."

"Steyliff Grove? There's crazy magic in there. The place was deemed unsafe and its doors won't open until night falls." The prince remarked.

He hadn't heard of many construction sites in Lucis outside of Insomnia, but that Grove had been mentioned in some stories his father used to tell him before bed. Steyliff had been erected as a resort house by the 100th king of Lucis. A fight between brother and sister among the heirs had happened in the castle and the magic had grown almost sentient, driving in monsters and daemons. The Grove had been forbidden ever since and the fallen heirs were never found.

"There's no obligation here. After all, this is only a rumor. Crowe asked, so I'm giving an answer." Libertus defended himself.

Noctis wondered if he'd sounded too defeated.

"I'm not saying I won't consider it. Making everyone stronger is in my priorities, too."

"Try not to push yourself though. If we were to lose you, I don't think the people would manage to hold on." Monica warned him.

It sounded half motherly, half threatening, but Noctis understood almost instantly that she genuinely cared.

"I've been hearing that a lot lately. I'll be as careful as possible. Is there anything else we should discuss?"

…

 _Hey city boy!_ The message popped up on his phone.

Prompto was sitting with Gladio, drinking a cold beer -the refugees had this kind of luxury, thanks to the work they put on the electric system- and there was another wall in the dorm that had been completed. The gunman was exhausted from the day's work and knew the next one might be even worse. Daemon hunting remained in the back of his mind, and he was not looking forward to having a few of his traumatic childhood memories resurface. Gazing down at his phone screen, seeing the first text that Cindy had the courage to send him made him feel like a schoolboy all over again.

His fingers flew faster than he could think.

 _Hey GG!_

 _GG?_ She asked back.

 _Sorry, that was an impulsive reaction._

 _That the nickname ya gave me in yar head? As payback for all the nicknames a'threw to yar face?_

She wrote in her accent. He could almost hear her in his mind. His goddess of the gears. He doubted telling her what the GG meant would earn him any points.

 _We could say that. How's everything going?_

 _Good, thanks for asking. I thought a'd break the ice, since I left in a hurry the other day. Didn't want ta give y'all the impression I was running away from ya guys._

 _Glad you did._

Taping on send felt like taking an enormous risk, but Prompto tried to keep a straight face and gulped down two large sips of beer before checking his phone again. Last thing he needed was to get Gladio's attention. The big guy seemed busy explaining the best method to prepare behemoth meat to two other men.

 _Paw-paw said he saw ya guys passing by Hammerhead. Got a load of work ahead of ya?_

 _I think we have one or two days of fighting daemons non-stop in front of us._

 _If I had more lessons, I might be able to help._

She almost sounded flirty, but those were mere texts, Prompto thought. _I need to get over myself._

 _P: I'll give you some more. And real practice too. Just need to get some free time. Prompto answered._

 _C: Ya'd better get some. A've found pretty bikes for you guys. A whole three of them. Faster than birds and harder to target than the good old gal._

 _P: Wow, I'll tell Noct and the others. But how much will it cost?_

 _Don't worry bout that. They're not going anywhere._ She promised.

"Prompto? Dinner time?" Gladio called, raising his voice as he repeated his name.

The blond man had almost forgotten where he was, completely sucked into the discussion.

 _Need to go._

 _Alright then. Keep me updated of when ya'll be around, city boy._

 _Sure thing._

…

It was a lot later before Noctis had time to go looking for Luna. There was a bunch of kids following her wherever she went after she'd finished healing the people of Free Crown. She looked exhausted but the smile on her face was a nice change from the melancholy of the few last days. He was surprised to see the toddler resting happily in her arms. She'd gone back to the nursery and had convinced the children to look after the orphan, taking the small girl out of her secluded space for a brief walk.

Lunafreya had always loved children, but except for those she healed, she didn't see many in her life. There were those in Tenebrae's small towns, but except for a few visits, she couldn't exactly play around with them. One had almost been killed by an MT when he'd sneaked into the gardens of her mansion and Luna had written two full pages over Ravus' reaction to it. If her brother hadn't been there that time, she might have interfered herself.

Noctis didn't mind children. In fact, he loved them better than adults. Making them laugh and smile had always been easy for him. Maybe was it looking after Iris for so long, or the fact he was still a kid at heart, he couldn't tell. With his fiancée, they entertained the children together, easily joining in games. Here, instead of Prince Noctis and Lady Lunafreya, they were simply Noct and Luna.

It was a breath of fresh air to see all the bright smiles and hear all the laughter, to remind themselves that all their hard work was made for those innocent lives. Luna kept the orphan close throughout most of the playtime, being either referee or calming everyone down with the promise of telling an Astral's story. Noctis knew she made them up as she went, just like when they had been kids themselves and his wounds prevented him from falling asleep.

Before they knew it, dinner time had arrived, and the couple went back to the nursery to return the young orphan who was now sleeping peacefully in Luna's arms, while the other kids ran back to their temporary home. The families were sharing the same dorms until separate habitations could be developed on the second floor. Intimacy wasn't exactly in the camp's priorities, but with enough work, the refuge could be turned into a full-fledged town over the next few months. Luna reluctantly laid the toddler to bed and stroked her brown hair, murmuring a short prayer before turning her back on her.

"Are you...okay?" Noctis asked her, feeling a knot growing in the back of his throat when he met her eyes. They looked so sad.

"Yes. I just wish… I could do more. I can give them a few hours of my time, but that's not what they need. What they need are parents to look after them until they're old enough and…"

Concerned, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gently led her out of the nursery, wondering if this was about her own mother's passing or something even deeper.

"Luna…"

"I can't believe I'd still feel so selfish, after all these years." She tried to laugh at herself.

She gave a sigh and leaned into him for an instant, closing her eyes, not taking another step, just staying close to her prince.

"Selfish?" he repeated, dumbfounded.

"Do you remember our notebook? When we played that game to predict what our kids might look like?"

The question had been innocent enough back then. They'd been oceans apart and so young, and had shared theories on where they thought kids came from. Noctis smiled as he remembered a particularly embarrassing moment.

"You kept insisting we'd had more than one." He started, trying to keep a straight face.

"There was one thing I never admitted though. One thing that scared me more than anything else. If we were to have a daughter. And that she'd turn out to have my powers…"

Noctis had no words to mend such a fear. He had only thought of finding her in the last few years, of enjoying his time with her. Having a family seemed impossible with the given situation. And just the thought of being a father almost scared him. But for an instant, he tried to envision what Regis might have thought as he observed him growing up. Wondering if he'd sired a son worthy of the crystal or not. And which option might be worse. Worthy meant suffering for the flesh of his flesh. Unworthy meant the end of their line and death to their entire country.

It felt hard to breathe for an instant, as the memories mixed together, of all the looks Regis had given him, of all the words whispered in his back. Of that sentence that had left him with nothing but resentment for his fate.

"Where you go, know the Lucis line follows."

 _If you fall, we all fall. Don't be the last. Don't let all our ancestors' hard work go to waste._

He looked into Luna's eyes, trying to keep the fears at bay. Trying to let her know that he understood her own worries.

"We'll turn things around for all of those kids, Luna. I'm the chosen king, and you're the chosen oracle."

Her sharp intake of breath made it sound as though it made things worse, but he couldn't falter. Not in Free Crown. He was building a new country over the ashes.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to… turn the atmosphere this way. Seeing Talcott in that state for the past few days really hurt. And hearing about those orphans we've lost…"

"You have every right to feel that way. But I remember hearing you saying the bad stuff is only one half of things."

She managed a smile, remembering using that line every time he'd complained over small things.

"Didn't we have a discussion over how it was more a quarter to three?"

"It was a debate."

By this point, they were both smiling, fondly remembering the time they spent arguing back and forth in their secret book.

She linked her hand with his hand hanging on her shoulder and they resumed their walk. Luna realized something important a few steps later.

"I don't think I've ever asked you if you wanted kids to begin with."

"Is that a question?"

"Maybe…"

"Well, it's not really precise." He teased her, hoping it would permit his heart to get back to a normal rhythm.

Was there even a good answer to such an inquiry? Luna tugged on his hand, moving a bit closer to him to whisper into his ear:

"Do you want to have kids with me? When all this is over?"

And although she didn't say it, Noctis could tell this was the most hopeful she'd ever been. Luna had a lot of hope for the people around her, but didn't keep enough for herself. Now, she dared to dream there might someday be a point when the pain would end and the war would be over.

He felt himself blush as he pretended to consider her question.

"And share you with them?"

"Noct!"

"Of course, I want to."

He kissed her ear, squeezing her hand to support his claim. If they hadn't walked into a busier tunnel, she might have pulled him to the side for a proper kiss. Instead, she simply basked in the thought that he wanted a future with her. To build a house and a family. Together. To experience the "normal" they never had.

Luna couldn't keep the smile off her face as they joined the others for dinner at the table reserved for Libertus' guests in the simili cafeteria. No one dared to tease them or burst their bubble with questions about the next day. There had been a lot of planning done already and everyone wanted to unwind.

Ignis was slowly getting convinced to join in the betting going on regarding the rate of construction for a few of Free Crown's installations, Libertus taunting him more and more as he tried to show some reservation. Aranea chatted with Crowe and Iris over the protective gears the team might need. Iris had started it by pointing out the dragoon's armor didn't seem protective enough, which had started a heated debate that Crowe had defused into constructive thinking. Gladio was going through the food in between his few coughs, trying to spot any potential troublemakers with Monica. They'd made it a game by the start of dinner and it seemed she was winning by a large margin.

Prompto had taken pictures during his second break of the day and shyly suggested piecing together an album for Free Crown, which Noctis wholeheartedly approved. Luna was more than happy to scroll through the shots, lingering a long time on the one where the gunman had caught them playing with the children.

"Have you been patrolling the entire place?" She mused.

"Well, I've tried, but I would have needed a map for it. I actually got lost twice." Prompto explained, a sheepish look on his face.

Libertus laughed as he caught the information.

"I get lost too. All the time."

The rest of dinner was mostly filled with laughs and small talk. After the long day, Libertus suggested they might want to get to rest early.

"I've made some arrangements to get you a separate dorm. We have one for hunters and soldiers stopping by and it's mostly empty at the moment. It won't be anything fancy, but I thought keeping royal bed hair out of sight of us lowly countrymen might be a good idea."

"Libertus!" Crowe chided him, unable to refrain the smirk from growing on her face.

"It's really welcome," Luna thanked him. "You didn't have to go through the trouble for us."

"Well, you promised you'd remove the daemons from our mine one floor at a time. I don't think it's that much in exchange."

…

Before going to bed, Libertus warned them that if they expected any texts, they should head back up for a few minutes so that they'd get a signal. Prompto doubted Cindy would text him again and didn't want to look too eager. Exchanging texts with her was fun, and the novelty still hadn't worn off. He didn't want to get teased by Gladio or Noctis over it. And the guys were making a big deal over who was getting the top or bottom bunk. There were enough beds for everyone to sleep on and Noctis and Luna had silently agreed to sleep in separate beds. It would be fun to sleep snuggled together, but that would be unfair and inconsiderate to the rest of their team and the mattresses were a bit too small.

Iris faked a headache to get out and get some fresh air and ended up being followed by Aranea, of all people. Gladio would have gone too, if the others didn't interfere.

"You're being far too protective of that girl," Crowe remarked.

"I get the feeling I've let her be on her own far too much lately." The large man retorted as he pulled on a sleeveless shirt for the night.

…

Iris checked her cell for texts from Ravus as she neared the east entrance to Free Crown. Aranea had her own phone and simply made a call, not minding the younger girl, at least, not in an evident way.

 _How's Luna?_ Asked the message on her screen.

 _She felt a little put off by the brevity of it._

 _How often am I supposed to answer these questions?_ She typed back.

 _R: Well, that depends. How often do you need intel?_

The nerves of that man!

 _I: Well, Luna is doing well. There are about 7 overprotective people looking after her, if that makes you feel any better. What are you doing?_

 _R: None of your business._

 _I: I'm just curious, don't get defensive. I was wondering how you managed to learn the things going on with Insomnia._

 _R: I'm running tests. Playing mad scientist. Killing puppies._

 _I: Moron._

 _R: You want intel? There are rabid dogs in Insomnia. As if the MTs weren't enough…_

 _So you're in the capital?!_ Iris deduced.

She could almost imagine him cursing on the other side of the phone. His lack of an answer gave her a sense of pride. Was Ravus Nox Fleuret speechless, with all the countenance he showed?

 _How are the tests going?_ She insisted.

 _Taking their time. Mind answering a few questions if you're that interested in those tests?_

Instantly, her wariness was back.

 _I: What kind of questions?_

Her eyes widened at the three quick messages that followed.

 _Blood type. - Children infections. - If you received any shots in the past two years._

He gave her half a minute to read the first text before adding:

 _R: Any substance abuse? Alcohol? Cases of illness in the family?_

 _I: Stop it already!_

 _Why? Those are legit medical questions._ Ravus shot back.

 _I: Where did you even learn anything about medicine?_

 _R: I didn't contact you to make small talk._

Iris rolled her eyes and noticed that Aranea had finished her call and was waiting for her, arms crossed over her chest.

 _I: Well, sorry if you're not happy with that deal, but since you're running tests on my blood, I think I'm entitled to a few questions. Also, I won't be getting any signal tomorrow, so don't expect a reply if you ask me about Luna again._

 _R: Why wouldn't you get any signal?_

 _I: That's none of your business._

His last answer took more time than his previous texts. Was he trying to deduce their location? His reply didn't give anything away.

 _Fair enough._

"What was that all about?" Aranea asked as soon as the brown-haired girl turned off her phone.

"What?"

"All that mad typing and those faces you pulled? Who were you texting to?"

"Huh… Who were you calling?"

"My friends Biggs and Wedge. I check on them every now and then. Now you answer."

Iris wasn't expecting that. She gulped down.

"I know someone who's still in Insomnia."

"How vague… Well, I won't tell anyone. But know this...secrets are dangerous." The dragoon warned her.

The young girl followed her back down the tunnels with a new knot in her throat. It wasn't that she wanted to keep secrets from the others. It was more that they gave the impression they couldn't trust her and she wasn't going to give them any cause to confirm that fear. Maybe if she'd had time to think it through, she'd seen the flaw in her own logic. But it had only been two times that she'd texted back Ravus. She wanted to get more information from him before sharing it with the guys.

…

Noctis had asked Ignis to wake them up as early as possible to get properly prepared before they went down the elevator with a few hundred daemons repelling light-bulbs. Noctis carried most of them in his pocket, which seemed to be able to hold anything, and the mandatory forty-some bags were given, one to Gladio and one to Ignis. They planned to split into two teams, Noctis, Iggy, Aranea and Prompto on one side and Luna, Crowe, Iris and Gladiolus on the other.

The girls were dead set on keeping the king's shield from fighting, so he would focus on installing the repelling lights, while Prompto and Ignis had agreed to share that role on their side. The goodbyes were a bit awkward at first, Noctis having a lot of trouble leaving Luna out of his sight. But they had a task they needed to get done.

"Be careful." He asked, only for her to ask him the same in return.

Seeing how they hesitated to hug each other, Prompto decided to lighten the atmosphere and gave a playful slap on Gladio's behind, seeing the instant giggle on Iris' face while a few pairs of eyes temporarily widened.

"Do try to come back to me in one piece, man. I'd miss your tattoos way too much."

"Damn, kid, you're going to make me blush." Gladio retorted, ruffling his hair before tackling him and putting him in something Prompto would describe in a headlock.

Ignis pushed his glasses a little higher on his nose, the hint of a smirk forming on his thin lips.

"We should get going." He reminded them.

Noctis nodded, squeezing Luna's hand one last time before letting her go. They'd been standing in the closed elevator and opened the doors to discover a single repelling light on the opposing wall of stone. The elevator doors wouldn't open again before a few hours and both Umbra and Pryna were following the royals closely, ready to rush to the other in case of an emergency. Since their phones didn't work, the dogs were their next best form of communication, even though Noctis doubted they'd need them. Daemons hissed in the background, crackling sounds reminiscing of a whip snapping, giving them goosebumps and keeping everyone on edge.

"This is it, guys. Let's meet up in three hours." The prince whispered.

Luna's group went right and Noctis' left. They faced daemons immediately, Noctis getting through his in a blurry flash of blue while Luna joined her hands in prayers, hurling the monsters back. In a matter of minutes, repelling lights had been securely fixed onto the walls and connected to the current. Once turned on, it was easier to get more daemons down and they both reached their end of the tunnels, to the turn that meant they wouldn't see each other for the rest of the way. No turning back now. Refusing to throw a glance back, they trudged on.

There was a distance they needed to respect as they placed the bulbs and lights. Gladiolus wasn't exactly happy to bring the rearguard, but Lunafreya kept the daemons at a safe distance. Iris wore a portable repelling light to make their work easier and Crowe was mostly fighting against herself to withstand the darkness all around. She needed to face it, and eventually she came alive, taking the lead, hurling magic at the monsters, recognizing their weaknesses. Luna held her trident in self-defense, keeping an eye out in case the former Glaive needed back-up. Taking out the few daemons that dared to brave the Oracle's prayers was pretty easy at first. Luna's powers hindered the monsters, making their movements sluggish and turning them into easy targets.

"Those prayers are really impressive." Gladiolus observed.

"I have no idea how long I can keep them up though. There are thousands of them in here." the princess admitted.

She wiped a trickle of sweat from her brow, taking small steps forward while Crowe unleashed a small thunderstorm on a bunch of mindflayers. Pryna followed along closely, her fangs bare, ears lowered. Iris hadn't expected to ever see the sweet dog looking so dangerous.

After ten more lights, they found a crossing that split into three separate tunnels, all equally dark, except for the eyes that shone deep within. Goblins hissed and Uttus crawled above their heads.

"Securing this place might be tricky." Crowe whispered. "Don't stand too tall, Gladio." She added as an afterthought.

Next thing they knew, she'd put the ceiling above their head on fire to get rid of the giant spider centaurs. Severed limbs and hooks fell to the floor, vanishing into the darkness and making thumps as they hit the ground. Luna brushed one aside, preventing it from slashing at Iris while she used her portable light on one of the tunnels, keeping the monsters at bay. Gladio had gotten a good rhythm, used to working under pressure, but this was proving a bit much. He lit light after light, risking electrocution as he added a few wires here and there and lit the current without adding any protection on the naked wires. He would cover them once the place was more secure, because right now, it was not a good feeling seeing the three women fighting in his stead because of his stupid lungs…

Gladiolus felt a lot more pressured than he usually did. Which made him cough here and there. And curse inwardly.

…

Noctis had never seen so many daemons in the same place. Goblins, hobgoblins, arachnes and uttus, even mindflayers which usually preferred to lurk in the woods. He was careful not to overdo things, either using only his two royal arms or sticking to a single weapon. But he did tap into his powers, warping and warp striking in a flurry of moves that made the others dizzy just from looking at him.

Prompto had taken the first turn at installing the repelling lights, Ignis observing that his gunshots might attract even more daemons. Aranea was taking the beasts out, stabbing quickly with her spear, Ignis having shifted from his daggers to a polearm, much to the dragoon's surprise.

She knew he'd trained with various weapons, but the fact they used something so similar… From the few glimpses she'd dared take in his direction, she felt a strange sense of pride. Iggy really was good at everything he tried.

They progressed quickly despite being consistently outnumbered. The tunnel was large enough for the three fighters to attack simultaneously while Prompto worked on the lighting. Noctis always stood a few steps further, while Aranea and Ignis took turn in supporting their gunman turned technician. For the first hour, things went well enough. But when he kneeled again and started nailing the lamp to the wall, Prompto felt an old fear creeping up. He had wondered how long the memories would take to catch up to him and pushed them aside. But as he blinked, the dirt on his hands seemed to turn into blood. He had to swallow back a gasp of surprise, telling himself his mind was playing tricks on him. But three more blinks didn't make his hands any cleaner. And the daemons hissing didn't help.

"Can we switch up, Iggy?" he asked as he finished connecting the wires, trying to prevent his hands from shaking.

"Sure…"

The reprieve helped a little, at least for the first twenty minutes. Aranea and Noctis managed to keep most of the deamons at bay and Prompto was left with cover fire, to take out those that managed to slip past their guard and walked along the ceiling. He evaded them as they fell to dust, but the smell was reminding him of injections and those awful tests. As he raised his gun to a target, he realized how much he'd started shaking.

He was relieved when Noctis suggested a break, leaning himself against a wall after creating a wall of fire between them and the remaining daemons. Ignis started by checking on the lights and their distance, making sure they'd respected Libertus' recommendations. Aranea leaned on her spear, shifting from one leg to another to help her blood circulation. Without the heaters all over the upper floors, the tunnels felt cold and humid.

Prompto wished he could have collected himself faster, but his trembling was soon noticed by the others.

"Were you bitten?" Ignis asked.

"No, I… I just don't like mines much."

"Seriously?" Noctis inquired, looking doubtful.

"Yeah, serious. It's…"

He blinked and had a vivid flash of his father towering over corpses of children, eyes wide and a strange smile disfiguring his face. The vision made him whimper in protest and as he managed to open his eyes and see his surroundings, he noticed the sad looks his friends were giving him. If it wasn't enough, all three of them were staring at him suspiciously and his shoulders sagged a little more.

"I thought I'd be fine." He started, looking ready to apologize. "But we used to dig so we'd been strained enough to absorb… whatever they injected us."

There was clearly more to it and the fact he left so much of it out made it all the more terrifying to his team. Aranea wrapped an arm around her waist, trying not to picture herself in the same situation, since she'd been branded just like him. Ignis simply remained silent, doubting any words could undo the damage he saw in the gunman.

"If you want to get back out…" Noctis started.

"I'll tough it out. I'm just... If we keep moving, I'll manage…"

He was clearly trying to convince himself and Ignis and Noctis exchanged a look, agreeing to watch over Prompto more closely for the next few hours. All the pieces of information he had disclosed of his early childhood sounded far too traumatic to their liking. They had had their share of traumas, too, but never that early.

"We got one hour left before we head back up."

They went on, with more fighting, more installations of the repelling lights. Ignis refused to let Prompto take back the task of installation, since it seemed staring at a rock wall affected him more than shooting at things. The daemons fell and bickered but kept dying under their approach. Noctis wondered how many more ethers he could take before he got sick from their aftertaste. He abused his magic to make sure no daemons got away from him and by the end of the fourth or fifth tunnel, the prince knew he could trust Aranea. Umbra stood back, encouraging them or giving warning barks.

By lunch time, they took a two hours break, reuniting with Luna's group. They tried to determine how much terrain they'd covered. The task proved a lot more daunting than expected and Crowe looked almost as shaken as Prompto. Iris convinced them to get in the elevator and take the twenty minutes walk to reach the sun and open air. They made a picnic with a few kids from Free Crown, including Talcott, who had made a few friends in the last few hours.

Instead of sitting with his friends, Prompto played with the kids, leaving Noctis and Ignis even more worried about him. Luna tried to comfort her fiancée, while Iris argued with Ignis over his seasoning, much to Aranea's amusement.

"If he doesn't want to talk about it, you can't push him." Luna told him.

"I know. But I don't remember him looking this bad. I've seen him getting scared before and it was different. Sometimes I think I understand what's going on in his head and other times, it's as if he's someone I don't know at all."

Luna shook her head, her comprehensive smile not entirely comforting him for once.

"Prompto fights with his own demons, like every one of us. For me it's failing to help someone, for him, it's facing the shadows of his past."

"There must be something we can do." Noctis insisted, hating the feeling of being helpless.

Gladiolus had been trying to comfort Crowe through jokes that barely made her laugh and caught the end of his conversation.

"Isn't it his birthday in just a few days?" the prince's shield asked, leaning slightly toward the pair.

Noctis' eyes widened.

"You're right, he's turning 21 in about… two weeks."

"Wait a second. Prompto's older than you?" Crowe exclaimed.

The resulting grimace was almost instantaneous and the prince crossed his arms.

"Only by a month." He protested.

"And a half." Gladio reminded him playfully.

Luna hid her smile behind her hand and Crowe simply burst out in laughter as she saw the childish glare the prince was sending to his bodyguard. Gladiolus' smirk was half smug, half teasing. Eventually, Noctis ended up smiling with them.

"But seriously, we should throw him a party or something." The dark-haired man insisted.

"Let's invite Cindy." Luna suggested.

"And all the alcohol we can find." Gladio stated.

It sounded like a good plan. Now, all they needed to do was put Ignis in charge of organizing the event and to make sure Prompto wouldn't notice anything.

To be continued…

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Doesn't the daemons fighting sound like a painful sidequest we could have had? And do you have any idea how many more epic stuff I have in store for them? I'm trying not to announce too many things at once. When the daemons fighting is over, I'll give the team a light break for some shameless fluff that might turn smutty and then we will head to Steyliff grove, before Quetzalcoatl undertaking starts. I think I will need about 6 chapters to reach that point. Noctis will then have to make a decision and go gather royal arms or try his luck with Insomnia. But it's too early for the Crown city. We need more Covenants to be made, and I have character development to make before that Titan tries talking to Luna again. You might wonder why he hasn't yet. To be honest, Shiva forging a covenant with Luna instead of Noctis might have thrown the Astrals off.

I sure hope you've liked this chapter. I have a big three days' conference coming up (in less than a week D: ) and the two presentations I make for it are mostly complete now. One is under impression while the other needs some tweaking.

So thankfully this chapter is done. Next one will come when it will come. But there will be more action and some mandatory fluff. Please keep reviewing to let me know what you think of this chapter. ;)

As for the texting things and the fact Libertus observed they wouldn't get any messages at night, let's say they cut off ever links to satellites at night to stay under the radar. I hate leaving inconsistencies in this story. XD

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	30. Royal engagement

There was a really important question for something coming up that I wanted to ask you, dear readers. Where does Luna's powers come from? Noctis inherited his from the crystal. But where does the Oracle take her powers? Please, let it not be her lifeforce. It might complicate things a great deal. I might find a solution, but I'd like to have your opinion here.

Also, I've played Gladio's episode. Man, was I disappointed at how short it was. But the chapter 13 thing was good. Although seeing my poor Ignis blind again. Oh god was it hard. As for the wait, my congress made it hard indeed to write and although the congress was nice – I met really nice people and learned over new stuff and visited one wicked library – I was quite tired when I finally got back. But I won't write a slice of life. Just letting you know I had two big scientific reports to work for the end of the month, so this week is also quite busy for me. When will it ever end? And yes, I've played Gladio's episode when I should have focused on school. That's my priorities right there.

Have a chapter that includes the repelling light sidequest (I'd hate that quest XD) NoctLuna, Ignea and team development!

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Unexpected

Chapter 30 – Royal Engagement

By the end of their first day of daemon hunting, the group devised a few potential strategies to make things easier. Firstly, Libertus insisted on sending technicians with them, so that the repelling light could be installed without taking down a fighter. Gladiolus thought this might be his chance to get back on the field, but Dave joined Luna's group as a fighter, leaving him in the tech-guy space.

The poor man was seriously considering to bribe a nurse so she'd declared him fully healthy… Iris gave him a gentle scolding that convinced him to endure the torture of leaving the heavy stuff to the girls for a few more days. It didn't prevent him from barging in if any fights seemed too dire and no one refused his help. Crowe was growing a lot quieter with every moment spent in the dark and seeing her closing herself up was torture to both Amicitia. Libertus would have come down with them, but his leg refused to heal and even Luna's magic didn't do the trick. She was really disappointed in herself, only to be reminded that all her prayers in the day might reduce her healing capabilities for a short time. She'd rarely repel daemons for so long and despite all the tests the empire had put her through, none had implied facing this many daemon. Ravus would have gone mad with worry if he'd known. Luckily, he didn't, Iris having decided to stay brief in her answers as long as he kept being a jerk in his texts.

On the first night of hunting daemons, she wrote short answers to his medical questions and didn't even mention Luna's well-being, leaving Ravus to wonder if the deal he'd strike with her was any good. But the medical information helped fastening the analyzes process, so he decided to refrain from complaining and gather some worthwhile intel that would convince the girl to play her part.

…

Clearing one floor took two days of work and the daunting task suddenly appeared for what it was to Noctis' retinue. They agreed to keep going for the next week or so, knowing that each cleared up floor would take lengthy amount of time to be made habitable. Both teams remained the same and the hard work underground made it all the more worthwhile to get out for picnic lunches and even dinner. The group barely talked with Free Crown's inhabitants, needing all the sleep they could get. While Prompto seemed to master his few flashbacks, Crowe was at war with herself to keep her fears of the dark in control. They both had off days and the royals looking after them worked tirelessly to ensure their teammates stayed safe.

On the second day, Luna went as far as severely wounding a tenacious daemon, Iris stepping in to finish it off. Noctis looked concerned when he saw the look on her face, but it was nothing like the third day.

…

" _You're going to get one of us hurt."_

Those words had been hunting Luna's thoughts for the last 72 hours. They hadn't been aimed directly at her. At least not that way. But she knew it was the truth and she was slowly starting to feel restless in a way she'd felt too many times. She saw everyone around her hurting for various reasons. And even though she could heal them and keep the daemons away long enough for three persons to face them down, there had been far too many close encounters. She might be a healer, but keeping people from getting hurt in the first place should be among her goals.

So on the third day, Luna took matters into her own hands, taking the lead although Crowe looked ready to lunge back at the darkness. The prayers were now coming easily, almost as an automatism. Even though Dave was a lot of help and both Iris and Crowe made quick work of the daemons, Luna had observed how dire the situation got whenever they reached a crossroad or a sharp fork in the tunnels. Not to mention inner caves. As she walked into the latest cave and realize how large it was, the Oracle made up her mind.

Her prayers had never been used this way, but she had experimented their results during the last few expeditions. She had mastered the holy words so long ago, it was easy to make a switch in one of the sentence running in the back of her head. The light coming from her trident shifted and the dozens of red eyes converged to her. For once, instead of pushing her will against theirs, Luna taunted the monsters into attacking her. She wouldn't heal, but she would make sure the hurt their tortured souls were under stopped.

Reasoning was lost, since half a dozen mindflayers reached up to her. She cut through their gross tentacles, accepting not to hold back for once. To look only at the surface of these creatures. The cave was about 12 feet high and covered half a mile of empty space. Iris dropped her repelling light by the entrance, Dave only hesitating one instant before to mimic Gladio's work and place more light on the wall. Crowe used one of her strongest fire spell to ascertain the number of daemons. And before that the Glaive could even caught up to her, Luna had slayed her first daemon, keeping her prayers focused on their light bringers as her hands and arms moved, slashing and stabbing at dark flesh.

There was no revelation, no ominous feeling taking over her heart as she felled one beast after the other. They dropped to ashes, hurling themselves at her as she'd prayed them to. Three mindflayers withered on her left, a mobgoblin lunged for her face with his fists, only for her to roll on herself, her trident already raising. She could reach them before they got too close, she could send the smaller of them flying back to catch her breath. Her eyes shone of gold and Crowe merely had to take care of the left over monsters, as Luna seemed to keep attracting all the daemons to herself. Iris helped too, since the cave was shock full of monsters. Pryna had ran off right as the fighting started, worried that this feat might be too much to ask. There were other tunnels connecting to the cave and Luna's prayers might backfire if she kept them up for too long.

On Noctis' side, a strange phenomenon was happening. The daemons seemed confused and most of them turned their back on the fighters, making it almost too easy to add new lights on the walls. Ignis and Noctis rushed ahead in pursuit of the runaway monsters while Prompto and the technician were doing their best to keep up with them. Aranea brought up the rear guard at first, worried this whole change of attitude hide something sinister. She was the first to hear Pryna's barking. A sudden splashing sound and Noctis' curse made it all the more confusing.

"Here, grab my hand." The prince asked.

As the trio reached up to the royal successor and his advisor, they took sight of a puddle of water that almost filled the tunnel floor. Ignis had fallen head on in the water, the level reaching his shoulders as he sat up in the puddle, much to Prompto's amusement.

"What the hell? Iggy, is your light broken?" the gunman asked.

"Noctis was about to fall." Ignis offered, raising a damp dark dog in front of him with an annoyed look

"He only had the time to pull me back and Umbra hit him in the legs or something." The prince added.

Umbra whined, his ears lowered, only to raise them as Pryna reached up to their group.

Noctis frowned in concern.

"Is something happening?"

An Uttu ran past them, its hair stroking Aranea's helm as the beast hanged on the ceiling. The dragoon barely held back a disgusted shiver as she lowered herself and raised her lamp to check over their heads in case anything else showed up. For the first time since the change in the daemons attitudes, the prince realized they might not be running away from something, but after something. Or more precisely, someone.

"What is Luna doing?" he asked out loud, trying to keep his worries to a minimum.

It was the first time the white dog ever showed up for help. Pryna barked in approval and leaped over the puddle, staying close to the wall and leading the way, right in the monsters' steps. Ignis accepted Prompto's help to get out of the puddle and they managed to improvise a new way to advance, which involved installing less lights than usually prescribed, but the situation called for adaptability.

Their tunnel followed a few forks before to reach a cave in which Luna's group had already covered half the walls with repelling lights. The installation effort had been pushed back so that everyone could focus on taking out the daemons though. Luna's taunting had worked too well and although she'd switched her prayers back to the usual words, the daemons started feeling too many.

Without an afterthought, Noctis' team jumped into the fray, Ignis slipping a little in his wet shoes, but still managing to drive his polearms into monsters. The fight was chaotic at best, with Noctis warping from one side to the next, Aranea finally having place to jump so she could deal more damages. Crowe used less magic since more people had joined in and Prompto found himself trying to back up everyone, without accidently hurting anyone. He felt a little dizzy and focused on taking down targets hanging here and there. Keeping tracks of three guys was one thing. Over 9 people? That was a bit much.

Iris knocked daemons out with a swirl of her staff, breaking limbs before to crush skulls or ribcages. The fact they fell into dust made it a lot easier, not to mention how many times she'd went hunting with her brother and father when she was younger. She'd always observed them closely and the carnage they left in their wake had turned into a good sign. Breaking down the enemy meant you stayed alive. Gladiolus took out daemons on his side and Dave barely manage to keep track of every fighter around him.

It still took half an hour to get rid of every daemon inside the cave, Libertus' technician making good time on the repelling lights installation, going as far as securing the four tunnels around the cave. They regrouped at the center of the room, disheveled and breathless from all the exertion.

"What were you doing?" the prince asked, having trouble keeping his voice not accusative.

Luna shrugged in answer.

"I tried something different. Apparently, I can not only push the daemons back."

"I think you've managed to gather a lot of unwanted attention." He observed, not ready to admit this might have quickened their endeavor. Instead of taking them as they appeared, she'd manage to lure them out from pretty far. They'd run over two good miles of tunnels before to reach her team.

"I think we might need to take the rest of the day off. But we could use this tactic again. Whenever we find a large room or a crossroads." She noticed the concerned look in his eyes and quickly added: "We'll regroup first of course. I just wanted to test a theory. I never used my prayers that way."

"Or got so aggressive. She killed off daemons all by herself." Aranea observed.

She sounded proud of the princess and Luna had to shut down the conflicting words that came to her mind. She wasn't entirely proud of killing anything, even daemons. But everyone was safe and those sacrifices would guarantee more people's safety. Noctis wasn't sure how to react to this. It seemed as though his fiancée had been making important decisions without telling him about them. Of course, any personal talks had been hard. They were constantly surrounded by people and splitting their teams into various tunnels to cover more grounds. It was Ignis' violent sneeze that brought them back to reality.

"What happened to you?" Iris asked.

"No…" He sneezed another time and Gladio broke into a coughing fit. "No comment." The advisor sighed, barely preventing his shoulders from shaking.

"He's going to catch a cold at this rate." Crowe observed. "Dave, Gladio, how about getting back up? We'll see if we can wrap this up down here."

Noctis wasn't sure staying down was the best idea, but there were still tunnels without repelling lights on this level and they had tried to clear entire floor every day. After checking up on Luna, who stubbornly walked towards a new tunnel to prove she was fine, Noctis agreed to keep going. It took a lot of convincing to get Ignis out and Gladio wanted to get back, but in the end, it took only one hour and a half to get rid of the remaining daemons and setting the last bulbs needed to keep the floor safe.

Their table was overly quiet at dinner, Noctis and Luna barely talking and Iris deciding against walking up to the mines' entrance that night. She didn't feel up to talk of Luna's latest initiative with Ravus. It would mean telling the over-protective brother his sister had been let onto a battlefield and she doubted he'd take as nonchalantly as he treated the other news he received. Despite the determined look in the princess' eyes, the younger member of their group could tell something was wrong. Talcott distracted her a bit, wanting to share his day with her.

Crowe seemed lost in thoughts, Prompto was texting with Cindy on his phone, not even pretending to be playing a game. Ignis held up a serious conversation with Monica and Libertus over the financial resources of Free Crown and the various ways to make the developing city prosper. Gladiolus and Aranea exchanged fighting anecdotes with Dave. While the hunter connected easily with the ex-imperial soldier, the prince's shield was surprised by how easier Aranea was to approach then she'd first let on. She liked to laugh and didn't mind being teased. She teased right back though and the lady didn't hold back any punch, her wit as sharp as her spear.

Noctis was running out of ways to get Luna to talk, until he suggested visiting the orphan's ward. She brightened up at the idea and followed him, holding his hand without any protest.

"I hope you understand that I don't mean anything bad by asking you if you're alright one more time."

"I'm fine." She told him for the nth time.

At least she didn't roll her eyes at him.

"Luna… You were so dead set on not killing anything. Especially not daemons."

"But that decision meant putting everyone in danger. I couldn't keep this up. I don't know how your team even got through any crossroads but that cave was too wide for me to stand back praying for a miracle to happen."

She sounded so bitter, Noctis couldn't help but stare back at her.

"What does that…"

"I don't want to wait until people are hurt to help anymore. And it goes against everything I was ever told, but, if I can forgive you, I should be able to forgive myself, shouldn't I?"

"There's nothing to forgive here, Luna."

"Those daemons were people. If I look hard enough, I can almost make out their original faces. If I had time, I'd try to heal them back."

Her voice almost shattered in her throat and just as Noctis motioned to pull her into a hug, she kept him at arm's length.

"I don't want to be consoled over this. If I let you, it will mean I can remain in that state of mind and I can't… I took their lives instead of healing them. I didn't even try! And it doesn't have to be wrong."

Noctis wasn't sure if he should shake or nod his head in agreement. Luna was undergoing a crisis and he desperately wanted to help her. He gently grabbed her by the shoulders, looking deep into her eyes.

"I won't console you if you really don't want me to. But I won't ever think any less of you for fighting back, no matter what or who you face. Or for deciding to spare an enemy."

Her smile at that last part was really fragile, but she gave him a brief nod, before to turn back to the nursery.

"I think seeing that girl smile might really help." She whispered as she tugged on his hand.

…

On the fourth morning, Prompto voiced concerns about Ignis. The lean man had sneezed an awful lot and looked paler than usual. The advisor insisted on being fine and upon Luna's inspection, there was nothing to be reported, except for fatigue. But at this point, they were all getting tired. Real rest would be truly welcome. Libertus had said that clearing two more floors would be enough for now. They'd used one for stocking materials and focus on finishing the renovation of the top floors. Of course, not having daemons under their feet was a great source of comfort. The group received nothing but thanks as they walked up to the elevator shaft.

Ignis toughed the whole morning despite the shivers that ran regularly down his spine. Prompto kept throwing worried glances his way and Noctis couldn't help but noticed the concerns that slowly crept in Aranea's behavior. Usually, they'd teamed up naturally, with whoever fighter was closer to them while the technician set up the lamps as they advanced. But today, the dragoon was keeping a close watch on Ignis, the tall man barely taking notice of the attention.

Before that they'd take their lunch break, a swarm of daemons surged from the nearest tunnels, making it almost impossible to keep track of each other. Small nagas and other types of snakes slithered forward, incredibly fast on their scales and Noctis got through half of them while Prompto tried to distinguish which part he was supposed to shoot at. Aranea stabbed and thrusted her spear left and right, Ignis stalling a bit against his own opponents, his sight growing hazier by the minutes and the fever finally catching up with him. The team's gunner focused on covering the advisor, who could barely stand up as the last daemon fell to dust.

"You're anything but fine." Noctis observed, barely hiding his anger at Ignis' stubbornness.

"I didn't mean… to be a hindrance." The taller man retorted, his breath ragged.

Aranea rolled her eyes, barely managing to appear unconcerned. She was paler than usual and exchanged a look with the other two guys.

"Let's get him back to the ground levels before he…"

As though she'd jinx him, Ignis faltered on his feet, only to be caught mid-fall by both Prompto and Noctis. Aranea didn't rush to his aid, but something in her eyes changed. She was even more worried than either of the guys, having noticed something that had nothing to do with a bad fever. Ignis didn't look green. There was a green rash running up his neck.

"Were you poisoned?" she asked, her voice whiter than she'd wanted it to sound.

"I don't… think so."

They managed to carry him back, Noctis sending Umbra after Luna to get her expertise on Ignis' state. Getting him in bed was easy, but he protested when Prompto started undressing him.

"Let us take care of you for once," the gunner offered as an excuse.

The healing wing was pretty vacant and the few nurses hurriedly exchanged theories with Aranea over what could have caused the green rash. Luna walked in as the ladies gathered their medicine. It wasn't long before the Oracle confirmed what they'd suspected. Ignis was running a serious fever. As for the rash, it was a small poisoning caused by the mobgoblin's punch Ignis hadn't been able to evade earlier. Luna would have treated it with her magic, but all her prayers had reduced her healing factor.

"A good old remedy should take care of that fever and the poison." Their assigned nurse offered.

Ignis was propped up on his bed, shivering as he tried to back away from the remedy they offered him. It was irrational, but the very color of the concoction made his stomach churn in protest.

"Come on now, don't be so difficult." Noctis teased him.

The first gulp made the advisor recoil in disgust and he coughed and spat, losing any thought for dignity at the awful taste and its stinging impression.

"Whoa! What's wrong?" Prompto asked.

"It burns." Ignis managed.

Luna frowned. Remedy might taste bitter, but not to the point of burning. Aranea uncrossed her arms and ran one hand through her silver braids.

"Could he be allergic to it?"

"I've never heard of…" the nurse started.

"His mother was immune to every kind of potions that existed. With all the fighting he's been through in a short amount of time, maybe his body developed a resistance to remedies, antidotes and such."

Ignis coughed in answer, his shivers even worse than before. Luna sat next to him, palping his neck as gently as possible.

"He looks swollen. I think you're right, Aranea."

"We can't leave him poisoned." Noctis observed.

"Bring me some ether. I'll fix the poisoning. You can make some ice to help lower his fever."

"What about the allergic reaction?" Prompto asked.

Ignis tried to speak, only to be interrupted by a violent sneeze.

"We'll monitor his reaction." The nurse offered. "We have medicine for allergies, but I'd rather not take a risk if we can help it."

Ignis was thankful to lose consciousness a few instants later. If feeling sick wasn't enough, being disheveled around strangers and a burden to his friends was more than he could usually take. He woke up a few hours later, still feverish, but the green sheen gone from his skin. Hazel grey eyes were staring at him from silver lashes and for an instant, Ignis wondered if he was truly awake or not. Aranea had switched her black armor for more comfortable clothes, dressed in jeans and a leather top, a look that brought him years back. He really needed to adapt himself to the idea she'd be around from now on and to those old feelings that would catch him every now and then, when he least expected it.

"Waking up for real this time, or is this just a check-up?" Aranea teased him.

"Have I been out for long?" he shot back, his voice sounding awfully raw.

His throat was parched and she got up to serve him a glass of water, not looking irritated or annoyed. There was something relaxed in her posture and the way she moved. Had she been worried about him?

"Eight hours or so. We took turns watching over you. Everyone was happy to call a break in the mission thanks to the distraction."

"Well, if I could be of service." He sighed as he slowly raised himself into a sitting position.

His body was sore and his head throbbed in response to the movement, Aranea gently laying him back down.

"Easy there, sleeping beauty. You were more badly poisoned than we'd thought. You'll need a full 24 hours to get back on your feet."

She held his glass of water to his lips, sitting next to him to hold his head up and despite himself, the advisor accepted the caring gesture. Corny questions came to his mind and he barely held them back, drinking down the water and closing his eyes as he tried to focus his thoughts on the here and now instead of the various discomforts in his body. He hadn't been sick many times in his life and being so inefficient had always felt like a letdown.

"Did you lose a bet, so you have to be my nurse?"

"Believe it or not, I volunteered. Thought it would make us even. You were always the one looking after me before."

Ignis blinked over four times, wondering how he was supposed to hide his reaction while being shirtless, in a foreign bed, his glasses gone and his sheets slightly damp from perspiration.

"Don't give me that look, Iggy. You're not high maintenance and I needed some time on my own."

"Is this a game we're playing? Which one cares less?"

Aranea poked him in the ribs, smiling as he barely flinched away from her. He had little to no strength and knew that not reacting would make her lose interest quicker than protests.

"There never was a game. And we'd had to start over from scratch. You've gotten new allergies to complement that spiky hairdo."

"Got a problem with my hair?"

"Still trying to understand where it came from. You don't need to look any taller, I hope you know that."

"I'm not up for riddles or double-entendres."

"If you can be that articulated, you're up for triple-entendres." She teased him.

But there was a sadness in her eyes and Ignis wished she'd just admit what was wrong. The silence that followed felt heavy with the everlasting tension between them. She leant on her side, balancing her head in one hand, before to extend her free hand toward him. There was a silent exchange, permission asked and granted before her fingers touched his skin. She was tracing the small scars on his shoulders, the ones on his chest. A crescent on his ribs. He tried not to shiver from the light caress. Anyone else would have feel threatening, but Aria…

"I can't tell which ones are new." She observed, as though she was disappointed at her bad memory. "Except for… this one here. Only hit that landed."

It was a redder patch of skin, following an arc from his left side to the middle of his back. The cut hadn't been serious, but deep enough to leave a mark. Ignis wanted to pull her down to him, to wipe the apologetic look on her face. He was pretty sure he'd left a few scars on her from that fight in Ardyn's base. Not to mention the state of her legs.

"Should we start from there?" he suggested, his voice a bit hoarse.

"With scars? I might be on the wild side, but that's…"

"Aranea… My mind is still half gone. But I know change isn't always a bad thing."

"Maybe. You're a good fighting partner, Iggy. And your cooking skills have gotten even better. But when the fighting will be over… if your prince can win his war… I don't really see where I'll fit in."

"What would you want?"

"I don't know yet."

She looked ready to add something, but a noise on the other side of the room grabbed her attention and the moment was gone. She got back to her feet, realizing she'd been acting far more familiar than she'd meant to.

"Start by getting better, Scientia."

"Yes, my lady."

"Don't call me that!"

Her half smile gave him a different sort of hope that day. The kind even his rational mind couldn't extinguish. Ignis warned himself it might be because his rational side was fighting against the fever impairing his brain. But as soon as he got back on his feet, he tested his theory and discovered that Aranea didn't mind the old camaraderie they shared. She'd join in his games of cards with Gladio, and fighting side by side was slowly turning into a second nature. As long as a minimum distance was kept between them, they could be friends. Surely more, if affinity.

…

Gladio had grabbed Iris by her waist and threw her over his shoulder, as he'd done a dozen times when she was a small girl. In every aspect, she was still a small girl to him. His sister protested vehemently, until she was put down and realized he'd dragged her to a quiet corner of the first floor.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Gladiolus crossed his arms over his chest, making her a bit warry.

"How are you holding up? We barely exchanged two words since the funerals."

Heart to heart talks weren't her brother's style, so she blinked, before to reply:

"I'm good. What about you?"

"Don't worry, Iris. I actually… wanted to ask you how you'd feel about it before making the proposition to Libertus…"

"How I'd feel about what?"

"You know Noctis and Luna are planning on getting married. Like for real."

She tensed a bit, but tried to keep the hurt from reaching her eyes. She knew of course. She'd seen the ring on Luna's necklace. Even if she hadn't, she'd known. It hurt a little less everyday, but it was worse whenever she saw them hugging or having any of those sweet gestures for the other. Noctis playing with her blond hair. Luna lacing their fingers together. The light kiss they exchanged as they bid each other goodnight. Her heart felt tight from all the ache she hadn't realized she was storing inside.

"I know." She replied, looking annoyed.

"Well, how'd you feel about us throwing them an engagement party? We all need to unwind a bit and after abusing their powers like they did for the past week, they could use a bit of attention. I just wanted to warn you…"

"I'm not a child anymore. I want Noctis to be happy more than anything and Luna deserves it too!"

The way she said it made it clear how hard it was to believe the words, but Gladio gave her an apologetic smile.

"You don't have to be so tough. But I'm really proud of you, you know? At your age, I wasn't nearly as tolerant for this sort of things."

"What sort of things?"

"As unbelievable as it may sound, there was a time when I got rejected by girls."

"Girl _s_?!" she repeated, tracing the hyphens in the air.

" _One_ girl," he admitted. "The first crush is always the hardest to get over."

"Wuss," she mocked him, trying to imitate his voice and doing so quite well. The result was him tickling her to tears. Half an hour later, Libertus was introduced to the idea of celebrating an engagement party for two royals. Both had no idea what was coming…

It had been a week since Noctis and his gang had started the anti-daemon campaign. 9 floors of the mine had been entirely lighted and the team had settled into helping with the construction effort. The dorms had been completely insulated and the first floor was half civilized. The cafeteria was turned into a makeshift ballroom, complete with banquet tables on the sides. Prompto and Iris kept Noctis and Luna's attention away from the preparations, taking them out on an errand for most of the day. When they walked back into Free Crown, the royals were assaulted by a literal crowd of people. Flowers had been gathered and suspended to the ceiling or the walls, bringing colors to the stones.

"After learning the news about you two, we decided a real celebration was in order." Libertus teased them.

Noctis looked confused, until he saw the look in his friends' eyes.

"Free Crown citizens, may I introduce to you your future king and queen, the courageous people that have been looking out for us when no one else did?"

Cheers erupted and after shaking hands with their happy citizens, Luna putting on her ring and Noctis admitting a wedding would happen once things had settled down more. The news brought more hope than expected and the afternoon was nothing but dancing, cheering, singing and more dancing. No one was dressed with special clothes, rare were the people that still owed special clothes, but smiles shone on every face. During the banquet, people kept tapping on their glass to request the honor couple of kissing each other, much to Noctis' annoyance. He didn't mind kissing his fiancée, but he sure minded the crowd looking and cheering. Luna had stopped blushing on the tenth time, but the prince was starting to wonder who was having more fun from this engagement party.

Libertus was running a drinking contest with Monica of all people, the cat lady held her liquor quite well, Prompto had made both Iris and Aranea dance, before that Ignis dared to ask the dragoon fighter for a dance with him. Gladiolus tried to keep an eye on things, while Crowe had secluded herself in a corner, feeling too crowded by the over-excited people. It was the first Free Crown's citizens were taking a real break and it was a much-needed respite.

After a while, Noctis and Luna managed to evade the attention thrown at them from every side. The prince was feeling slightly claustrophobic and when he suggested a little stroll in the night air, his fiancée was too happy to oblige. Evading Ignis' careful eyes wasn't hard, since the man was still on the dance floor. Prompto had agreed to a drinking contest with Dave and Gladiolus had gone looking for Crowe by then.

Holding hands as they walked out of the mines, the couple of royals shifted closer to one another. Luna felt lighter than usual, with her ring on her finger, his arms wrapping around her instinctively. There was something precious about how careful he acted around her. All the kisses the people had asked them to share for good measures had been soft and pure. And as she leaned against him, his warmth and moreover his scent enveloping her, she felt the need that had come a dozen times already since they'd been reunited. But there was no panicked rush for once. She raised one hand to stroke his cheek, which made him lean closer still, with his chin over her shoulder, his breath in her hair and his lips ghosting her skin, maintaining the tension inside her.

"Are you happy, Luna?"

She smiled and sighed in contentment.

"What about you?"

"I don't know. We've accomplished something big here. I don't think I realize it yet."

"It's really good to see you smile." Luna told him, bending her neck enough to meet his eyes.

Their nose brushed and Noctis gave up entirely, stealing her lips for a real and deep kiss. She didn't let him stop, turning around in his arms and it was only daemons hissing in the dark that got them to part, air being the last of their worry for an instant.

"Luna… I really don't feel like going back in that cave-dorm."

"What do you have in mind? Eloping?" she asked, playing with the side of his dark coat, a bit absentminded.

She meant it as a joke, but there was something serious in her eyes. They'd been apart for so long. Noctis grabbed her hands in his, a boyish smile on his face.

"Eloping, precisely. And maybe…"

The glint in his eyes made her flush, but she could also tell how nervous he was.

"I just want to be alone with you." He whispered.

"How?" she shot back, pulling on his coat so he'd get closer.

Their lips brushed once more, but only for a moment. There was something mischievous about her face and he had excepted a lot of things but not...

"Dressed or undressed?"

She had the decency to blush as his eyes widened from the shock, even though he was amused deep down.

"Really, your highness? When did you learn to be so direct?" Noctis asked her.

She shrugged in response.

"I think we're owed one night."

It seemed way too careless and she wanted to feel ashamed, but somehow, she couldn't. Noctis decided throwing most of their cautions to the wind might be good. They might not get a wedding right away, but they owed some time to themselves. He led her to the Regalia, deciding he wouldn't send a text to the guys until they were already on the road. Luna seemed to have a few doubts as she sat down in the passenger seat.

"You're entitled to be irresponsible a bit. I don't think you were irresponsible a single moment in your life." He told her, half teasing, half serious.

She retorted with a sad smile.

"I did borrow an imperial tank once."

"So if I start this car and drive into the night with you, you won't have second thoughts?"

"Just get us going before I change my mind. I feel like a teenage girl." She admitted, laughing at herself as he kicked on the Regalia.

The drive didn't last long, even though Luna seemed a little more nervous with every new mile. She kept on talking, mostly about Free Crown and their plans for what was coming next. The worst moment was when she asked about protection.

"We both want children, but it's not the right time for..."

"I got it covered." Noctis replied, keeping his eyes resolutely on the road.

"Okay." She paused for a moment, her brows furrowing slowly. "Was this planned?"

"I have an infinite pocket of material with me at all time."

"Sure, but… How does that even work? Do you have to think about the things you summon out of it?"

"Luna…"

"Which reminds me, you didn't answer my first question. Was tonight planned?"

"Well… We were getting married. I'm pretty sure my father had one of the guys bringing something in case I forgot."

Much to their own surprise, they barely blushed at the thought or throughout that talk. It was practical and natural, there was no reason to be embarrassed. Their repelling lights worked their magic, keeping the daemons out of the road until they reached Longswythe's rest area. The embarrassment surged right back as they got out of the car. Eloping for a night sounded a bit reckless with a few step back.

Noctis had no idea if his own anxiousness showed as he booked their room for the night. Luna gave him a gentle smile, trying to keep her nerves together under her collected exterior. He could almost sense the nervousness radiating from her. As soon as the door was locked behind them, he reminded her that he didn't mind waiting a bit longer.

"Having you to me alone is already…"

She cut him off with a rough kiss, hoping that would be enough to let him know the waiting was over. She needed to convince herself still, but her own desires were growing stronger than her reservations. Although she felt a lot more self-conscious than when they usually kissed. Noctis swiftly wrapped his arms around her, letting his possessiveness out, and she decided to embrace herself as much as she embraced him. There was nothing to fear in his arms.

"I should shower first." She pleaded between two kisses.

"If you leave me one second, I'll go mad." He warned, stealing her lips.

She shivered under his touch, moaning into him and loving how that seemed to stir him even more. The gestures were familiar and sweet, the shivers almost enough to go over the edge. But Noctis wanted to make this night slow and deliberate. So he tried every fantasies she'd shared with him, asking to know more, to taste more, until she replied to his fire with fire. Their clothes were discarded one by one, walls falling and fear leaving with them. At more than one time, she felt ready to panic, ready to jump out of her skin as the sensations overloaded her. Noctis tamed her back to the here and now, to the fact his eyes were filled with love and desires devoid of threat.

He refused to let her hide any part of herself, refused to hide anywhere else than between her arms. Or between her legs. The pain didn't last, the noises that came from both of them felt foreign, like another language, where love and touch took over reason. Noctis had thought he was already lost when she asked him candidly:

"Can you feel me?"

The fact she was everywhere around him almost undid him on the spot. But he retorted with the same question, needing the affirmative, getting almost too many affirmatives at once.

There was no way either of them could ever get back from this. Not that they'd want to.

To be continued…

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And I know, this last Noct Luna part might have felt rushed. I intend to give you all more in next chapter. I'm just keeping the Teen rating in mind and doing all I can to stay within the limit. I thing I have. And there was a lot of stuff in this chapter. The repelling light quest is over. More fun times in next chapter, with some Ravus/Iris texting. I won't officially declare where their relationship is going right away. They're frenemies for now.

Some Crowe/Gladio and Prompto/Cindy in next chapter if I can squeeze everything I want in it. I need some serious time off to manage to write more chapters. I have another deadline on Friday and way too much pressure for what's coming up next with school and my thesis. I'm trying to go one day at a time. Anyway, story wise, we've reached the 30 chapter. Huzzah!

Please review with answers about my question over Luna's powers, the way you think I should include Gladiolus' episode in this (I have ideas that involves Crowe for some reasons) and also our impression over Gladio's episode maybe? I'm so rewriting it in this fic, because once more I didn't have enough. XD


	31. One leap forward

I'm really grateful for all the theories and facts shared over Luna's powers. I also wanted to thank you all for still reading, following and commenting the story. It makes it all the more worth it to work on this. I might revisit Noctis and Luna's first time later on, but can I admit that I really want the story to advance at the moment? I have planned up a lot of perilous operation, I want to reach a point in the story where Gladio's episode can take place. And many more points and turnabout, but I'm still trying to piece thing up. I started a new game plus to revisit a few things, and Steyliff Grove. I stopped for now, since chapter 9 is up and that I won't redo it until I'm closer to it in the story. I have so many different save for this game. Anyway, enjoy today's chapter, on time with my forgotten schedule. :D We have fluff and some fun times, but mostly fluff. Action is planned up for chapter 32.

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Unexpected

Chapter 31 – One leap forward

It took Gladio a good fifteen minutes to locate Crowe. The former Glaive had searched for solace and quiet and was sitting on a stool in the Hall of Memory, a room of marbled walls that Libertus had designed as Free Crown's memoriam. Names had been engraved on every wall, etched through the stone to make sure the people lost would be remembered. The king's shield hadn't set foot in the room yet, never quite comfortable with grieving people. Thankfully enough, Crowe was alone in there. She stared intensely at two columns of names.

"Hey." Gladio called out, hoping it didn't sound awkward.

"Need help with the party?" she shot back, not even throwing a glance toward him.

"Nah… I just wanted to make sure… everything was fine with you."

She gave a light nod, but something in her stiff shoulders told him he was right to worry.

"Mind the company?" he insisted, walking up to her and realizing the names she was reading over and over belonged to other former Glaives.

"I know I've been cranky lately, but you don't have to walk on eggshells around me."

He heaved a sigh and put one hand on her shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.

"Something's been eating you up ever since we went down in those mines."

She let out a forced chuckle.

"How long has it been since I joined your team? Two weeks or so? We went on multiple hunts, took down a base of MTs, helped a camp of refugees. I get the feeling I'm running from one distraction to the next so I can pretend I don't have to deal with…"

She gestured to the wall she was facing.

"I wouldn't blame you." Gladio remarked.

"You know, it's the first time I came up here. I've been reading their names over and over, all of their names, in hope the feelings they create in me would just vanish."

Gladiolus felt his throat tightening at her admission. Libertus had written down the names of every of their comrades. Crowe's name had been among the list, close to Nyx's, only to be filled with dark marble. If he scrunched his eyes, he could still make out the letters. It felt ominous, like watching at your own tombstone.

"This doesn't sound healthy," he warned her.

"I don't want to tell Libertus which one of them came after me." Crowe explained, her voice shuddering a bit.

He took a step closer to her, which made her jump on her feet, to keep some distance between them. Gladio's arms fell limply at his side, although he observed the annoyance in her brown eyes didn't seem entirely directed at him.

"Don't give me comfort. I need to keep moving. I'm almost entirely fine with the dark again."

"Taking comfort doesn't make you clingy," he observed.

"Now, you're preaching to the choir, big guy."

He gave her half a smirk, crossing his arms to keep his countenance.

"How long have you been staring at those names?"

"A little less than an hour. Iris did tell you she came in here to write some names?"

Gladiolus frowned at that, unsure if his sister had mentioned anything about the Hall of Memory. Iris had been disappearing each time they got back from their daemons hunting to check on Talcott and he often ended up joining the construction's work to take his mind off the time he'd spent not fighting while the others did. Crowe gave him a questioning look, wondering if he felt up to look at a few names of people he knew. His brief nod convinced her, and she pulled on his elbow to have him face the right wall.

There was something distressing about the sheer number of names covering every inch of marble, sometimes only a first name, neither followed by a date or a message. No eulogy here, nothing but strings and strings of letters on stone. It took Gladio mere seconds to spot his family name. Clarus Amicitia had been added to the list of lost persons. The letters were neat and smooth, engraved without hesitation, except for a few thin lines around the "C". To his own surprise, instead of shock or pain, he felt at peace. Iris had ensured that their father remained known, at least to those that mattered. His throat tightened a bit as he noticed the names of Iris' friends around Clarus'. She'd made a really neat list and he could almost picture her as she'd work, tears falling down her cheeks but her hands not wavering an instant.

"She forgot to write our mother's name," he whispered.

Crowe's hand squeeze his wrist in answer.

"She actually asked me if she should have written her name next to his, you know? I couldn't give her an answer. My family's name is from the street Libertus found me on…"

He looked down into her eyes, shocked by the knowledge she'd been an orphan so early in her life, but Crowe went on, refusing to make the discussion about herself:

"It was Luna who helped in the end. According to her studies, our souls all pass into the afterlife when we die, where time and distance are of no consequence. So your parents must have found each other already."

Gladio almost felt his heart quivering in his chest and had to look back up, feeling too open. He'd never believe in those things, and no matter how comforting it might sound, he wondered. From what he'd recently learned over the blight and its results on people. Reminding himself that his father's death, although almost entirely certain, had yet to be proved. He didn't want to see his corpse, but… Looking at that name listed among all the others... It made it more real. Maybe did he need it to be real to make his own peace.

"Mom already had her gravestone," he breathed out slowly. "That's enough of being morbid! Feel up for a dance or two? It would take your mind off those names." He added, pointing to the list of Glaives.

Crowe gave him a light smile.

"I can't face that crowd. I'd get jumpy and I don't want to make a scene."

"Want an escort back to our dorm? Or the kitchen?"

"The dorm sounds good. I could take my revenge for that chess game. Unless you'd rather hang out at the party."

He felt as though she was giving him her full attention for the first time in days and he really preferred her company to the over-excited crowd in the makeshift ballroom. Gladio was usually all for a party, but as a bodyguard, he couldn't attend any similar occasion without ending up on guard all night long. Noctis had ordered every of his friends to enjoy themselves instead of worrying and for once, the shield wanted to listen to his prince's advice.

"I've had enough of baby-sitting Prompto and watching Ignis cautiously flirt with Aranea."

"Alright then. Please escort me, my good sir." She asked him playfully as she led the way outside the Hall.

Their game of chess lasted for half an hour, all easy talk and close to no planning between every move. Things looked pretty even at first, until Crowe took his queen with a move that had clearly been planned from the early start. And then his pawns kept falling and he merely managed to take half of her pieces with him.

"Where did that come from?!"

"I said I was taking my revenge. That meant utter annihilation."

"So, you're the type to hold grudges?"

"I wouldn't put it that way. I'm competitive," she rectified, leaning back on her elbows with a bright smile.

They usually played sitting or half lying on the floor, not having a table in their quarters. The smallest commodities were a luxury and Noctis had insisted of not receiving any special treatment compared to the other refugees. Their next stop at a hotel or motel would be greatly appreciated, but for the moment, Gladio didn't mind the rough setting. He felt almost at home.

"Well, the score is one to one."

"In the chess department. I've nailed over 250 daemons in the last few days."

"That's not fair. Iris and you teamed up against me to steal every of my kills! I haven't coughed once in the last 36 hours. And I keep burning my fingers on those electric wires!"

She mocked concern before to scoot around the chess mat and sit straighter, asking to see his hands. He obliged her, his callused hand looking too large between hers. His fingertips were a dark reddish and she turned serious as she inspected his hand, soon asking to see the other one.

"I thought I'd told you not to light the bulbs when the wires are still exposed."

"Could you not use that tone with me? I'm not a child. I've got big hands. It's hard to work on small mechanisms."

"Can you even type on your phone?" she teased him.

He tried to pry his hands away in pretended hurt, but she had such a strong grip, he ended up dragging her closer to him. He didn't mind the result, getting a better look at her since the only light in the room had been closer to him. Her ponytail was half undone, there was a quirk to her smile that really got to him and her eyes had those sparkles…

"Where are you going with this, Gladio?"

"Let go of my hands if you're embarrassed."

"I'm not embarrassed. Maybe a bit flustered."

She turned his right hand around, following the lines in his palm as though she could read some intricate message in them. Her smile was still on, but he couldn't tell what she was thinking.

"Flustered?" he repeated.

"You could be hanging out or even hooking up with any women at this engagement celebration, and instead you're sitting here with me to play a chess game."

So she wasn't blind.

"I'll have you know that we take chess very seriously in my family." He started, only to be cut off again.

"Be straight with me, okay? There's something that clicked between us."

He wanted to approve, but the next words that came out of her mouth were like a slap to the face.

"You saved my life. I don't want my feelings to depend solely on that, or on the anxiousness induced by everything we're going through."

"Are you anxious? Right now?" Gladiolus asked her.

She bit her lower lip, her thoughtful pout slowly turning into a smile.

"No… Nervous, but not anxious."

"Well, Crowe, that makes two of us. And I know the circumstances aren't ideal. But will they ever be? If we wage a war…" He sighed, not sure this was the right turn to give this conversation. "I don't want to rush you or make you uncomfortable. But it feels different with you."

That last part wasn't as good as it had sounded in his head, but Crowe raised only one brow in question.

"I like things to be clear, Gladio. What's different with me?"

He raised one hand to cup her cheek, waiting for her reaction before to lean in. She didn't refuse his touch, worrying her lower lip as he closed the distance between them.

"I'll get attached." She warned him as their nose brushed.

"I want you to."

She accepted his kiss then, tasting like lemon and honey, keeping a hold of his free hand and cupping his jaw as he held her closer. This time, he didn't rush, focusing on the sound of her breathing, on the warmth radiating from her, slipping his fingers between her tangled hair while she sat in his lap. A rasping sound came from his chest, but when she tried to back away, he held her in place. And she didn't squirm long, happily kissing him back, running her hands over his chest, relishing a few moans here and there. It took a few minutes for them to consider parting, be it for air or more words.

"You have some pretty convincing arguments." She smiled as she looked into his eyes.

"So what are we agreeing on?"

"I still need time to adjust to the team. And I don't know what your sister will think. But I don't… I was abandoned…far too many times…"

He stroked her face, wishing he could will away the pain he saw in her eyes. Crowe put on a confident smile, refusing to dwell on her past.

"Be warned, I won't stand to be some battlefield conquest. Or your friend with benefits."

"I stand warned. And I'm already getting attached." He admitted.

Gladiolus realized he meant those words. It wasn't part of a flirt routine for once. Although he'd always told himself to keep things casual and easy, because his life and death were already owed to someone else. But those vows and duties inherited from his old man might not turn out in such an early death. Maybe he could let someone else look after Noctis every now and then. Was she making him careless? The thought scared him terribly, but Crowe was answering with another kiss, before to ask if it might make things awkward with his sister.

"It surely will. But since you want to take this slow, maybe we could… Lay low at the beginning?"

"I don't mind being discreet about it, as long as we're exclusive."

"What kind of guy do you take me for?!"

"You see, sometimes I feel as though I already know you, but we met about two weeks ago. We better take this slow!" She seemed to think things through before to add: "Except for the kissing."

Gladio hadn't expected his night to end up so well. If he'd know Noctis was just as lucky as him, he'd wonder if they weren't enjoying a brief reprieve from Fate itself.

…

"I think they've vanished."

"It's their engagement party, and they ran out on us?"

Ignis had agreed to sit down with Aranea after three dances, nursing a beer when the first questions surged among the crowd. Everyone had been so into the food, the music or the fact they could enjoy themselves exuberantly for the first time since Insomnia's fall that no one had noticed Noctis and Luna's disappearance until now. The dragoon scanned the large room, half-guarded despite her cool exterior.

"Don't tell me they've eloped?" she asked, half joking.

Ignis checked his phone, knowing Noctis would give him a warning if he were to try something like this. He wouldn't warn Gladio, since the man would just call him irresponsible and catch him, and Prompto would never let him live it down. But Ignis and the prince were more brothers than servant and liege. Ignis had put the silent mode on and had missed a single text:

 _Took Luna out for the night. We'll be back in the morning. Don't worry and don't let Gladio come after us. Regalia's gone anyway._

The advisor couldn't fight off the smirk that tugged at his lips.

"Believe it or not, they did."

"What?! The prince, I'd understand, but…"

"I hope it doesn't happen every time they'll get horny." He cut her off, just to see the shock on her face turn into a laugh.

"Wow. I don't think I ever heard you refer to any royals in such an offhand manner."

"I wonder how this will turn out. He says they'll be back in the morning."

His tone meant how many doubts he held about that statement and Aranea leaned a little towards him.

"I bet you a hundred gils that prince will ask us to meet up with them somewhere instead of showing back here. As soon as the alcohol in his blood disperse…" she observed.

"Not taking that wager," he stated with his usual seriousness.

She poked him in the ribs in reply, only managing to touch him once. The chamberlain held her wrist up, giving her a warning look. The gestures seemed natural, almost familiar, but she shuffled backward as he let go of her arm, not entirely comfortable. They were doing their best to get re-acquainted to each other, but the limits seemed blurry. A violent curse caught their attention.

Prompto had just managed some distraction, sending a quarter of the tables tumbling down after dropping the large speakers from which the dance music had been coming. Everyone focused on entangling the blond man from the wire and retrieving the food they could, while Ignis remained rooted to his seat, wondering why his head and heart felt just as messy as the mix of furniture and people he saw on the other side of the room. Aranea noticed the dark look on his face and felt somewhat guilty for it.

"You're not going to freak out? Noctis is out of sight and…"

"I can always track the GPS signal on his phone. And he's come a long way. Not to mention he took the Regalia. No daemons should get in their way."

"Well, that's some real progress." Aranea admitted, giving a light nudge in his shoulder. "Aren't you freaking out inwardly, even a little?"

"If you keep on insisting, I might." He sighed, turning his attention back to her.

"Okay. I just remember how you'd normally fret over the smallest things."

He felt ready to object, but the smug look on her face reminded him so much of his old Aria, he didn't want to win their little argument anymore. She was the first to break eye contact and scan the ballroom once more.

"I know Gladio went looking for Crowe, but can you spot Iris anywhere?" she asked him.

Over the course of a few days, Aranea had grown really attached to the women in the group. She'd never had female friends her own age before and despite some awkwardness here and there and the fact Iris seldom trusted her, she had started to care for her, seeing a lot of herself in the youngest member of their team. The girl wanted to prove herself as an independent fighter and it was something the dragoon wanted to encourage.

"I wonder if she's gone with Talcott and the kids…" he observed, trying to spot the petite brunette among the crowd.

He seemed ready to get to his feet and Aranea could tell his pretended calm over Noctis and Luna's disappearing act was ready to fall. Ignis always had had trouble allowing himself pleasure. It seemed that hadn't changed.

"From what I've gathered, she used to have a fling for the prince. Maybe she needs time on her own?"

"It would be helpful if our phones worked all the time in here." he complained.

Before, any information could have been a single text away. But while Noctis' message had been received, he had no signal at the moment. Aranea wondered if Iris might have sneaked out to check on her mysterious friend in Insomnia. She wanted to trust the teenager and saw a way to distract Ignis from worrying over the younger Amicitia.

"Hey, that reminds me… I got Noctis' number, but I didn't get yours." She told him.

Ignis seemed taken aback for a few seconds. He collected himself quickly, but not enough for his trouble to go unnoticed. Aranea was sensible enough not to pick up on it.

…

Iris had enjoyed herself for a moment, until she'd realized that her prince was gone. She walked up to the entrance, a little surprised to see no one was standing guard. Taking a chance, she walked up to the hidden parking spot Free Crown kept, where she confirmed her first thoughts about Noctis' disappearance. The Regalia had been taken and the couple were surely enjoying some well-deserved alone time. As much as she wanted to be entirely happy for them, Iris felt the ugly burn of jealousy closing over her heart. Much to her own surprise, her phone buzzed, Ravus asking for news. She had kept him in the dark for the last few days, lacking a signal too often to try and keep up a conversation.

 _Anything new?_ Came his question.

He'd learned to wait before to mention his sister and Iris appreciated his efforts, but she didn't feel up for a talk. Her state of mind was a strange mix of resentment and annoyance.

 _I: We're almost done with this place. And don't beat around the bushes. Your sister must be doing well._

 _R: Must?_

 _I: We just threw them an engagement party. Noctis took her out on a ride. I think they're skipping right to the honeymoon._

She'd wrote without thinking for once and the result was utter radio silence, as she sat down on the cold ground between the cars, staring at her phone's screen. When her ringtone came on, she almost dropped the cellphone. She blinked twice at the screen, having trouble believing Ravus Nox Fleuret was calling her. And when she mustered the courage to answer, it was to hear his disgusted voice on the other line.

"I don't want to hear about _that_ kind of stuff!"

Instead of giving him an excuse, Iris smiled to herself. Ravus sounded almost flustered.

"It's gross, huh? What did you have to call me instead of texting?"

He grumbled something that sounded like "pacing" in answer and she sighed, letting some of her discontentment out.

"If it's any help, she looked really happy next to Noctis tonight."

"You said she'd started killing daemons?"

He was clearly trying to change the subject and Iris didn't blame him.

"I think it really helped her. She's trying to take control of her own life."

Iris didn't want to go back into the long talks they had shared between girls over the last week, but it was the best way she had to sum things up.

"So she's doing good. What about you, Iris? You sound tired."

She blinked, doubting he could tell whether or not she was tired from the few hours they'd spent together and the sound of her voice.

"I think I need a real victory over the empire. Something to lift my spirit. Do you have new intel?"

"Nothing that might lift your spirit. Ace has started chasing down the people around Insomnia with his men. They either starve in isolation, or they take the risk of getting caught by MTs or his soldiers."

"Is there anything that can be done for…"

"From what I've gathered, there's still time before the dreadnaughts are driven back to the empire. They can welcome over five hundred people each and the new commander want them full before they take off." Ravus explained.

Iris wondered what conditions the people already in the ships were going through. Were they even fed?

"How much time?" she insisted.

"Three to four weeks. They're methodical about their sweeps, but it gives your fellow citizens time to switch places."

"You sound really well-informed. Did you help anyone since you got in the crown city?"

He huffed in answer, and the sound of shattering glass made her jump.

"What was that?!"

"Quiet. A stray got in my lab. Again."

He sounded ready to kill the stray animal and Iris chuckled nervously.

"Should I hang up?"

"Maybe you should," he sighed, not quite convincing. "But I have a few more questions for you. Mind giving me a few minutes to get rid of the pest?"

"Okay…"

Iris wondered why she cared about his questions so much. Maybe because he treated her like an adult more than a child, contrarily to Gladio's attitude. Also, the knowledge that came with every of their exchanges gave her the illusion she had some sort of control over the situation her country was in. The fact Ravus was almost disgusted by the idea of Noctis and Luna together was a balm to her battered heart. It made her feel a little less guilty about still being jealous every now and then.

The wait was over in less than three minutes and Iris couldn't help but ask what sort of animal had come in.

"A daggerquill. Too bad there's not more meat on its bones."

That reminded her how precarious life had to be in Insomnia. Which had her wondering how much free time he had on his hands. The night air felt colder and Iris held back her shiver, getting the impression her brother might go looking for her if she stayed away from Free Crown too long.

"What were those questions you wanted to ask?" she inquired.

"This will sound bad, but… While you were still afflicted with the blight… What were your symptoms?"

She gasped into the phone, unable to believe he had the nerves to ask that. He didn't apologize, but she certainly hoped he had some sort of repentant look on his face, wherever he was. She tried to keep her composure, reminding herself that his research might save thousands of people.

"I couldn't move my arm. It felt broken… In a thousand different pieces. Whenever I moved, it was as though the shards of bones were trying to pierce through the skin."

"There was no stain?"

"Until your sister examined me, no one would have thought it was the blight!" She hissed in answer, feeling most of her hatred for the man coming back.

"I've run almost every test I could on your sample. Luna's healing left no trace of the blight anywhere, but it sounds as though yours was a new brand."

He seemed to be talking to himself more than anything at this point.

"Am I supposed to brainstorm with you over the sword you used to blight me?"

"You wanted to hear about my research for the cure. And I might use a fresh mind for this problem."

"Are you under a time limit or something?"

"Maybe. If you don't have time for this, you can hang up, you know."

"I want to help. It's just… A bit hard. I don't even know what your problem is."

"I'm trying to isolate a trace of Luna's powers. Anything that could explain to me how she can undo the blight."

"You want to emulate magic? Synthetize magic?!"

It sounded ludicrous and Ravus turned defensive as he tried to make his point.

"The empire's done it with their magitecks and dark magic. Why couldn't it work for white magic too?"

"Wow. Behind all that cold calculative exterior, you're a dreamer, huh?"

She laughed and for once, Ravus felt like giving up.

"Don't patronize me, Iris. I might be too tired for this. Let's just…"

"No, we might not get another chance to talk like this at length, so go on. If I can help with this in any way…"

He heaved a long breath, agreeing to try and draw her a clear picture of the situation. He had seen two different brand of blight as he'd worked with the empire. One was apparent in stains on the skin in early stages, while the other one started from deep within the bones, stains showing only when it was too late and the daemonification would start. The first brand developed in a matter of months, while the second one could last years. They both left traces in the blood of their victim, the red cells slowly getting replaced by black cells that would eventually warp the host body.

Iris had to make some real effort not to lose it at time, when she thought of her mother's fate as a blight victim. Ravus stated everything with cold detachment, clinical and technical as he tried to vulgarize the fruits of his research.

"Destroying the black cells isn't enough to remove the blight, is it?" Iris tried after half an hour of explanation.

"That's right. It's a temporary solution, but the hosts are weakened, not having enough red or white cells to compensate the loss of the black cells. Luna's magic doesn't destroy any cell, it cleanses them from the blight."

"This sound like an impossible problem."

"But it's no impossible. I've already manage to cleanse black cells once."

"How?"

"I had a sample of my mother's blood." He admitted, sounding half defeated.

"So the solution would have to be in Luna's blood?"

"If it is, it doesn't solve my problem. She's too involved in the healing of the blight as it is."

Iris frowned, switching the hand that was holding her phone to her ear.

"How do her powers works? Why is it only the women in your line that can have them?"

There were a few differences between men and women, but Ravus had never seen the reason behind this discrimination in the passing of powers from mother to daughter. What was a brother supposed to do?

"I… Wait a minute. It couldn't be… Right in the DNA…?"

"What are you talking about now?"

"I think you gave me a new lead. It might be a mutation. Something that makes their cells respond to magic. I've taken enough of your time as it is."

"But I get the feeling I did nothing to…"

"I've got work to do. And my phone is going to die on me anyway. Go grab some sleep."

She didn't have time to answer, the discussion cutting off. It felt like a let-down after talking with him for almost an entire hour. But it was getting cold and Ravus might think he'd been relying too much on her. The guy was almost prouder than Gladiolus. As she walked back to the entrance of Free Crown, her phone gave a single buzz.

 _Thanks for your patience, Iris._

She slid the phone back in her pocket, wondering how she could feel so light from a simple thank you.

…

"Do you mind if I take the lead?" Luna asked him.

"You can do all you want with me." He shot back as she kissed the hollow of his neck, following a bold line that veered on his collarbone before to aim back to his chest.

There seem to be no limit left, nothing to hold either of them back. Their kisses went between sloppy to downright passion and they liked both, not to mention all the in-betweens.

"Don't move those wicked hips," she commanded, giving him a playful bite as her hands made it hard to follow any of her instructions. "Not before I tell you to."

Noctis felt between vulnerable and invincible in her embrace. The first time had been awkward and messy, but in such a good way, he doubted he could ever take his hands off her. And Luna was bolder than ever now that her fears were mostly if not entirely erased. The fact she could still get coherent words from him seemed close to a miracle. He caressed her skin, grasping and kneading greedily as he tried to have her closer than flesh permitted. He liked every of her shivers, how they sometimes turned into deep moans, the look on her face when her eyes would close and her mouth hang open.

Now that every carnal need had been given free reins, they refused to let the night end or sleep take them, even though they did drift to brief slumber a few times. The Six knew how they'd starved for a real connection and it seemed all the pent-up desires born from their previous make out sessions until now had only make them more insatiable.

"Can I move now?"

She shook her head, slowing down just to see the look on his face. He was discovering many new sides to his princess.

"Don't tell me… you want me to beg?"

"Alright, I won't tell you." She answered mischievously.

"Well I've been patient… But if you drive me crazy, you're just asking for trouble." He warned, gripping her hips and turning them over.

It felt almost surreal, but every gesture, caress or tickling came naturally. And instead of nervously fumbling, they talked most of the time, at the very least, when their voice still worked right. Love words were whispered, and a few lame things too… But when their embraces turned to cuddling, the sigh of absolute contentment Luna let out confirmed Noctis' hopes.

"I hope we're not camping, ever again." She admitted, snuggling close to his chest, pulling his arms tighter around her.

"I'll see what I can do." He retorted with a kiss on her shoulder.

"I won't really mind, you know."

"I will mind, believe me."

They laughed, almost giddy with happiness. No matter how irresponsible their little excursion might look, they'd both needed to reconnect. Sadly, their little cloud came down after a few more minutes of just listening to each other's breathing.

"I hope Libertus won't mind that we walked out on his party." Luna observed.

And suddenly, the prospect of getting out of bed in the morning and facing Free Crown's citizens, whom could surely guess what they'd been up to… Noctis' ears turned red and he sighed against Luna's back.

"We might as well sent a text to the others and regroup at Hammerhead to check the bikes Cindy found us."

"What? Are you ashamed of anything we did?"

"No, not at all… I just… don't like our lives being so public."

"I'm sure everyone understands that being a king doesn't mean you can't be human, Noct."

"Hmmm."

He wanted to agree with her, but he had been under so much pressure all his life, he wondered if people would be willing to understand.

"Would it be so bad that we just regroup in Hammerhead? We must visit Steyliff Grove and we cleared nine floors of FC. It's more than they need at the moment."

"Well, I don't mind it. We just barely thanked Libertus. I thought we would be back in the morning and I could check on that orphan girl another time before we rush off."

Noctis wondered if Luna wasn't getting too attached to Free Crown's kid. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing. They'd been rootless since the beginning of their travel and staying in the caves among the few hundreds of refugees had felt strange. Noctis had always been used to the bustling of Insomnia' streets, a state-city that never slept. As they'd camped, he'd grown accustomed to the creatures lurking all over Lucis. But it wasn't thinkable for him to take a serious break for more than a few hours. Not with the state Lucis was in.

"You can't keep on running from one crisis to another. You should gather royal arms to rebalance your powers." She pointed out, bending her neck to look him in the eyes.

"My powers are perfectly balanced. And we should be forging covenants too, but there's only so much we can do with 24 hours in a day."

"Now that you mention it, no astral has called me in a while." Luna realized.

"Well, that's a good thing."

"Unless I can't hear them since I killed daemons."

"Don't do that, Luna. There's nothing wrong with you defending yourself. Everything we did so far was to protect the people. If they can't understand that…"

"You're right. Let's not worry over this tonight."

She sounded defeated now, when she'd been smiling and laughing only minutes ago.

"Luna…"

"I can't help it, Noct. As you can't help worrying about everything that is still on our plate."

"We were supposed to be irresponsible for one entire night. It's only three in the morning."

"Loving you is one of the most responsible thing I've done in my life. I don't think I could go through everything before us if I didn't have you."

"Me neither. But you have me."

"Was that… supposed to sound dirty?" his fiancée asked, rolling on her stomach to be able to stare into his eyes at leisure.

"Only if you want it to."

…

A couple of hours later, they climbed into the Regalia, heading for Hammerhead. A single dropship halted them, both royals taking out the MTs, despite how much Luna would have wanted to try herself at healing one of them. It was too soon. As much as Noctis needed to get stronger, she needed to find a way to strengthen her own powers.

 ** _If you find the altars and give your prayers, the Six will allow you to gain more power._** A voice whispered into her head.

It didn't hurt, but Luna shivered, as if a cold wind had swept through her hair, freezing her down to the bones.

"Gentiana?"

Noctis looked to her side, scrunching his brows.

"She's talking to me."

He looked read to stop the car, but she gave him a smile to reassure him.

 ** _Find the altars, Lunafreya. There are five of them, scattered over Eos. The church where your powers first manifested was one of them. Four more to visit._**

 _But how…?_ Luna thought in reply.

 ** _When you'll shiver despite the sunlight, you'll know you've reached one. Stay safe._**

It sounded vague, but Gentiana had never told her a single lie before. Luna rubbed her arms, trying to chase the cold feeling that had settled in from the brief mental discussion.

"You okay?" Noctis asked her. "What did she say?

"I was wondering if I could… eventually get stronger. Like you do with every new royal arm."

"Why would you need to be stronger?"

"To keep up with you. And maybe also to heal daemons without risks for myself. I don't know if it can even work… But Gentiana said that four altars were hidden over Eos. If I pray at one, I should receive more powers."

Noctis mentally cursed, hoping she wouldn't go through with any daemons healing. But he kept his face as neutral as possible. He'd already told her what he thought of it.

"It's the first I've heard of it. Are those altars dedicated to Bahamut or something?"

"I don't know. All Gentiana said was that I'd feel cold when I shouldn't whenever we get close to one. I'd say we shouldn't look too hard, we might stumble on one or two by chance."

It was true that they had a lot of places to visit still. But they would face every trial together.

…

 _Meet us at Hammerhead._ Stated Notis' text.

"That lucky bastard." Gladio groaned as he managed to close the trunk of their borrowed car. "Getting some and running from everyone. He'd better believe I won't let him live it down."

Monica had accepted to lend them her truck, Ignis taking the helm with Aranea as a copilot, Crowe and Iris in the backseat, ready to be squished together once the big man took his own seat. Prompto had already left on a chocobo, saying he was quick enough to avoid monsters and imperials and needing the advance if he wanted to get there quick enough.

"We have a two hours ride in front of us. No breaks, so if anyone forgot something…" Ignis started.

"We're good." Iris cut him off. "Just drive faster than your usual. We're all out of sun cream."

"I could always raise the hood." He offered.

"And let us die in this heat?" Aranea retorted.

Crowe and Gladio exchanged a glance over Iris' head. This was going to be a tough ride.

To be continued…

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Gladio and Crowe's little arrangement is really, really vague, don't you think? Also, hiding a relationship when you live in closed quarters is never a good idea. As for Ravus, he's trying to tackle a problem that gave me a lot of headaches. But he's getting closer to a solution.

I really hope you liked this. Action will be back in next chapter. Be sure to let me know what you think of the story.

 **Edited** : After receiving feedback over Luna's attitude in here, I tried to go at things a different way for this altar-thing. I wasn't exactly sure with it at first and I don't want to hold NoctxLuna back. I guess I just fell into an easy story-telling trap.

On another note, I don't think that making Luna stronger is a bad thing. The girl is willing to fight seriously and might need more than training. Noctis can warp around and make those crazy jumps. I don't mean to copy his powers on Luna, but I think diving a bit deeper in the cosmogony.

Next chapter will be all about the new driving arrangements, Steyliff Grove and maybe a sneak peek back to the empire, to know what's going on outside of Lucis. ;)


	32. Crystal prey

I'm still under a lot of stress with school. Almost done with the class I teach, but I have a big day of conference coming up, yes, another one, and it's this week and I'm almost entirely ready for it. One presentation under print and the other one needs some refining. I held back on updating until I had a decent number of words written. But I think that the 30 chapter counts calls for a few words as for the future of this fic.

I intend on finishing it, no matter how ambitious it is. I know it was once supposed to revolve mainly around Noctis and Luna. But my main goal was also to fix everything I deemed broken in FFXV. And turns out a lot of things weren't to my liking. If I ever fall into the filler trap, tell me, but I don't think I've made extensive drama. Fluff is there to compensate for it and we will have action again. But it's now clear for me that Ignis x Aranea is among the main ship, as is Crowe x Gladio and Cindy x Prompto. Iris has grown to be a full character and Ravus was just begging to have some attention with his mere five or six sentences in the entire game screen time he got. I can understand it looks as though it takes too long, but I'm happy with the pacing I've set and I think that the plot is still going somewhere. The royal arms will still be gathered. Noctis will have character development too. Some of it in the chapter below. It's just that I fell in love with the entire cast of FFXV over the last 190 000 and some words I wrote. I can't help myself. Feel free to share your worries, but this story is what I wanted for the game (with an excess of fluffy romance on top, I know).

I'm grateful for how polite everyone has been in their reviews, no matter the comment that went with it. If your critiques will help me strengthen the story, feel free to give them. But if you don't intend to keep on reading what's coming next, please, don't let me know of it. I pour a lot of myself in this. And as much as I try not to take it personally, I do take it to heart. There might be weak things in there – and I mean in the story as a whole, like how Crowe survived for example-, but it's a fanfic, not a work of novel that earn me any money, so I don't edit everything as much as I could. And it will stay that way, otherwise, I wouldn't be able to update as often as I do. ;) Thanks for hanging with me and welcome to any new reader!

Today, we have fluff with Prompto, because our blond angel needed his turn and we're jumping back in Noctis' head, setting a few things about the crystal and the theory I wanted to follow when I started the fic. Have a good time reading.

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Unexpected

Chapter 32 – Crystal prey

Cindy was really surprised when two dogs ran up to her as she opened the garage door that morning. Her first reaction was to back away, but soon she noticed the particular markings in the fur of their nuzzle. Umbra and Pryna.

"Hey, lil' fellows! Are you here as a warning for a royal visit?"

Pryna barked once while Umbra simply shifted his ears. Cindy took them to Takka's restaurant, splitting a fish between both dogs. They remained really close as they ate, as if standing apart for an instant would be painful.

"These two really get along." Takka observed.

An hour later, their owners arrived, ordering bacon and eggs before to settle in a discussion with Cid's granddaughter.

"Prompto's birthday is coming up, so we were wondering if you were interested in coming over. Or hosting it here maybe?" Luna suggested.

"On the 29th huh? Sounds good to me. Is it a surprise party?"

"More or less. He needs some cheering up." Noctis admitted.

The young man had woken the group once during the last week, being victim to horrible nightmares from the childhood traumas he was repressing. Luna had calmed him down, using her magic to soothe him back to sleep, but it was only a temporary reprieve for the gunman. Of course, they didn't go into the details. If Prompto wanted to share his trouble with the mechanic, it would have to be his decision.

"I'll be happy to have it here. For now, how about I give a quick inspection to the ol' gal? We'll wait until the rest of the gang gets here to take out the motorcycles." Cindy decided.

Noctis and Luna hang around, either playing with the dogs or talking, getting lost in each other's eyes. Like Umbra and Pryna, they had difficulties staying away from each other, always needing a touch, a caress or simply to feel the other leaning close. A kweeh had Umbra raising his head and it wasn't long before Prompto stopped his stead, a large smile on his sweaty face.

"Hey guys! How are you doing?"

"Good. Don't tell me you all rode chocobos to…" Luna started.

"No, only me. The car was too small for six persons. The others were leaving a bit later. But I have an important question for you two first. With all due respect, I hope you used protection!"

His voice changed with the last words, turning between mocker and his usual joking tone. Noctis' mouth hung open as he couldn't believe his ears or the nerves of his friend. Luna didn't seem shocked, keeping her cool as she answered matter-of-factly.

"We did. I'll be honest since we should set a good example."

Prompto's ears turned the deepest shade of crimson and both men exchanged bewildered looks, starring alternatively at Luna's quiet smile and the other guy's look of shocked embarrassment.

"Does this really have to be awkward?" The princess asked.

"Well… No, but… I wasn't expecting such a straight answer." Prompto admitted sheepishly.

Thankfully, a roaring engine cut down the embarrassing discussion, Cindy taking out one of their new motorcycle. It was clear from the first look at the machine she'd tinkered with it to make a better model. The metal looked as good as new, the bike was large enough to seat two persons and the decals had been applied with extensive care. Prompto was more interested on the girl riding the motorcycle, wearing her tight shorts and a green tank top that seemed two sizes too small. Her cap had been left in the garage and she smiled as their eyes met, driving the large bike up to them.

"If it isn't my favorite city boy. How's the sun treating you?"

"The sun hates my hide." He chuckled.

"Wearing lighter clothes would surely help with that. Anyway, here's one of them. It's the biggest model I could find and I brought it up to speed, so it should hopl up on long travels easily. Don't let the driver go too fast though, that baby drink down gas faster then you'd think."

"That's really awesome, Cindy," Noctis observed. "You didn't have to go through all that trouble."

Raising her hands in the air, the mechanic gave him a shy smile.

"Consider it my repayment for the princess' help. The other two bikes are going to cost you an arm and a leg."

Prompto rolled his eyes while Noctis made a mental note to grab one of the seller of Hammerhead to stock up on gils by selling monster's parts. They had a lot of imperial metal collected and it should suffice to cover the…

"30,000 each." She stated.

 _She'd better get Prompto an amazing birthday gift with all that money_ , Noctis thought, doing his best to hide his shock.

The rest of the group arrived a few minutes later, Gladio almost instantly calling dibs on the larger bike, sure it would guarantee him the freedom his legs always lacked in the compact Regalia.

Aside a few jabs about the royal couple rushing away from their own engagement party, everyone went pretty easy on Noctis and Luna. Iris insisted she'd ride with her brother every now and then, while Crowe suggested to take one of the smaller bikes, Aranea effectively requisitioning the last one as payment for her addition to the party.

Ignis chastised Noctis a bit, convincing him to call Libertus before that they set out on their next destination. The talk turned out easier than expected, Libertus too hung over to extend the discussion or even complaining.

"You two are young, it's good that you can act like it despite everything going on. Just don't pull off the same thing on your wedding day. Monica insisted on organizing it and she's not as… forgiving as Galahd's people."

"I'll keep it in mind."

"Oh, don't be so loud. I'll see you around, young prince."

Noctis was a bit taken aback as he hung up and realized that the people seldom referred to him as their king. He was the prince and future king, but it sounded as though he still had to prove himself. And maybe organize a crowning ceremony once more Lucians would be freed from the empire's clutches.

After paying Cindy for her hard work on the bikes and convincing her to keep Monica's car in Hammerhead until the lady came to pick it up, Noctis declared to the group they'd leave for Steyliff Grove and hence the Vesperpool, right after lunch. Ignis enrolled Iris in the task of borrowing Takka's kitchen to prepare their lunch and Gladiolus pulled Noctis to the side to give his opinion on his little excursion with Luna. Meanwhile, the concerned lady sat down with Crowe and Aranea.

The three women talked mostly of how they should organize things if they stayed at some camping grounds in the foreseeable future. Free Crown's citizens had given them a second tent and they had collected more provisions. The only problem would be if their group ever split in two or more. Noctis could carry everything they needed, but the motorcycle and Regalia had limited compartment space. They didn't want trouble to happen, but they still stoked up the bikes with rations, one or two emergency blankets and an array of potions and remedies.

Ignis' medical results had come out in the morning, and it seemed he was no intolerant to remedies, antidotes and most of the status ailments cures developed by men. Potions and elixirs would still work on him without an allergic reaction, but the nurses had warned that he might eventually grow intolerant to either of those curatives. Being an amazing fighter, they couldn't give up on him, but they would have to tread lightly when it came to treating his wounds.

The conversation eventually steered to last night's events, but although comfortable enough to admit her night in Noctis' loving arms had been incredible, Luna refused to share any details. She still had to come down her little cloud and wanted to keep what had happened between them their own personal knowledge. Aranea and Crowe didn't insist, the Glaive actually volunteering her help if the Oracle ever needed quality time with her prince.

"If your help implies diverting the big guy, I doubt it will be any sacrifice on your part." The silver-haired mercenary mocked.

Seeing as the little group had two full hours to kill, Prompto was recruited into another training session with Cindy.

"It'd be okay if we didn't practice, but since yar time 'round here is limited…"

"I really don't mind. No one use guns in Lucis, so I like having an apprentice."

"Apprentice?!" she repeated, sounding mildly irritated.

"A promising student?" he offered with his usual boyish smile.

Cindy felt the corner of her mouth lifting at the sight. Sometimes, that man was too cute even for her tough mechanic's heart.

They had hoped on two birds and headed out for a bit, taking advantage of the commotion caused by Takka's reservations to let anyone new in his kitchen. Their firing range had to be close enough to get back in time for lunch, but far enough so that the guys wouldn't ear the gunshots. This time, the run down shack they hijacked was pretty small, leaving about ten feet of range between them and the targets. Prompto had marked dots on the opposite walls, about fifteen dots of various colors. They started with the black dots, Cindy trying a first time without any receiving any adjustments for her stance. Her try was pretty close, but she was still too tensed.

"Mind if I invade your personal space for a minute?" Prompto asked, sounding a lot more confident than he felt.

It was more a test to make sure they were fine and Cindy shrugged in answer. He started by standing only one step away from her, aligning her arms and adjusting her elbows.

"Those hands aren't shaking, color me impressed." He congratulated her, earning himself a brief smile.

"I'm standing on the balls of my feet." She retorted, wanting to let him know she'd retain his tips.

"But you're leaning backward. This gun isn't your enemy."

She stood straighter, her shoulders too stiff and he erased the space between them, adjusting her hips, pushing against her back with his chest before to take a step back.

"Relax, look with both eyes and take your shot."

She muttered some inaudible words before to release the trigger. The bullet hole replaced her targeted dot and before he could comment, she took another shot, spot on once more. And a third time, a fourth time.

"Okay, that's good, slow down, Cindy. I need to raise the difficulty for you."

"It's only my second session of training."

"And you've clearly practiced in the last week. I made those different colors for a reason. When I name a color, you'll shot the corresponding dot."

Meaning she might not have her eyes right on target before to hear the color.

"No time limit?"

"Someone's feeling lucky. I'll give you 8 seconds by shot. If you haven't hit, I'll name a different color and you take one strike."

She immediately picked up on his small rule and turned entirely to him, putting her hands on her hips.

"What?! Why should I take a strike?"

"I'll take a strike for every shot you managed on your first try. Six strikes on either side, we lose."

Cindy quickly counted the dots on the wall. There was about 11 of them.

"What are we bargaining here?" she inquired.

"What would you like?"

She pursed her lips, deep in reflection. Asking for something too big might make him raise the stakes even more if she was to lose, but she didn't want to miss a chance. Their few talks in the last week had been a breath of fresh air and as much as he made her laugh, he also made her feel freer despite everything bad happening around them.

"You'll know if I win."

"Okay. Likewise."

"But don't try to mess my aim by adjusting my posture again."

His eyes shone with a mix of curiosity and excitement and she had to hold back a laugh as he started counting backward from three, signaling for her to get ready.

"Red!"

She felt a little stressed-out, but localized a red dot quickly, adjusted her gun and fired. The dot was half erased, but it still counted. Prompto didn't give her much time to gloat, already calling another color. And this time she looked frantically around. He counted the second out loud, making it a bit harder to focus, but surely that in the middle of a fight, other things would get in the way of her concentration. She barely managed to fire, managing a hit. The next color belonged to a single dot and before she could find it, he was already calling "Blue" again. The game ended up with a 5 to 6 strike for him, meaning Cindy had won, but just barely.

"I did it! Even with you counting too fast and pushing me around, I did it!" she exclaimed.

"I wasn't pushing you around. Consider it a good practice. You're half alive from this battle."

She didn't let the dark words reach her, accepting to hear only the joke and turned to face him, wondering about her reward.

"I won, we're agreed on that, right, Prom?"

He nodded, wringing his hands nervously.

"What do you want?"

"Well… Since we have a date coming eventually. I was wondering if we could verify something."

She blushed a bit, not sure how to phrase her demand. Prompto tensed a little, but manage to keep the easy smile on his face, crossing his arms behind his back.

"Cat got your tongue?" the gunman teased.

She took a step forward, putting one gun back in its holster to grip his dark jacket, his smile turning into a slightly panicked expression at the sudden proximity.

"I'd like to know if you're as good a kisser without a near-death experience haunting you."

"Whoa… I mean sure… I mean… Drop the other gun first. I like my skin as it is."

She did as he asked, gasping when he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. If she'd known he was thinking of asking for the same thing if he'd win, she'd laugh, but the moment felt a lot more serious than a lost gamble. This was her way to prove she wasn't scared of him anymore. And it was his chance to feel some genuine tenderness that wouldn't turn into harsh accusations.

He slipped one hand through her hair, trying to control his nervous heart as she tugged on his jacket.

She smelled of oil and gunpowder, the skin of her back too warm beneath his hand. He cupped her cheek and she rolled her eyes in answer, despite the blush that grew on her face.

"Stop being cute." She asked.

"Why?"

"It will make it harder when you leave."

"Then I'll send you a picture." He replied, happy to understand she would miss him.

She seemed ready to reply something, but he cut her off with his lips on hers, happy to feel her relax in his arms, her hands reaching behind his neck, her fingers soon running through his hair. She was going to screw his hairstyle for sure, but he didn't mind if it meant enjoying the taste of mint on her tongue and how right it felt holding her. Every other time, he'd been distracted by the risk of her finding out the truth about him. Now, the only danger was pushing things too far or getting late for lunch. Neither really mattered in his mind. He'd never have the nerves to test her limits. Prompto nibbled at her lower lip, drinking in her first moan, gently taking a step toward the nearest wall. He needed some sort of support if he wanted to get past the first five kisses.

Cindy held on to him, almost feverish as she answered to his embrace with a fire even more ardent than it'd felt on the beach. Her hands were gentle, as though she was afraid of shattering something and this time the pleasure wasn't a mean to run away, but an exchange between two people that had gotten to know each other. He knew she took pride in well accomplished work, in fixing cars that helped people moving forward and staying in contact of distant family members. She knew his wide pictures collection was his way to face a world that had always felt too big and wild for him.

He was a sensitive guy beneath all the jokes and quirks and under the oil and tan, she hid scars almost as deep as his. They hadn't gone two deep in revelation yet. She liked to smile and he loved to put smile on people face, so it seemed they complemented each other well. When he backed her up against the wall, a bit rougher than intended and instantly apologized, she laughed it off, pulling him back for more kisses. And her laugh wasn't condescending. She found him endearing and sweet and hadn't thought any guy would treat her that way. They weren't exactly sure what to do with their hands, instinctively pulling at each other clothes, trying to hold each other, to show what they felt, but the gestures were foreign to both of them.

As she felt his growing interest, Cindy judged they had indulged each other for long enough and gently nudged him backward. Prompto reluctantly parted from her and they stood close for a moment, panting, forehead to forehead. But the smiles came naturally.

"How was that?" He asked her.

His voice sounded different, rough with something between emotion and need. She cupped his cheek in response, her green eyes almost shining.

"I can't wait for our date. How about the 29th?"

"Huh… I'll check with the guys. But it might be possible. You sound pretty eager."

"Well. You sure know how to make a girl feel good."

She winked at him, which made him blush a bit, but Prompto decided if they were going at it in such a way, he'd better lay his cards on the table.

"You know, Cindy… I really like you."

The confession came out far easier than he'd expected, but the look on her face was worth a dozen days of wondering how she'd react to those words. Her smile had grown even larger. And her fingers entwined with his.

"I like ya too, Prom. This is… pretty new to me. But I don't want ya to get wrong ideas here. This won't be some casual fling. I don't want flowers or big stuffy dates. But I'll be happy that ya show around every now and then. And keep texting back whenever possible."

"Wait a minute… Does that mean you'd agree on… going out with me? As my girl?"

Now he was showing that boyish side again and a little part of her heart melted on the spot.

"What else? Your sexy gun dealer?"

He laughed.

"I could roll with that. But my girl has a nice ring to it."

"Sure, city boy. If you tell me what GG stands for."

…

Leaving Hammerhead later that day was harder than expected. Prompto and Cindy had clearly bonded in their two hours and a half escapade. Taking a few last-minute advices about the bikes, the team rolled out, with the Amicitia brother and sister sharing one bike, Aranea and Crowe on either of their ride. When probed, Prompto barely answered, lost in a dreamy state that brought a smile to Luna's face and made Noctis roll his eyes at his best friend's antics. Ignis focused on the road as best as he could, considering that Aranea was sometimes getting in front just to mess with his nerves.

…

Steyliff Grove was hidden in the Vesperpool, a sludgy and swampy excuse for a forest as Prompto called it. The trek through the swamp was uneventfull, the few crocodiles snapping their jaws at either member of the group all meeting an untimely end. As they reached the entrance, Noctis felt the magic radiating from the stone wall. The sun was falling down, its rays barely making it through the heavy clouds pouring a steady drizzle over their heads. The ride had been long, the group having to camp one night and stopping at every dropship passing by. Cor had broken through the gates of the blockade, making the Vesperpool accessible to the group without further ado and since the rain had started, they'd all been on foot.

"Why does this place only open at night?" Iris asked out loud.

"So that average travelers don't slip in," Ignis observed.

"Either way, we have a crystal shard to find. Just watch yourself in there," Noctis cautioned them. "I don't like the vibes I'm getting from the magic around here."

Luna approved him, feeling a little more oppressed with every steps down the stairs. Soon enough, they were beneath earth's level, their steps echoing in the dark halls of stones. Pillars and glyphs ornate a few rooms and scraps of material could be found. An abandoned potion here, a tuft of feathers they couldn't quite recognize. They had to walk in a row and paired up, Noctis with Prompto, Crowe with Luna, Ignis with Aranea and Iris with Gladio. While Noctis opened their trek in the dark, Gladio covered the rear of their formation.

A few skeletons raised from the ground, proving to be easy targets. The Reapers following them were a different story, but Noctis was dealing extensive damages. If anything, it felt as though only a few members of the team could join the fights. With Luna taking out daemons too, the others only had a handful of targets left. It made it seem even more important for them to receive a parcel of power from their young king, so they could keep up and still give him support. As easy as the fights felt, they knew worse combats would come. And they needed to be prepared for it.

Reaching the mean room proved to be a moment of pure amazement. The ceiling above them was a shifting veil of water, shimmering from a sourceless light according to Ignis' knowledge of the place.

"Are we… under water?" Crowe asked.

"No, we can still breathe. It's the magic of this place…" Noctis retorted.

He could almost feel it, floating in the air, frolicking in gusts of ether. As they resumed walking, meeting monsters on the larger parapets, Noctis' focus shifted to his memories of the crystal. He had seen the thing over a hundred times and learned to recognize its presence with his eyes closed. Lucis' crystal had an ethereal glow that resonated with the king's line. As a child, he'd felt the magic like an oppressive force, pressing against his skull and threatening to latch at his heart if he proved unworthy. He'd made so many nightmares from the visions the crystal had instilled in his mind, he had reached a point where he didn't know whether the pictures came from his own imagination or something else entirely.

As he'd grown, staying in the citadel proved harder and harder. For reasons even Regis couldn't explain, the crystal had been calling the prince, tugging at the magic in his veins. Being the chosen king made his interaction with the crystal different. As though the thing wanted to talk and study him at leisure. Because the crystal was far from being a simple catalyst for magic powers. It was a sentient being, who talked through projected pictures, touching the mind and the heart directly, without a care for the potential harm his contacts could cause.

Noctis had expected to feel the first tugs as soon as he'd entered the grove, but there was only a dim drumming impression at the back of his skull. Maybe because there was no shard of crystal in here and the only thing messing with him was the ambient magic. Exchanging a brief look with Luna, he noticed how closely she was watching him, as though looking for a flinch or a sign of pain. He'd barely mentioned how uncomfortable the crystal made him feel once in their letters, and it was as though she could read his every thought on the matter. The others were looking at him, most seeming lost about how to track their target in this strange place.

"Okay guys… Some room might be half collapsed and the crystal shard won't be lying around like some forgotten elixir. It will have attraced a daemon or beast, something large and the creature will be guarding it for the power it gives it, unless the shard is buried within the walls. The crystal is dark blue, potentially sparkled with red luminous shards embedded all over it." Noctis explained.

"I bet you we'll know when we see it. It doesn't sound like any ordinary rock." Prompto observed.

"It sure isn't ordinary," Ignis whispered.

"Let's stay together and keep our eyes open," Gladio ordered.

They went deeper in, staying close to the walls and remaining careful of not upsetting any stone. Crossing to the other side of the building was easy despite the daemons that kept manifesting with every step they took. The horned skeletons reminded Noctis of his nightmare over Regis' crown masking a horn. He forced himself to stay logic about the chaos they had to face. There was no reason to believe any of his ancestors were the daemons he now fought against. Nothing told him otherwise either, but he'd rather keep hope than panic before the time had come.

When they delved deeper into the east wing, walking on large bridges, Iris mentioned her impression that the rocks were shifting under her feet. But Noctis had already taken enough step forward and the bridge collapsed from under him, swallowing down Prompto and Luna too. Ignis rushed forward in answer, only to feel Aranea's hands holding him back.

"Careful! Something's wrong with this place." The dragoon warned him.

And as quickly as the hole in the bridge had appeared, it closed up on itself, as though it had never been there in the first place.

"What the hell?!" Gladio groaned.

"Noctis?!" Iris called out, looking from over the balustrade. "Luna, Prompto! Can any of you hear us?"

Crackling sounds of a daemon manifesting answered her, driving each and every of them a little closer to panic.

"I don't see why we cannot just jump down there." Crowe observed.

"But…!"

"We're fine guys," came Noctis voice. "Keep moving, we'll meet up as soon as we can."

Gladiolus gritted his teeth, hating the idea he'd just failed his king. But they had come with a mission and splitting up, although unintentionally, might help them in the long run. But losing both royals meant facing daemons with only their wits and the magic Crowe had on her. They trudged on, trying to quickly complete their exploration of the upper levels, careful of potentially collapsing bridges.

Ignis was deep in thoughts, analyzing the situation and doing his best to stop from worrying about Noctis. If anything, the prince was better off with Luna around to repel the daemons than either of them. He was starting to wish the rumor was true much to his own shock. He'd never been one to ask for the easy way out, but a little boost in power would be welcome. Although he should have worried about what transferring any powers with the crystal would do with Noctis. Regis had taken a lot of liberties compared to the previous kings and might have paid the price for it with his life and the stability of their kingdom.

"Less thinking, more walking Iggy. You're going to trip on your own feet at this rate," Aranea told him cheekily.

She wasn't entirely wrong, but her tone scrapped at his nerves. As though something else might be hiding in her words. The truce between them had yet to turn comfortable and the fact she'd hold him back earlier… He felt close to anger once more and it had happened too often lately, his emotions reaching up to the surface when he'd managed to keep them perfectly collected for such a long time. Even when she was still around. A lot of circumstances except from her joining the team could be blamed for it. Nevertheless, he needed things settled between them. He'd better devise a plan on the next time they would camp. Right now, his brain felt muddled by all the thoughts running through it.

…

"Oh my god…" Prompto sighed in relief as the giant finally collapsed.

The gunman looked ready to drop on his knees. Luna leaned heavily on her trident while Noctis showered himself with another potion, trying to regain control over his breathing. He had run out of magic spell before the giant even materialized and couldn't deal as much damage as he wanted even with his royal arms.

"You okay?" The Oracle asked.

"I'm a bit dizzy from all the warping… But I'll manage." Her fiancé sighed.

"Say, you think my bullets changed anything? That thing looked so unfazed…"

"You helped Prompto, believe me, I wasn't angry to have you with us."

They permitted themselves a full three minutes of regaining their composure after the heavy fight. If it had only been one target, but it had to be a dozen different daemons at the same time…

"I hope they won't meet anything as bad as those things," Luna whispered as they tried to reorient themselves. They ended up following the walls until they found a line of stairs going up. The atmosphere was humid and they were covered in cold sweat when they reached a parapet of stone right under the watery ceiling in the main room. Noctis noticed a new impression in the air, as though something in the water was calling to him. He hissed as a violent ache surged through his skull, making him stop in his tracks, and Luna heard the words that she'd almost forgotten in the few last days.

 **Find us. Hurry and collect every of us.**

"What's wrong Noct? Luna?"

"Titan…" The Oracle answered while Noctis just gripped his head with both hands, trying to blink the pain away.

It wasn't the Astral doing this to him, or if it was, the pictures imprinting vividly in his head were quite unusual. He could see his father, standing before the crystal, touching the broken center as he stood in front of a dozen warriors. The Glaives? The image in his mind was surrounded by misty waves of darkness that gave a fuzzy feel to everything. Regis was talking, trying to gather the magic power and for an instant, his hand seemed sucked in by the crystal. And a voice sang in his head.

 _Soon, we'll finally meet, chosen king of Lucis. I have been waiting a long time for you…_

A fifteenth blink erased the pictures and the pain lifted from his head, leaving him panting as he looked up to the worried faces of Luna and Prompto.

"What happened?"

"I… I don't know. I think the shard is here."

Noctis looked around, as though the thing could jump right out of a wall and manifest itself.

"Somewhere…" He added, perplexed.

"But should it cause you sudden headache?" Luna asked.

"I have no idea what it's supposed to do to me." Noctis honestly answered her.

He kept his comments about the deadly ring hanging around his neck to himself. It had been a long time since he'd complained about anything and he wondered if he would ever have a right to complain again.

"Do we take a break?" Prompto inquired.

They might have considered it if they'd been with the others already, but as doubtful about the current situation as he felt, Noctis wanted to get this little quest over with as quickly as possible. The fact the crystal had talked to him in definite words wasn't going to throw him off.

"We're halfway through according to our map. Let's try to meet up with the other guys first."

Noctis stood at his full height to take the lead, Luna grabbing his hand, concerns written all over her face.

"Don't you have a migraine yourself?" he shot back, surprised to sound slightly bitter.

Instead of snapping back, she gave him a light smile, realizing he was more on edge than he'd let on as they made their way to the Vesperpool. This place had scared him from the first moment it was mentioned and the idea of finding the crystal shard clearly messed with his nerves. Following closely behind, Prompto recharged his guns, sighing to himself.

"Potions never work on headaches. You'd think they'd made some medicine by now for it."

They might have slipped into an argument over the curatives developed by modern science and the recent discovery of Ignis' intolerance to most of them if new daemons didn't materialize in front of them. Raising their respective weapons, they disposed of the monsters, getting down another flight of stairs to reach a side hall that went around the main room. Steps could be heard from the adjacent wall and after getting rid of a bunch of mindflayers that controlled cell doors. Ignis, Gladio, Crowe, Aranea and Iris had been trapped by the beasts, leaving Noctis wondering why his ancestors would even create cells in their manor. The place had been created for disputing heirs, but the magic in the air felt twisted and this nth trap of the Steyliff Grove made him wonder what the kings before him had been like. And if some of his doubts weren't more grounded than he'd believe.

They barely exchanged nods or taps on the shoulders as they reunited, making sure everyone was okay as quickly and silently as possible. Even Iris could tell something was wrong down here, and the static in the air only made her flesh cover with goosebumps. More mindflayers and a few ronins' spirit lashed at them in the corridors. Noctis had stopped warping, feeling close to nausea and the drumming in his head was now a strong, non-stop beat that made it hard to focus on putting one foot in front of the other. Reaching a larger room void of monsters but with shards of elemental magic in every corner made him feel even more worried about what could have possibly been done in this place.

Regis had never extracted elemental veins to add in specific room of the Citadel. There was the shard garden of course, a open sky mine that had been in the royal family for generation and where the young princes or princesses would go to train, but those shards right here hadn't grown naturally. Noctis could tell as he absorbed the fire and lightning, gritting his teeth to also absorb the blizzard despite the unnatural feeling in his blood. This magic was different. It almost bite his hands as he mixed it and while it could have been the ache at the back of his skull, he couldn't help but think something else explained the foreign feeling.

 _This place was forsaken for a good reason and shouldn't even open at night._ He thought as they glanced into the large opening to the main room.

An invisible wind seemed to gust in the open space, the shimmering water above giving a ghostly glow to every stone. Ignis gasped as he noticed a large creature, with feathers the side of Gladio's torso.

"Is that a freaking bird?!" Aranea whispered through clenched teeth.

Since getting tossed off a cliff because of some daggerquills, she'd grown adverse of anything resembling a bird. But Noctis had spotted something else entirely and knew now that the rumors were true. A nest twice the size of the gigantic bird filled the deep end of the room, made over rubbles and broken pillars. The oppressing magic came from deep within the nest, a glint of purple red reminding him of the crystal that had deemed it worthy of ending the Scourge once and for all. He felt the pressure grow stronger and the pictures playing in his head were sickening as he heard voices no one else could, all screaming out in agony. The people suffering from the blight. The daemons and MTs

 _How long will you leave them to fend for themselves, chosen king?_

The beast in the room roared angrily, sensing the presence in its domain. Prompto snapped a picture for their collection, knowing full well they wouldn't have a free instant once they walked in. Luna's hand gripped Noctis' shoulder.

"We don't have to do this if…"

"We're going in. I'll cast the heaviest magic I can." He decided. "Just stay ready to give me support and watch out for each other. I can hear the shard from here. I don't know how it will react when I touch it."

Ignis seemed ready to object, but the prince raised one hand, his face impossible to read.

"I need to do this. I can't leave that _thing_ here."

Crowe frowned, noticing the anger and hateful tone in Noctis' voice as he referred to the crystal. Whatever the magical stone was doing to him, she hoped he would stay the stronger of the two. Some Glaives had gone mad when Regis had shared his powers with them. She'd heard voices in her mind on the first night, but it had stopped afterwards. She simply wondered what sort of effect the crystal had on the prince himself.

Luna didn't want to worry, but Noctis made it impossible not to and as much as she wanted to pull him to the side and have him explain what was going on, she could tell the longer he stayed here, the worse he would get. The magic in the grove was messing with her too, but at a subverted level. He was sweating more than usual, having taken off his jacket already and had taken more ethers than usual, even when she took into account the fact they'd fought a Giant. She wanted to believe this was all because he had too few royal arms, but it was hard to know. The Lucis' line had always kept the effect of their crystal a secret, even to the Fleuret's line.

"I'll go first." Noctis decided. "Stay clear of my spells' radius."

Iris gave him a bundle of potions, warning him to stay safe even though he'd rush right into the fray. He barely managed to hear her over the voices still screaming in his ears. This all felt like his first test, when he was just a child, standing before the tall crystal. Now it was a mere fraction of the thing. He wouldn't let it rule him. He might not identify himself as a king yet, but he was supposed to be a ruler. That meant protecting the crystal, no matter how much it lashed back in answer. The thing held a power similar to that of the Astrals Luna and he were slowly collecting. He just didn't know how much he wanted to force his friends to face this sort of suffering.

 _Enough moping,_ he warned himself. _Time to reclaim a shard of your birthright._

To be continued…

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I hope to hear your thoughts on this chapter. Reviews are always welcome. Always. I can say next chapter might not be out on next weekend, because I have a crazy week ahead of me and my end of term nearing too. But I'm still constantly thinking of this story and of how to keep it advancing forward. If you have any suggestion, feel free to send them.

Next chapter should bring back news of the empire, Noctis lending new powers to his friends after the fight with Quezacoatlz and a debate over which thing to worry about first : Royal arms, the floating fortress producing the dropships or Titan's covenants. I'd like to have your opinion over what they should prioritize next.

Also, where did Umbra and Pryna go? Luna might have send them to look after a certain young orphan. Any idea about that part? Adoption doesn't feel right, but I think having a godfather and godmother could sound right. :)


	33. Royally screwed

So, my week ended up as crazy as excepted. I had a dozen meetings, my conference day that turned out a success, especially for me, I impressed many of my teachers ;D And I could finish my thesis in three semesters. Three! That's crazy! I have managed to get the class I wanted this summer -apparently, it involves a final paper that will make me want to die- I had one friend over thanks to an inundation in a neighbouring block and I haven't sleep much… But I still managed to write chapter 33. The title stands for Noctis, Ignis and Ravus, although the latter won't be clear before a moment. Tomorrow starts the last week of my semester. But I have a summer semester, so I'm never off the hook. Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy today's chapter. We have Noctis starring as the crystal whisperer in the first part, some NoctLuna (more soon, promise) and Gladio and Ignis both having trouble with very different things. Girls are involved in both cases.

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Unexpected

Chapter 33 – Royally screwed

The young man had kneeled in front of the camera as the picture came on his screen, even though the councilor didn't seem to mind decorum as much as his previous trainers and squad's captain. As a Drautos, he was a military man to his core and he didn't like looking back into Izunia's eyes. Sometimes he wondered if he could even trust him. Ace didn't trust anyone of course. It would have been meaningless, since he'd made it his goal not to rely on anyone, in a way even Ravus Nox Fleuret couldn't achieve. He was the new army commander of Nifelheim. And he intended to make that post his, both in name and reality.

"How is the crown city treating you?" Ardyn asked, playful as always.

The man seemed to have all the time in the world or to find everything of little consequences when not downright amusing.

"Exceedingly well, sir. We've gathered over six-hundreds of citizens in the last week."

"In good shape, I hope. You should send us a shipment ASAP as you say in your military language."

A guttural growl made Ace look up to the screen, his dark blue eyes widening at the sight of Ardyn, benched on the throne room of Iedolas, the robes of the emperor lying by his side, torn up and mostly shredded.

"What the…?"

"Aldercapt has been feeling a bit under the weather lately. Old age and stress can have some fearsome effects on people. But everything is still under control. All we need is to make sure it stays that way. When will you send the first shipment?"

"We need to secure the route…" Ace started, noticing the dark stains on the white clothes. The blight had run its course. The top dog was showing his true colors, although he sat with disdain on his new throne. "And the rations to keep them alive in there."

"Answer the question, don't let yourself lose focus, Drautos. I have been really, really patient with your predecessor…"

The young man nodded, his voice hacking out the words:

"One month until the first shipment can leave."

"You're being careful. That's a quality I've always admired in young people. Rushing only results in failure. But there's something else I need to ask. Ravus was equipped with a crystal shatterer. It could prove invaluable to your next mission. Find our Tenebrean deserter and relieve him of our gift. Only our army commander should carry it."

"Anything else you'd like me to retrieve from him?"

Ardyn lowered his hat on his eyes, his smirk half dark, half pleased.

"I'd like his arm back of course. But he can keep his head. I've always had a soft spot for an underdog."

"You ordered him dead."

"I was trying to get his attention. But I misread that fallen prince."

His smirk faded, annoyance clear on his lower face. If it was genuine or not, only Ardyn could tell. Ace held the questions he wanted to ask, seeing the chancellor waving one hand to dismiss his call. Just as he raised his arm to turn off the transmission, a brown, leathery hand grabbed the shredded clothes, a violent snarl sounding strangely like a man's voice uttering the strangled words:

" **Immortal. My reign will be immortal**."

The transmission cut, leaving Ace with a very good idea of what the emperor had become. It wasn't immortal. That was reserved to the winners, like Ardyn and himself, if he played his cards right.

 _First, I catch the former commander. And then, he'll ask for the Lucian prince. And I'll make him pay for what his people did._

…

Noctis walked in first, feeling the green gaze of the majestic beast washing over him. It was a griffin like bird, with horns as sharp as its beak, blue feathers that rivaled with the crystal's glow. And all over its body, tough, shield-like bones that made it seemingly impossible for the beast to fly. But the static in the air came from the gigantic bird. Its four talons scrapped the walls and floor as the creature whirled and threatened to tear at the young king. He retorted with a quincast spell, so potent the thunder and blizzard filled the room up to the ceiling, fire refusing to come out. Noctis called up his royal arms, letting them tap into his energy to rush around him. Only an axe and one sword. He wished he'd had his father's glaive. The curtain of metal would truly feel like home. Instead of feeling powerful right now, he was a ball of nerves, fighting against his own anxiousness at the idea of meeting this weird shard of crystal. Of course, the beast protected it. Surely the griffin had been smaller and a lot weaker before to hole up in this place with the magical catalyst.

A gunshot rang and as he surged into the air, he could tell his friends and allies were following his lead, attracting the creature's attention so he could land more hits. Aranea jumped almost high enough to reach the pool of water floating over their head, diving right back at Quezacoatlz. Luna tried her light magic, managing a few shots before that Noctis unleashed a new spell, warning everyone beforehand to stand back. The magic in the room almost rippled in answer and the wave from the aftershock shook the floor under their feet, making it almost impossible to stay up. But as some fell on their hands or sides, with a violent roar, Quezacoatlz also collapsed, his wings bloodied, his talons failing him. Gladio hit him right in the head, the cracking sound sickening, one horn breaking. The fight was over.

Noctis landed, quickly making sure everyone was still there, before to feel the violent tug of the crystal. He turned to the nest, his eyes glowing red, his feet dragging a little less with every step. Crowe wondered why he kept his royal arms floating around him, as though he needed to protect himself. Luna wanted to get closer to get a better view of what was happening, but she only managed one step as the prince reached the nest. Ignis and Gladio were the only one who'd seen him interact with the crystal before, which didn't prevent them from worrying.

Noctis seemed to be in a trance. Iris shivered as she saw him reaching down, pulling up a dark stone with a shimmering core of red shards. A pulse resounded, as though the stone had been a frozen heart, waiting to be awakened, and a wave of power rushed out of it, pushing back everyone, even the carcass of the fallen Quezacoaltz. Prompto dodged to the side to evade a falling talon, while Aranea was pushed into Ignis, his arms instinctively wrapping around her waist as he ended up with his back against the wall. She didn't fight him, unable to look away from the surreal scene. Noctis was standing in a flowing curtain of metal, as though surrounded by stars, a mysterious wind whirling around him.

 _I've been waiting for a Lucis descendant to find me for such a long time_ , the strong voice hammered into his head.

"Why?"

 _Only you can understand me. And only you can take me to my full self._

Noctis wondered if the thing could read through his mind and already knew the rest of the crystal had been stolen.

"What were the pictures you sent me earlier?"

 _A warning. Your ancestors treated me like some stupid sapphire. You better honor the contract I had with the first Lucis warrior._

Questions rushed through his thoughts, but Noctis felt a pressure on his throat as the shard invaded his brain and memories. There was no hiding anything from it, just like the full crystal, it could go wherever it pleased, watching over his good and bad times, sneaking glances at everything, the public and the private. Everything secret was unveiled, even things he couldn't remember himself. He almost wanted to push it back or throw it into the wall, but his hand was burning and letting go would be wrong.

 _So you want to use me to upgrade your little squad? I can augment 3 persons, maybe 4, but I'll need a toll._

A new set of pictures played out in Noctis' head, starring his father, bleeding, almost choking, looking old and fragile in the night, the veins on his arms blue and green. It switched to unknown persons in similar pain, some wearing crowns, some clutching a sword as though their life depended on it. A rush of stars streamed over the vivid pictures, making it hard to distinguish anything and the voice spoke again.

 _I'll take two years of youth from you. It should be enough to anchor me to this world. Once the powers are shared, I'll go dormant until you make me whole again. But you must at least keep me safe._

The sheer idea of paying a single year of his life made his head turn. How high had been the price for all of the Glaives? Could he pay such a toll and still keep up with everything going on? He couldn't be bedridden for days, not if he wanted to free the people still in Insomnia.

"I'll do as you ask." He told the shard, gulping down his fears and doubts. "I'll protect you."

 _Good. Now, you should find a neutral place for the exchange of power. The magic feels too unstable in here._

As though to sustain his point, Noctis was forced to witness the twenty years of growth and magical mutation Quezacoaltz had gone through. It seemed quite painful and he had to clench his jaw, biting his tongue to hold back a scream. The pressure on his head was growing almost unbearable. And just as he thought his legs would give in, the red glow tarnished, the visions stopped and the pressure started fading. Luna was the first next to him, the worries clear on her face. He held her extended hand, managing a smile. If he'd listened to himself, he'd collapsed into her arms, but he didn't want to show weakness.

"It's okay Luna."

"Don't sugarcoat things to spare my feelings."

"We're against impossible odds. It's not as though we can look up on the chance of evening the scales."

The rest of the group surrounded the pair, equal worries in almost every eye.

"What did it ask, Noct?" Ignis inquired, voicing everyone's thought.

The prince wondered how to phrase it. He also wondered if the chance would be big enough to justify an honest answer. But lying couldn't be a solution.

"It seems I'm going to get older than you, Prompto."

"What?!" Gladio and the gunman shouted almost in perfect unison. Iris had turned whiter than a sheet and Luna's hand tensed against his.

"Let's get out of here first. We'll talk when we've met up with Cor. I need to ask him something."

The immortal had been there almost every time Regis had used the crystal's magic. He would surely know what was a fair deal and what wasn't. Although giving up on two years in his twenties couldn't be so bad. He was still young after all.

On the way back, everyone asked for a clearer explanation but Noctis simply walked faster, almost hoping for daemons to appear so he wouldn't have to give them answers. They managed to reach the exit before the first rays of sun appeared, which meant they could get out instead of waiting an entire day by the exit. Confirming their doubts, right as they stepped out in the Vesperpool, the brick wall rematerialized behind them, sealing shut the grove. The crystal was in a pouch, attached to Noctis' belt and the prince couldn't wait to get rid of it.

"You got through this place quite faster than I'd expected." Cor observed.

The immortal had had a feeling the prince might need his help if he found the rumored crystal he was looking for and had stayed around, hunting down a flock of cockatrices to pass the time.

"I thought you weren't supposed to push yourself," Crowe observed. "The daemons around here are nasty."

"If you don't tell Monica I was rash, I'll give you a ride back to camp on my latest catch."

As they spotted four large coeurls obediently waiting around a tree, careful of not letting any mud on their paws, the team forgot about the crystal for an instant.

"You tamed those things? Seriously?" Prompto asked incredulously.

"The chocobos won't come around this place, the magic makes them fleety. And I needed a way to evade the larger daemons."

Prompto wasn't too excited to ride a large, psychic cat but he sat behind Cor and Iris, while the others shared the three remaining mounts. The coeurls proved fast, adept jumpers, evading mud and water at all costs but the ride felt bumpier than any riding Luna had done before. All in all, she wasn't angry to get back to earth and the group gathered around their fire camp, Cor sending the animals back into the wild before to sit next to the prince and ask for a full report.

Noctis didn't beat around the bushes, stating the price asked to give powers to 3 or 4 members of their group. Iris seemed the most shocked out of everyone.

"Two years of your life?!"

"I'll be 22, it's not that big of a deal." He protested.

Luna had crossed her arms over her chest, eyebrows frowning a lot more than usual.

"But what will the rest of the crystal ask for when you'll meet it?"

"We'll worry about it when we get there. This shard is already driving me crazy as it is, I'd rather get done with it and send it to Free Crown." Noctis admitted.

"I could carry it back for you," Cor offered. "It sounds as though the crystal won't stop pulling you to it until your role as chosen king is fully completed. Enhancing your retinue with powers is a good idea given how little numbers we have at the moment. But everyone will have to be trustable enough for it. We can't have another Glaive's rebellion."

Despite himself, Leonis stared at Crowe as he finished his sentence, which would have made anybody squirm with unease. The former Glaive held back his pointed look, knowing she had nothing to blame herself for in this ordeal. Gladiolus scratched his neck as he cleared his throat:

"It's clear we're struggling to keep up with our royal couple against the bigger fries. But if it means endangering Noctis, we might be better off not…"

"It means a lot that you worry about me like this," Noctis cut him off. "But I'd rather give up two years now than when I'll be 50. And we'll have better odds this way. The problem is… I can't share the crystal powers with everyone. So we need to decide now who needs it the most."

It was badly phrased and Luna sincerely hoped it wouldn't cause problem in the future. Self-esteem was a crucial factor in battle.

"I'll pass." Aranea said. "I've been enhanced already and my jumps deal enough damages." She added, tapping her lower legs to remind them of the metal in her flesh.

"I already have magic." Luna observed. "And I think Cor wouldn't want a new fighting technique now."

"True. No use teaching new tricks to an old dog. I think Prompto should go first. Your bullets could use an added punch. Ignis is a good choice. No need to question his loyalty. As your shield, Gladiolus is an obvious option, which leaves us with a tough decision."

"Crowe or me." Iris stated, seeing where this might go.

"We already know Crowe is a potent magic user and receptive to the crystal. Don't take it personally Iris, but the younger the receptacle, the worse the rebound can be." Cor went on.

"A rebound?" Ignis repeated. "This is the first I've heard of it."

Cor's face darkened a bit and he shifted in his chair, as though the memory made him uncomfortable. He looked at Noctis an instant, before to give a brief explanation.

"When I first joined your father's expedition and proved myself as a fighter, Regis tried to lend me powers via the crystal. I was the youngest person involved in a transfer to date. Some potential glaives couldn't handle the crystal's powers and almost went mad. For me, it was a physical rebound. The magic almost turned me into an elemental and Regis had to reverse the process before I blew up or worse yet."

From the expression he wore, it hadn't been an enjoyable experience and Iris felt her throat tightening.

"Are you sure it was because of your age?"

"It would concord with what happened to the youngest Glaive the king infused. The boy nearly faltered into snow dust." Crowe observed.

"Wow, is there a waver to sign somewhere?" Prompto asked, hoping it would ease the growing tension.

Noctis was slowly processing the fact he wasn't the only one at risk if he used the crystal. The price he had to pay was clearly laid out, while the others had to face potential and unknown consequences. It didn't make him feel better about it, on the contrary.

"Let's take a few hours to think this through. I'm willing to do it, but I won't force those powers on anyone." He stated.

"I'm fine with the consequences. And from what Cor is saying, you can revert the process if things look bad." Ignis observed.

The guys exchanged brief looks, each making up their mind. Crowe already knew what she was getting herself into and Iris crossed her arms over her chest.

"Let's get this over with," Prompto suggested. "The stronger we get, the harder we'll kick the empire's ass. Unless you tell us we should sleep first to be in full shape."

Cor shook his head the negative. Luna seemed ready to say something, but Noctis was faster.

"Iris, are you okay sitting this one out? You're already helping a lot by supporting everyone on the battlefield. When we secure the full crystal, I could give it a try for you, but…"

She squared her shoulders, putting on a tough face.

"As long as the fact I'll be the only person without special powers on the team won't mean you're brushing me off, I'm fine with playing it safe. I'll still have your back."

Gladio appeared quite comforted by her mature reaction and they decided to get the transfer of power done before to settle for a well-deserved rest. The order for the exchange was determined, with Crowe going first, then Gladio, Ignis and Prompto. Noctis was worried about his best friend more than any of the others.

They took a few steps away from the campfire, proceeding in a circle made by Iris, Aranea, Cor and Luna, the other waiting in a straight line before Noctis. Taking the crystal out of its pouch, the young king's eyes changed to red, the voice instantly filling his mind.

 _Heed my last warning young prince. The magic in their veins won't be at its full potential. I'll give them each the fraction they can use the best among your many powers._

"Seriously?!"

"What's wrong?" Luna asked.

"It says that you won't have every power I could grant you. It's only a shard of the real thing, I guess… Should we really…?"

"Even a bit will be better than being normal human next to the princess and you." Gladio observed.

Ignis seemed resolved and Crowe had been wanting to get her magic back from the moment she saw him in the Leville. Taking a deep breath, Noctis let the crystal take over, following the instinctive pulses it gave off. There was no need to touch the people he blessed with magic. He stirred the magic as though he wanted to mix a new spell, but instead of elements, he manipulated a mix of darkness and stars. He couldn't describe it in any other way. For Crowe, he pictured an orb of magic, like a glass container. The occult was so potent when it reached the former Glaive's chest, she gasped, grasping at her heart as she slowly absorbed the power. Noctis turned to Gladiolus, imagining a shield of dark matter, letting the crystal use his thoughts for each fighter. The magic dove in the large man, pushing him back, but there was no rebound.

Things seemed to be going well. Ignis' blessing was harder to picture. The man played so many roles in his life and even the crystal seemed confused at first. But the magic turned malleable and shaped into a soft mist that drifted into the advisor's lungs. Which left Prompto as the last one waiting. Noctis already knew what form his gift would have. A feather of pure starlight plunged through his heart, the fourth blessing as invisible as the others for the group. Only the prince could see them. No rebound or strange reaction except from a few coughs or shivers appeared in either of the fighters, comforting Noctis in his decision.

 _I have exhausted my powers._ The crystal warned. _Keep me safe, young king._

The stone turned entirely black in his hand, and he felt his strength collapsing, his legs giving up under him. Gladio managed to catch him, everyone worrying around him. Noctis could barely hear. His consciousness was fading and something in his bones, deep in his veins burned. Pictures ran in his head. Blood, dark stains on skin, cries in the dark covering the voices of his friends. There was no fighting against it. He was paying his toll. He just hoped it wouldn't take him too long to recover.

"Is he…?"

Luna had run a quick inspection on her beloved.

"He's got a light fever, but otherwise… he seems fine."

It was clear from her shivering voice that the Oracle was barely keeping herself together. Noctis had accepted to pay years from his life to grant powers to his retinue.

"Let him get some hours of sleep. If he's anything like his father, he'll be back on his feet by lunchtime." Cor tried reassuring her.

…

A mere three hours later, Noctis was opening his eyes, Lunafreya instantly rushing at his side. The other had decided to give them on of the tent, Prompto sleeping in the car while Ignis prepared food under Aranea's watch, Crowe and Iris catching up on some sleep in the girls' tent.

"Hey," he greeted his fiancée.

"You gave us quite a scare." Luna sighed. "How are you feeling?"

"A bit sore. And my face itches."

"Well, that would be because of the stubble that grew while you were asleep. I don't want to know what would have happened if you'd given more than two years to that stone."

"What?!"

Raising one hand to touch his chin, Noctis felt a light beard under his fingers, something that had never showed on his face before. He sat up slowly.

"Is it… weird?" he asked, looking sheepish.

Luna smiled at his self-conscious reaction.

"Only a bit sparse. Ignis said he'd help you shave once you'd woken up. Not much has changed otherwise. From what I could see," she added playfully, her hand falling on his thigh.

"Don't tease me…" He begged, unable to keep any pretense of not being freaked out. "I've aged two years in a matter of… hours? The process took at least a week for my father."

He rolled his shoulders, flexing his fingers, trying to notice any other change. The old wound on his lower back throbbed down to his left leg. Except for that and the beard, he couldn't notice any change.

"You scared me a lot, Noct." She whispered.

"I… Get over here."

He pulled her into his lap to wrap her in a warm embrace. She linked her arms behind his back, unable to hold back a chuckle.

"You feel a bit larger than before."

"Really?"

"It might be my imagination too."

"My shirt _is_ a bit tighter around my shoulders." He protested, before to halt her now full laugh with a kiss.

If it hadn't been for the pain in his back, he might have deepened the embrace, but something sweet was enough to ease the worry from her face, the taste of her smile against his lips reminding him why he was ready to sacrifice so much. It was Luna who gently moved away from him.

"We should tell the others you're fine. Your fever's all gone."

He agreed to it, even if that meant walking out without even knowing what he was looking like. The guys didn't even tease him, too happy to see he was doing well to pick at his weird stubble. Cor suggested they took the rest of the day and a good part of the night off. Noctis tried his luck, asking him to take the crystal back to Free Crown. The immortal seemed fine with going there, especially since that gave him an excuse to escort Monica back to her truck.

…

Later in the afternoon, Noctis gathered his newly enhanced retinue to test their powers. Crowe could gather elements and mix spells, pulling off a light tornado that left the prince in deep thoughts. Ignis could warp-strike and although dizzied at first, he quickly proved to be even more dangerous than usual. Prompto needed some time to awaken his own power. He tried warping, phasing, but it turned out he could absorb elements and infused them in his bullets. The first shot he tried almost blew up in the gun, since he needed to control the magic as he pulled the trigger and let it unleash only when nearing his target, but Noctis and Crowe were reading to give him some proper teaching to master it. Gladio turned out as the most disappointed. He couldn't warp-strike or channel magic. He could simply phase through things, actually phasing through a vicious attack from the prince when he'd meant to defend himself.

"What sort of magic is…?!"

"Hey, that's a good thing, maybe for once you'll learn to dodge attack instead of taking the brunt of every hit to protect others." Iris observed, as she sat at the sidelines.

Her brother tried to see the truth in her words, but he was clearly jealous of Ignis' and Prompto's new abilities. After some more training and a light dinner, Noctis and Luna sat together at one side of the camp, Prompto entranced in his phone, Aranea fixing a hole in her armor while Ignis tried sewing a few buttons back on his jacket. Iris pretended she needed to relieve herself and stepped to the side, her cellphone held tightly in her hand. Crowe was washing up the dishes with Gladio, having recruited him into helping.

"I don't think you realize how lucky you are. Phasing wasn't even something we could do as Glaive. You can get almost anywhere if you can control it right."

"I'm not a spy," he retorted. "I'm a bruiser."

"Maybe it's time to refine your fighting style."

"What?!"

She shot him a playful smile and Gladiolus decided not to take offense.

"Let's forget about fighting. How about we test how discreet we can be?"

He winked at her, the look in his eyes between mischievous and flirty. She dried her hands, gazing at the camp. Noctis was showing something on his phone to Luna, the princess sitting as close as possible, Ignis and Aranea had started arguing and Prompto had turned his back on the campfire, deep in conversation on the phone with a certain mechanic. Gladio wondered for an instant if Iris hadn't been gone for too long, but Crowe's hand on his wrist reminded him that his sister had proved herself on the battlefield more than once.

"We're not going too far," the brunette warned. "It's getting dark."

She held back her shiver and the large man had to fight against his urges to shelter her with his arms.

"I'll keep you safe," he breathed into her ear.

Crowe grew tenser with every step away from camp, pointing out that hiding would be a lot easier if they were in a city, but Gladio knew their time in cities might be even sparser than the hairs on Noctis' chin. And since his prince was alright despite the power blessing he'd made, the shield had to find another outlet for his restlessness than pacing.

They walked along the track, reaching an abandoned house that had previously served as a cockatrice nest. No monsters or daemons showed up, and after promising to keep his guard up, Gladiolus ran his hands up and down her arms in soothing motions, feeling like a teenager as their eyes linked in the dark.

"You're conscious that if this was a horror movie, we'd be the next victims," she teased him.

"My sword is strapped on, you have all sort of spells on you… And the night hasn't settled in yet." He observed.

Crowe seemed to think they'd talked enough, tugging on his jacket to feel the stubble on his jaw prickling at her skin. He pulled her closer to him, kissing her as roughly as he dared, needing more of the fire she'd shown him twice before. She relaxed herself, finding reprieve in the passion and warmth he exuded. His arms felt so strong and yet so gentle around her. She lightly bit his tongue, eliciting a low rumble from him and next thing she knew, he was backing her up against a wall, careful of not hitting her head or squeezing her too much. She wondered how much more stimulations she could take before to feel overwhelmed, but just as she scrapped at his scalp, one of her leg wrapped around his, a young voice broke the silence.

"She's doing good. If you should worry about anyone…"

Gladio froze, eyes wide. What was Iris doing all the way out here? More so, who was she talking to? Crowe disentangled herself from him, keeping a good grip on his jacket. His face looked rough, worry taking over the lust.

"She's around the corner," the Glaive determined.

"She's far from the camp. We should keep an eye on her."

The brunette wanted to disagree, too conscious of the consequences of overprotectiveness, but he was already moving to the side and she followed, hoping to keep the damages to a minimum. Iris was pacing by the front of the abandoned house, holding her phone with one hand, her bo staff in her free hand. At least, she was fully ready to defend herself.

"I know you don't care about anyone else. You've really got a one-track mind." She sighed in the mic.

"That's not… Never mind. I made a discovery with you blood, Iris." Ravus explained.

His voice sounded good, as if it was a great news and she remembered how he seemed inclined about giving oracle powers to someone else.

"You did?!" Iris' face brightened and for an instant, she seemed ready to jump in place like an excited kid. "Tell me already!"

"I've tested blood from Luna's healing before, but yours turned different. I don't know if it's because of the strand…"

She rolled her eyes, cutting him off:

"My blood's different? How?"

Gladio nearly jumped on his feet, immediately understanding how serious the implications were. But Crowe forced him to stay in place. If they wanted to learn more, they'd better hear as much as they could.

"It's a bit complicated to explain, but it seems something from her magic has lingered in you. It does the same for other people too, but it doesn't linger as long usually. I tweaked some of my own samples and I'm pretty sure the mutated cell in your blood is a vestige of the oracle powers."

"You mean I could…?"

"Only if you can unlock it," the former prince observed. "I'm still trying to work out the details."

"Ravus, this is such good news! I was starting to think I'd only hold them back, but it seems I'll be able to back up Luna out there."

"I hope so, but we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves yet…"

"Don't you need some of her blood to have some more conclusive results?" Iris asked.

Gladiolus couldn't believe his ears. Iris was talking with Luna's brother. She was secretly in contact with the former imperial's army commander. And he couldn't tell how long it had been like this. For all he knew, their only interaction after assaulting the base Ravus guarded was the five to ten minutes kidnapping while they fought to retake a base. And from what he was hearing at the moment, his sister was on "friendly" terms with the fallen prince.

"I think I can make it with what I have now." Ravus started. "I wanted to make sure you'd be warned though. Luna's powers awoke in a shrine dedicated to Bahamut. Maybe the mutation won't react for you. But if it were to… There could be some after effects. Luna was sick for a good week, almost blinded."

"At least, she didn't blow up." Iris whispered through her teeth.

"What?! What's been going on?" Ravus inquired.

The young girl hesitated, her staff hitting the ground repeatedly.

"Are you sure this line is secure?"

"I wouldn't call you if I didn't," he retorted bitterly.

Gladiolus was shocked to hear Iris confiding the recent events to a foreign man that had shown nothing hatred and contempt for their country.

"How can she trust this…!"

Crowe managed to hold him back where he stood, standing chest to chest with him, her eyes hard.

"She's not doing anything wrong. Luna told us her brother deserted and the empire wants him dead."

"The guy tried to kill Noctis and afflicted her with the blight!"

"And she's decided to talk to him nevertheless." She pointed out, keeping her voice down.

They'd miss most of the conversation over the crystal's blessing, but the frail smile on Iris' face as they looked back to her puzzled Gladio.

"Do you have any news about Insomnia?" she asked. I could warn hunters and Cor might even create a rescue party for…"

"Iris, I think you guys have enough on your plate as it is. I'll see what I can do on my end. From all I've seen, Drautos is still gathering food to keep the prisoners alive through their transportation."

"Are you even sleeping to keep knowledge of everything?"

"Are you worrying about me? You have too much time on your hands…"

"It'd be boring if you didn't insult me every two days."

She laughed to herself as he clearly fumbled for a reply. As inadequate as her comment made him feel, it also meant she'd come to care, and not only because he as Lunafreya's brother.

"Come on, I didn't think you'd lose your cool for such a small jab."

"I'm growing tired," he defended himself. "But I must admit, our talks have… kinda grown on me."

And although Gladiolus couldn't hear the other half of the conversation, the sigh escaping his sister and the way her eyes softened woke a dozen alarms.

"She's daydreaming about that creep…!"

"Keep it down, Glady. She's talking to a friend. We've been trying to include her, but her young age might make it harder for her to feel as though she belongs. Having someone she can talk to must help her through it all."

"If she needs help, she should come to me. Not that psycho…"

The king's shield was clearly ready to confront his sister on the spot, and Crowe understood his concerns.

"Since she joined the team, all you ever did was to treat her like a child. So she decided to hide this from you, as she does from everyone else. It's clear that she feels more in control with the information he gives her. And I'm sure she'll tell us what is going on soon. But rush her now, and you might lose her."

Gladiolus could picture his sister stealing a bike and driving off into the night. He'd been so worried about Noctis, so busy hitting himself on the head for missing the signs of their kingdom's fall… Iris had lost all of her friends. She needed something to ground her. But was it healthy for her? What could that Fleuret expect from her?

"You're telling me to let her to her own devices?" Gladiolus nearly snapped.

"I'm telling you that if we're entitled to keep secrets from her, so is she."

It made sense, especially since Iris looked happier after her talk on the phone than she'd been when she walked of. But that didn't mean Gladiolus was fine with the situation. And he was going to dig where he could. Iris had been out of his sight only when she stayed back with Monica, Noctis and Luna. It was the only moment he saw to explain her correspondence with Ravus. She knew better than to answer to unknown numbers or mess around with dangerous men.

"Say Ravus… It's easier for you to talk on the phone, with your arm and all?"

"Well…"

"I think it's faster this way too, so text me whenever you're free for a call. I'll let you know if it's okay with me."

The older man couldn't say when he'd let her take over. Was it another way of making her forgive his faults?

"Don't get too used to this. When I'll hit the road again, I might go radio silent for a few weeks." He warned.

"And miss a chance to know how your sister is doing?"

He chuckled at that.

"Stay safe. And wait until I have more news to speak of the mutation with Luna."

"Don't worry about it. Take care." She told him before to cut off the conversation.

…

Ignis and Aranea stayed awake well after everyone went to bed, the guys in one tent, the girl in another. Gladiolus and Noctis had argued about something related to Iris, but the advisor hadn't gathered anything else. Luna had calmed things down and Crowe had convinced Iris of staying in the tent during the storm, knowing it was the only way to give time to her brother to see reason. He had to wait until Iris felt ready to talk about her mysterious contact.

As the camp calmed down, Aranea had insisted on working on her armor. Ignis was done with all the sewing repairs, but with Noctis' sudden growth spurt, a few of his shirts needed adjustments and he thought the excuse was good enough to hang around the dragoon. By eleven, he understood she wouldn't make small talk unless probed for it and he cleared his throat.

"What?" came her instant response.

"Wow. Still on edge from the grove?" he pondered, sitting down next to her.

She grimaced in answer, scooting backward a little.

"I wouldn't say that. I've been watching you hovering like a lone puppy for the entire day. The best part was when you shaved a prince." She mocked.

"Hovering? What did I do wrong this time?!"

"It's not about doing anything wrong or right. I can tell you want something and I'm not in the mood for a serious talk."

"Then why are you still up?"

She heaved a sigh, knowing full well she wanted as much clarity as him. There just didn't seem to be an easy way to get there.

"Because I can't go on like this any more than you do. Any word I say and you're throwing daggers at me with your eyes."

He lowered his head, doubting he'd been that easy to read earlier.

"You still resent me for looking after Noctis?"

"I never really did. I resented the way our lives kept pulling us away from each other. You want me to clear things up, but even back then, it wasn't clear. It was always borrowed time."

She kept a straight face through her entire argument, although she couldn't hold back his stare.

"The circumstances have changed. We're both homeless now. And I'm sick of your contradictory signals!"

She paled at how direct he sounded. Ignis had always gave her the space and time she needed usually, but she'd tried his patience long enough.

"Can you really blame me for feeling contradictory things?"

She let go of her armor, crossing her arms over her chest, Ignis taking of his glasses to massage the bridge of his nose. They were both exhausted, but feeling too wound up to sleep on their doubts once more.

"I blame you for refusing my help."

"Oh please, not that again! You were always looking down on me, always pitying…"

She got up, ready to storm off, only to feel his hand snatching her wrist. His grip was strong, almost hard and she remembered how she'd forced him to open up about a week ago. His eyes were glaring at her with an intensity that almost froze Aranea right where she stood.

"I never ever pitied you. You were free except for the chains you pictured around your life, freer than I ever was. If anything, a part of me envied you."

She might have laughed if she hadn't sensed it before.

"I was free to run at the first sign of danger. As tame and boring as your life was…"

"This is not about either of our past, Aranea." Ignis cut her off. "It's about what you want but can't ask for reasons I can't even began to… I've been turning this puzzle around…"

"I'm not a freaking puzzle. I gathered all my pieces and stitched them back together. It wasn't easy, but I managed. And now you want to open your arms and comfort me so you can have comfort? Well, find another lost cause, because my tears are gone."

She pulled away and the hurt in her eyes was enough to let her go, even if everything within him begged for him to hold on, to insist. They had been good for each other before. They could team up on the battlefield without a single word. She cared for him, otherwise, she wouldn't have come during his fever. And no matter how much he tried to quell his feelings, his heart wanted to reach for her.

"You weren't a lost cause. Or even mine. It never lasted, because your pride wouldn't accept the situation. If I gave you shelter, I made you dependent of me. But it was a lie you told yourself so you could end things."

She turned her back on him, looking frail in her grey shirt, leather pants and boots. For an instant, he thought she was trembling, her small, deft hands turning into fist.

"I thought this had nothing to do with our past." Her voice trembled and he realized she was shivering from the cold.

Her shoulders were bare to the night air. He took off his jacket, taking a step towards her to put it on her back. She accepted it, half turning to him, almost instantly inhaling his scent. Was the coat another offering for a truce? She seemed to take it as one, wrapping it tightly around her, taking a brief sniff at the collar.

"I'd forgotten how you smelled." She mused.

The words stirred old wounds, his heart beating a bit faster. How could she do that? How could she stay harsh and suddenly turn sweet, while keeping her jaw straight and her eyes cold? He needed to hide the embarrassment that surged in him, needed to make sure the blush on his cheek was only in his imagination.

"Well… I haven't washed for the last three days or so…" Ignis tried to change the subject.

Aranea rolled her eyes at him.

"You think _I_ mind? It's nice if I can bathe once every week, even now."

His shoulders hunched at that.

"What has changed in those last five years?"

The silver-haired woman let out a long breath.

"Okay. I think we need to catch up if we want to clear anything up. How long do you have?"

"As long as you want…"

They sat right on the rocks, keeping a safe distance between them. Aranea fixed the rules. One of them would ask one question that both would answer in turns. He asked about her everyday life, as a mercenary, while she asked about the life in the city without her. It didn't take long until she asked if there'd been other girls.

Ignis answered as honestly as possible:

"I tried. Moving on or forgetting you, whatever they called it."

Aranea didn't bat an eyelash

"They all felt wrong, didn't they? I did try too, more than once." She huffed, as though it was enough comment on the subject and the advisor realized he'd rather not go too deep there.

He could be pretty jealous when it came to Aria and the very idea anyone could have held her, touched her or… He gritted his teeth to keep the pictures away.

"What about now? You said you couldn't see yourself in the picture if we'd won."

"I was tired. Surely not thinking. I can't tell what I really want."

"If I were to ask you right now… What would you want?"

She raised one brow, giving deep thoughts to this question.

"I know you thought me dead and all. It took you time to even recognize me. But you act as though you never entirely forgot about me. And I'd like some proof."

It sounded as an impossible feat, but Ignis had proof. He took out his cell, feeling a mix of hope and fear welling up in his stomach.

"Wait, I wasn't…" Aranea tried to reason him.

"Just give it a look." He started, moving to present her to phone before to think things through and halt his motion. "But don't delete any of them."

"Sure, sure, let me see alread…"

It was their booth pictures. With their younger, unscarred selves, simply enjoying each other's company. She stopped at the one where they kissed, her throat tight and mouth dry.

"You kept them."

"You asked me to. And a first love… it isn't exactly easy to forget."

"This… this isn't fair. You made me so happy that day."

And she felt younger, hopeful for an instant, as she looked up from the picture and noticed all the signs her Ignis was still there, despite the worry lines, the new hairstyle and the larger shoulders. She loved those eyes so much.

"Ari…"

"Don't..." she pleaded, the mask falling despite all her efforts.

He crossed the space between them, unable to see the tears rolling down her face without reacting. Not when he felt this open. She accepted his arms, her hand almost too cold as it reached for his nape, the other gripping at his shirt. She fitted so well next to him, with her face buried in his chest, her entire body shaking almost as much as him.

"Ig…"

"I'm not comforting you. Not yet. But you were looking cold and…"

"The jacket was working. And having you means losing you all over again."

"Aria, please. You were the one always ready to take risks."

She pushed on his chest, a small whimper coming from her throat. Their eyes met and for the second time since she'd barged back into his life, Ignis saw the part of her that had been broken.

"And I fell down a cliff to learn my lesson. I need time, Iggy. Time to realize I'm really here and not with the empire anymore. Time to accept you are here and that I might not hate you anymore."

He gulped down, feeling as though he'd been slapped in the face. _She_ _ **might**_ _not hate him anymore?!_

"Understood. I've been…"

"Let's try to cut the professional bullshit. You know me better than anyone. So friends for now? More if I can wrap my head around it."

He nodded, knowing this was more than he could ask for, but still. Ignis dried one of her tears, wishing she'd held his hand to her face, that she'd lean back in his arms and admit her head was already wrapped around it… But she was overwhelmed by the rush of emotions that mixed together and gently pried his hands off. He ran one hand over his face as she sneaked into the girls' tent. Either love or hate. Either her or the old loneliness he tried to accept with every rule, every higher standard. He'd broke them all if it meant he could fix Aranea.

On the ground next to him, his phone was still showing the picture of two teenagers, too happy to realize the hardships the world would send their way.

To be continued…

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Angst is back! Well, I think this last scene could need some tweaking. It's my first version of this chapter, feel free to let me know if anything felt wrong. Except for Gladio dragging Crowe off for a making-out session. As out of character as it might sound, well, I needed it to happen to thicken the plot. Iris should deliver the news soon. And now the shrines have another use. Boosting Luna's powers, or potentially making Iris an even better asset for the team.

As for Ravus' end of the conversation, I had thought of taking it off to keep you in the dark, since Gladio and Crowe only hear what Iris is saying, but it felt cheap. So it's all there. I will fix any mistake with the chapter in the following week and might edit chapter 30 too.

Next up on the menu, Noctis decide to visit his ancestors tomb once more and might learn of the citizens being captured by Ace Drautos. Which might mean a split in the party. Please review to let me know what you think of the chapter. ;)

Also, yes, Cor would tame anything that doesn't look like a chocobo to ride it. Because I have this headcannon that Cor has an aversion for chocobo. If it's not a phobia or something. Maybe I'll write over it eventually. XD

And am I the only who think that if I can't enter a dungeon until nightfall, the door should be closed if I tried getting out at daylight? Owo'

I edited the chapter a bit, but only a bit, because there were some spelling mistakes here and there. There might be some left, we have a bit of dysphasia in my family to be honest. Also, I wrote most of this chapter by end and typed it again, and I tend to type at the speed of light, which means some mistake can get in. Iris' potential power will be explained, it is not meant in any way to hinder Luna's importance as the oracle.


	34. Collecting the past

This girl is still alive and I hadn't given up on this fic. There has been a few work crisis lately that ate up on my time and my energy. My summer semester has started, like two days after the winter semester had ended, so there was no break and I still got a handful of project to get down real life-wise. If that wasn't enough, I was faced with a big challenge. Writing over Noctis collecting the royal arms. It was a part of the game that I couldn't get myself to care about. I wanted Noct to meet with Luna! And I was already strong enough with the magic and hated how the royal arms hate up on my health points. But it's important to balance Noctis' power. I tried to make the dungeons useful for the storyline so far, but some of them were too small – in my opinion- among the following, so we have some character development with action in between. This fic is still a romance/drama, but I will bring serious action back pretty soon. Like longer fights around a few corner. Have fun reading!

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Unexpected – Chapter 34

Recollecting the past

The Treant raised to its full height, moaning in protest as the eight fighters surrounded him. Fire roared in the air, threatening to run through the grass and light the entire woods. Noctis doused the flames with a light blizzard spell, the cold almost refreshing on his feverish skin. There was a tomb a few meters back, in the heart of the Myrlwood forest. But the Treant proved more of a challenge then they'd expected. And as much as they'd grown to coordinate their movements, they had to take turns to attack, otherwise, they got in each other's way.

Prompto seemed hesitant to use his new powers. He still managed to always hit his targets with precision, but all the concentration he had to use to maintain his spells and have them blow at the right moment made it harder to stay conscious of what happened around him. Luna had started looking after him, letting him take out the further enemies while she took care of the closer one. Gladio refused to phase through anything. It felt like running away and the idea was contrary to everything he'd ever train for. Ignis didn't show the same reservation. He'd already been deadly fast before. Now it was hard to even keep up with his movement. He had quickly learned how many warps he could pull before to feel tired and used his powers with an efficiency that made even Noctis wondered if he should follow his advisor's example. The prince usually pushed himself to the limits because he wanted to alleviate the burden on his friends.

They'd kept up with him before that he'd gathered the royal arms. Now they appeared almost stronger than him. Of course, Luna had observed that aging two years in a matter of hours might have more repercussions than longer hair and a beard. His father had coughed up blood and been bedridden, while he was already back on his feet, rushing through the air, warping to a rock wall to catch his breath and diving back into the fight, slashing at sentient bark. But despite having subdued a shard of the crystal, Noctis was still hung over his brief loss of control back in Ravus' base. He needed to make things right. He needed balance and the powers his ancestors had carried.

The Lucii ring at his neck weighed heavily on his mind. He knew wearing it would be worse than anything he'd gone through before. The thing killed a normal man in seconds. It had eaten his father apart for years, sapping his strength. One man had been gifted the Six's powers, only to pay it with the ultimate price.

 _Stop thinking so much,_ he reprimanded himself.

Aranea broke the treant's right arm with her lance, green blood splashing from the wound. Gladio throw it off balance with a swing of his buster sword. Ignis and Noctis timed a crossed warp strike, dealing the final blow to the creature. The sudden silent in the small clearing was almost unsettling, the bubbling of a cascade of water the only sound except from their pants.

Luna observed that they were really stronger than ever.

"You think so? This magic thing feels pretty unstable to me." Prompto observed.

"Don't rely on it all the time." Iris suggested.

Gladio shifted next to her, something clearly on his mind. She had a few suspicions, but didn't want to face him, at least not until he'd work up the nerves to breach the subject. The prince exchanged a look with his shield.

Their dispute was still clear on both of their mind.

" _Iris spent a full night with him? Why didn't you…?!"_

" _There was too much going on. And with Jared's death, how was I even supposed to add to your worries? Iris was fine and I made it clear I wouldn't tolerate such a behavior in the future."_

" _That's all well and good, but she won't listen unless…"_

" _I know she's your sister, I always try looking after her in the same way. But Iris is my soldier. I don't want to play that card, but if she pulls another disappearing act, she's off the team. So she won't do this again if she knows what's best."_

 _Hearing his baby sister being referred to as a soldier was a shock. She was an Amicitia of course, but that didn't mean… seeing her holding her own on the battlefield filled him with both pride and fear. He had been much older himself before to take on such responsibilities._

"I'll gather the royal arm. Grab a bite and stay ready to move out. The Cauthess area is next." Noctis ordered.

He was ready to gather as many royal arm as quickly as he could.

"No specific creature was reported close to Coernix Station," Ignis told them. "I'd say stock up on magic while I get lunch underway."

Prompto and Crowe went to gather some magic while Gladio stretched, hoping to relieve some of the stress in his sore muscles, Aranea gingerly offering her help to the cook, who accepted with a dark expression. Iris found herself floating from one place to the next and carefully avoiding being alone with her brother. Her eyes followed Noctis as he walked off, Luna following closely. The brunette studied the changes in the prince she'd known all her life. There wasn't much differences, except for his hair being slightly longer. As he turned to look at his princess, she noticed his face had lost some of its roundness.

His features would grow even sharper and the boyish grin felt out of place when he laughed with Luna. Iris slowly realized why the new little details unsettled her. It was as though the young man she'd pinned after was being erased. She might entirely lose him if he was to pay any more years. And the realization came with a shocking revelation. The idea hurt, as it would when she thought of losing a dear friend. But not as much as it would have pained her a few days ago. She gasped, covering her mouth as she worried someone might have heard her.

Could she be over him? Acknowledged and rejected, content to know he was alive, able to see him around his beloved without feeling the same tugs of jealousy? She had had time and a lot to think about other than him. But when had her heart eased its mind?

"Are you okay, Iris?" Crowe asked her.

"Wha…!?"

"You were spacing out," the older woman explained.

"I… I'm fine. I was just… wondering about something."

Her cheeks warmed up a little as she mentally chided herself for keeping all of her attention on Noctis. She didn't want to embarrass herself.

"Penny for your thought?"

Iris shrugged in answer.

"I'm just… drowsy from all the new powers showing on the battlefield. It feels as though I can even join you guys and should only offer support from the rear."

"Don't take it like that," Crowe tried comforting her. "You took out as many mandrakes as Prompto with that staff of yours. And you're still growing. In a few years, you might surpass most of them, with or without powers."

That managed to make her smile, until her eyes met Gladio's worried look.

"What's eating him up…" she wondered out loud.

"I guess he doesn't know how to face the fact you're growing up. You've been quite mature for a fifteen years old girl lately." The former Glaive observed.

Iris crossed her arms, feeling defensive. She hated being the younger member of the party. Everyone was looking after her as though she was a mere child.

"I'll be sixteen in December."

"Sounds like we will have a bunch of birthdays to celebrate in the next few weeks."

Prompto walked up to them at this moment, the women quickly switching subjects, not wanting to spoil the surprise of his upcoming birthday party.

"Say, Crowe, I was wondering if you could help me with the magic. I don't have a flask like you or Noctis and the elemancy doesn't feel natural at all."

Crowe smirked at the sight of the fidgety gunman.

"Give yourself time. It will all click together. Your magic is already different from anything the prince or I do."

…

Said prince entered his ancestor's tomb, his face gloomier than before. Luna followed without a word, her worry and care almost tangible in the air around her.

"The Rogue queen. If I'm not wrong, that lady ran away from Lucis in her younger years, coming back and going through the pilgrimage to bring back the fallen wall."

"Ignis would be proud to know you listened in your history lessons." Luna teased him.

He chuckled, before walking up to the tomb, feeling the same dread as usual. His father didn't have a sepulture yet. And he was too weak yet to head back to Insomnia and give Regis the dignity he deserved. A father shouldn't be left to rot in his own home. Shaking his head to push the dark thoughts away, he raised his hand, calling the other royal arms. His fingers barely grazed the giant shuriken, the weapon raising into the air, a blur of blue, transparent steel. It dove into his chest, the tip piercing without piercing, his skin burning but not blood falling. He didn't flinch, didn't whine, welcoming the physical pain. This was his burden now. His chance to find balance and strength. Regis had had 7 of those weapons. And he needed to collect more if he was to ever push the empire back.

When the curtains of metal stopped turning around him, Luna's hand touched his shoulder, her voice bringing him back to earth.

"Are you alright?"

"I…" His voice wavered for an instant. "I'm sick of having the impression it's never enough." He admitted.

"What are you talking about? How long has it been… a month and a half? It might take us years to get everything done. It might take our entire lives. But you've got one more royal arm. And the way you're going at it, we…"

He sighed, closing his eyes, trying to collect himself. Worrying wouldn't change anything.

"It feels really weird. Thinking my father won't…" The words eluded him and he gestured at the whole room. "All of this is supposed to end with me. Whether I fail or not, there won't be anyone else to collect those weapons or to mind about those kings and queens."

He'd rarely voiced how much being the _chosen_ king got to him.

"Noctis, you are not alone in this. The scourge will end with us."

For some reason, it sounded really ominous when Luna said it, as though the scourge wouldn't be the only thing ending.

"You've told me everything you know over this, right?" he asked, turning around to take both of her hands.

"What are you imagining now?"

"You're always ready to put yourself on the line," he pointed out. "And sometimes… I'm afraid you'll cross a line that I can't follow."

"You're one to talk. Barely asking for my opinion before to give up on two years of your life."

"Well, you never asked for my opinion before going on with the covenants."

She sighed, hiding her face against his chest and pulling him into a warm embrace.

"Are you putting yourself on the line to teach me a lesson?" Luna asked, her voice slightly muffled.

"I would have done it either way, but I'll try to make as much as I can out of it. After Prompto's birthday, we'll have to make other covenants. And we still need to confirm the Astrals will seriously help us."

She slipped her fingers through his hair, wondering why hearing his voice reverberating through his ribcage was so comforting.

"You want to try and summon Ramuh again?"

"We need all the strength we can get. If they don't answer, I don't see the point of even forging the covenants." Noctis declared.

"They will answer. We're on the right track."

He knew she was right. He'd just been supporting everyone around him lately and was happy to have even a few minutes with her, where he could admit to someone he was scared about the future. He breathed in her scent, a mix of dried sweat and some earthy smell reminding him of saffron.

"We really should sleep in a hotel before heading back to Leide."

She took a step back to smile at him, blushing lightly as she asked why. His eyes held a playful glint.

"I miss you every night."

"I miss you too," she whispered, holding back a laugh because the intensity of his gaze made her feel a tad nervous. "One more reason to hurry back to the others and get things under way."

…

Lunch was over in a flash and everyone settled for a ride back to Coernix Station. Noctis had been in such a hurry before that he'd refused to even listen to the tips over the royal tombs. Now he was using Monica's intel to pinpoint the fastest way to each and every of them as quickly as possible. Aranea and Crowe rode their bikes in front, Gladio bringing the rear, sharing his seat with Iris. He had offered it without much hope, but her sister was happy to get away from the royal couple and knew talking as they drove wouldn't be possible. Prompto was snatching pictures, throwing himself into his hobby to forget his worries about the new powers he had or the fact Cindy hadn't texted him back in the last 7 hours. He didn't want to appear clingy, or obsessed, but it was hard to refrain from checking his phone every two pictures.

Aranea had been trying to mend things with Ignis by cooking with him, only to feel like an utter failure when lunch had been served without them exchanging more than ten words over the preparation of Grease Monkeys' Snitchel sandwiches. Ignis had expected more than a just friend the last night and their fight weighed heavily on both of their mind. As she drove next to Crowe, the former Glaive sensed unrest in the dragoon mercenary. They had agreed to take breaks every three hours and in hope to help her comrade, Crowe offered to race her to their first stop.

It was more of a mean to reach the place before the others and have some time to understand what was going on with her, but Crowe had always loved speed and the feeling of utter control it gave her. She knew that veering only a bit too far might end up with her crashing into something, but the adrenaline and the sun on her back were too good for prudence. Aranea was the only girl who'd agree on a race in their group and as careless as it seemed, the initiative bare fruits. Ignis refused to augment his own speed, cursing under his breath while Prompto laughed it off and Luna voiced concerns. Noctis had leaned back his head and fallen asleep at some point of the ride, oblivious to the world.

Half an hour later, Crowe was getting off her bike, Aranea declaring their little competition a draw.

"We'll need to be careful on the rest of the ride. We won't meet a gas station for another hundred miles." She observed.

"Don't worry about it. Tell me what had you looking so gloomy earlier? That fight with Specs yesterday?"

"I don't need counseling." Aranea warned. "Those are my problems…"

"I wouldn't be much help, believe me, I never won in the love department. But you two have been turning around each other from the moment you joined the team. I understand that you share a past with him and that the circumstances were difficult. But you can't play nice and turn harsh the next day. We all have ups and downs, but it's hardly fair to him."

Aranea grimaced, knowing Crowe was closer to the root of the problem than she wanted her. It took a little more probing, before the silver haired lady slumped against her bike, admitting what was making things so hard on her.

"I was dead to him for the last five years. Which mean he could idolize me and our relationship. But it wasn't perfect and I sure ain't perfect myself. And while he mourned, I was left to wonder why he'd move on from me before even trying to save me. Some days, I hated him with all my heart, convincing myself he felt better without me to hinder him in his royal duties…"

"From what I've seen of him, he needs someone to take him away from those duties. He'd worked himself to exhaustion otherwise."

"I know… And some days I would worry about him and even miss him. I never moved on, but he had to…"

And she was scared that once he'd realize who she was now, he wouldn't like her. Maybe all he felt right now was nothing more than nostalgia for a girl already gone. He kept using her old name and it hurt as much as it helped.

"Well, try looking with your eyes a bit more, and you'll realize he hasn't moved on at all. He's a master of putting on a brave face. When I first met him, I thought I wouldn't be able to read the guy and then your name came up in a conversation…"

Crowe choose her words carefully before to give her opinion on the situation.

"I might be wrong, but Ignis seems to bottle up his emotions even more than men usually do. And when it comes to you, he can't… The only other times I see him react like that is when his friends are in danger, and it's not as strong, because he stays in control even then. But you, Aranea, you throw him off. And when Prompto discovered the pictures in his phone…"

Frowning, Aranea realized that everyone knew just how close they'd been. Clearly not because Ignis had bragged around. It wasn't his style.

"We're 8 people trying to fight back an imperial army. No matter how much power Noctis gives us, there will be casualties."

"Don't tell me this is about you worrying you'll lose him or get hurt. You're already hurting just from pushing him away."

Crowe had a point, but Aranea doubted opening her heart could even work. She'd been so close to break so many times already, forsaking herself the tears or catatonic reactions whenever despair loomed in. She was afraid getting back with Ignis was like using a crutch all over again. Because as independent as she wanted to be, she hadn't been independent when she'd dated him.

Maybe independence in love was an illusion. Maybe her reasons were all wrong, giving her a chance to forego more pain. The memories were a bittersweet torture as it was. She could almost still feel his arms around her and how safe she'd felt for an instant. But safety was also an illusion. The streets had tried killing her dreams in Insomnia and the empire's ways had almost entirely destroyed them during the last years. Meeting with Ignis had been a dream she didn't dare to have, not even in the moment of pure agony. But she'd still nurture it. And now she could let it grow into full bloom. For better or for worse.

The black Regalia appeared in the curve of the road, shining under the sun. The reflections of the light made it impossible to see his eyes behind his glasses.

 _Can't I be realist for once and accept what life gives me, like I used to?_ Aranea wondered.

…

They didn't make another stop, except to get rid of an empire dropship. Iris managed to take out two soldiers, feeling less out of place in the larger field than she'd done in the Myrlwood. Noctis was growing restless and refused to even worry about dinner, rushing to the Royal tomb where another blurry blue weapon would stab him in the chest. Luna and Prompto accompanied him as backup, while the other settled the camp. Iris found it incredibly hard to keep her distance with her brother this time, Gladio enrolling her as help in every little task he started.

Ignis did some shopping in preparation for Prompto's birthday, accompanied by Crowe and Aranea, while the Amicitia siblings focused on putting up tents. The RV was an option of course, but they'd rather take turns to shower and all use tents and sleeping bags. The prospect of sleeping in a hotel the next day truly helped. Gladio only gave her instructions, but Iris could tell he was still nurturing a load of questions. The best thing to do in such a situation was to fire first.

"Why aren't you using your new powers?" she asked him.

"I don't see the point of phasing in the middle of battle. I need to reach the enemy and defend Noct, not to save my own hide."

She chuckled at his tone.

"But the saying went… prioritize defense over offense…" she frowned, wondering why the old maxim wasn't coming back to her as easily as she'd wanted.

"Your mind is somewhere else sis. The best defense is good offense, that's how the saying goes. You've been keeping to yourself lately…" he then started.

"I'm doing fine, Gladdy…"

"Even though you spent one full night with the guy who'd blighted you?"

And here it was. Her brother's face was almost rigid now, worry taking over his easy smile.

"He was heavily wounded in the middle of a storm." She retorted.

A flash of anger ran through his brown eyes.

"I know he's Luna's brother, but I don't understand how you go from full-on hatred to defending him in a matter of days."

"I'm not defending him. I'm just trying to say nothing bad happened."

Gladiolus sighed deeply, before to finish fixing up the tent so he could focus his entire attention on her. His gestures were precise and lightning quick despite his large hands. The knots he made were so well tied, Iris wondered if they were going to have difficulty untying them in the morning.

"I can understand that Noctis thought it better to hide it until some things died down. But I have a right to know why you decided to rush alone into the night. You're not a child anymore, Iris… You could have been eaten by daemons or fell on a bunch of unscrupulous hunters."

"I can protect myself."

"I know you can, but that doesn't mean you have to jump right into danger. I'd rather have you half paranoid than seeing you acting carelessly. Say that Ravus guy wasn't wounded. He sounds like the type of bastard that uses people to fulfill his own goals. Experimenting on you with the blight, justifying himself with talks of the greater good."

"I'm healed now. I don't condone anything he's done. It's just… He's a big brother and tries whatever he can to help his sister. You can understand that."

"Holy Astrals, Iris, do you listen to yourself? That man is dangerous. Of course, I'd protect you in every way I can, but that wouldn't imply blighting someone. If you were just a bit older, he might have even tried to…"

The king's shield cursed under his breath, unable to look her in the eyes and Iris realized what he was talking about. The idea sounded preposterous now, but back then, she didn't know the man all that well. Could she even say she knew him well?

"Pryna was there with me. And nothing happened."

But he knew the man was calling her every now and then, which made any excuse sound dubious. _Give her time. Don't push her._ Crowe's words were still fresh in his mind.

"Those dogs don't need protecting. What I want to say here is… that you shouldn't run off on your own."

Iris had to control her temper not to react too strongly. Being childish while asking not to be considered like a child could only backfire.

"I won't do it again. Unless one of you guys are in danger and there's no other way to help."

"Conditions? Didn't I raise you better than that?"

The reproach was mostly a joke, which made Iris feel quite better about the discussion she had feared ever since Noctis threatened to tell her brother of her little expedition.

"You didn't raise me, you big…!"

He got a hold of her before any insult could come out, tickling her protest into laughter, to which she replied by trying to poke him or fight out of his hold, but she didn't put her heart into it, happy to see he wasn't angry at her per say. And if anything, he had indeed raised her. She knew telling him of the calls she was getting from Insomnia would have to come soon. The more she thought of sharing her news, the more she thought telling Luna of how much her brother worried for her wasn't such a bad thing. Lies couldn't be good, no matter how white they get.

…

Ravus had explored Insomnia little by little, sensing the streets, getting a good idea of the layout of the various suburbs in the massive destruction. Walking among rubbles was looking for trouble. Making noise was the finest way to attract rabid dogs, wild beasts, desperate civilians or worst yet… imperial soldiers. The former prince of Tenebrae didn't really care for himself, he was just going to keep himself alive until he'd reached his goal. Finding a cure to the blight to relieve Luna from her burden. She was too young, too full of live to forsake herself in the never-ending quest to cure the Scourge.

And apparently, she was in love and happy whenever Noctis' group had time to stop running all over the country. Ravus had thankfully pushed all of those thoughts aside to focus on what really mattered at the moment. Reaching the Citadel. It might be wrongly placed curiosity but he wasn't sure the empire had done anything with the place yet. And corpses of soldiers and king might be rotting, like his mother's carcass had been left until he'd sneaked out to give her a proper burial. He didn't really care for Noctis, the young man was a spoiled child, undeserving of his sister's affection.

But both Luna and their mother had held Regis in great esteem and although he hadn't shown much respect around the king during his life, the idea his body had been left behind after his fight with Glauca unnerved him. His thoughts were focused on Iris when he'd wondered of what had happened on the night of the fall. He wasn't there, still recovering from having his arm ripped off in one of Verstael's labs, but he'd heard some of it from Aranea and Ardyn. Glauca had died, but not without taking out both the king and his shield.

Now he was going deeper into the crown city than he'd ever been, securing a few safe hideouts while staying mostly away from the civilians. The only time he really minded them was when they'd attract military men. He'd fixed himself an arbalest while waiting for the lab results to come out, needing a weapon that would be both silent and deadly. He hadn't much projectiles or time to work on them, but the first time he'd taken out an MT made him feel more alive than when he'd hugged his sister back in that cave.

 _It's only buying them time._

But he'd started interfering and might as well be coherent. It took one day and one night of traipsing all over the city to reach the Citadel. Sneaking in wasn't hard, the place wasn't even guarded. The only thing the empire had wanted from it were the crystal and the lucii ring. One was with Ardyn back in Nifelheim, the last accompanying Noctis through his travels, never far from Luna. He chided himself for letting his thoughts go back to his sister once again. Some of the stairs were still there, but Ravus almost got lost as he looked around. The dark floors were stained with blood, soldiers lying here and there. He'd burn them once he'd gave a proper burial to the king. The exercise would be good for him.

He found the treaty signing room first, littered with shards of glass. Rows of people were laying on the floor, limbs mixed together, face too pale, almost grey. Flesh moved from the worms feasting inside and Ravus carefully tread, sometimes walking on a dry hand or leg and hearing a distinct crack. He'd been on battlefield before, but this dreadful atmosphere was draining part of his resolve for this task. A white-haired man hanged on the wall, impaled on a sword far too large. A swarm of flies swirled all around the wound, the smell almost worse than the indignity of the sight. Ravus didn't have to think long. The king's shield, Clarus Amicitia, father of his newly found ally had met an awful fate. Ravus borrowed two short swords to climb up the wall and unhang the man. He weighed close to nothing, his skin like paper, his muscles dry underneath.

Getting down without dropping his charge was still a challenge, the flies unhappy to be disrupted. The former army commander steeled his will, thinking of what the sight might do to Iris. He didn't care for her. Maybe like the other sister he could have had if his own father had lived. He tried not to think of her as he dragged her father's corpse around. He wouldn't tell her of this, that was for sure. He'd already located the cemetery and carried Clarus all the way out in the open. Laying him down, he wondered which he should get to first. Shoveling dirt or finding the king. The sky was an ominous gray above his head and he started reading the names on the tombstones, knowing the Amicitias would be close to the royal family. He searched for the right years, surprised not to find Clarus' wife. Iris had mentioned she'd died of illness when she was young as he'd insisted on getting medical details and after a thorough search, he had to turn his inspection to the blighted side of the graveyard.

The discovery of the Amicitia name among the blighted was a heavier blow than expected. It gave a whole new perspective to what he'd done to Iris and the guilt he carried for it. He started digging, not too far from the woman's grave. Blighted people were normally buried apart from the others, in fear of contamination. The scourge was rumored to have started this way, with an infected tomb cracked open by looters. It was gibberish to Ravus, who'd studied for years the blight, the roots of its causes and the various strands that existed. He dug for five hours straight, taking a single break. His shoulders ached and throbbed when he lay down his shovel. Laying down Clarus and closing his eyelids on yellowish eyes, he made quick work of covering the body. The sky was growing darker and Ravus decided to locate the former queen's grave, fighting against the apathy growing over him with every passing hour. The task he'd given himself was seeming a bit too gruesome. It brought him back to his mother's death and to the many trembles in Iris' voice when she was shocked by his questions.

The girl mattered to him a great deal more than he'd wanted her to. Burying the king was for Luna's sake, but the shield could have…

"Just get done with it."

He dug up another manhole, trying to vent some of his anger into it, until his left hand felt too raw and blood leaking from his right shoulder. Finding the king proved hard. The stairs were mostly broken, the elevator out of commission and scaling a metal wall wasn't exactly a walk in the part. Ravus had a basic knowledge on where to find Regis, thankfully and found his efforts rewarded, in a sense.

 _This was a bad_ _idea_ , Ravus thought bitterly as he tried to create a harness to carry the body around more efficiently. It was then that the first voice caught his attention.

"It must have been an effect of the light. All the shades and black those Lucians use everywhere…"

"I swear I saw suspicious movement. And if I'm right, we need to find…"

Steps echoed in the hallway next to the elevator shaft. It was just around Ravus' level and the young man was balancing a death body on his way down. Which meant he made some noise every now and then.

 _This was a very bad idea,_ he corrected himself.

That night, Iris looked at her phone anxiously and didn't receive any news. She wouldn't have any on the following day either.

…

The guys had gathered around a picnic table, needing some time on their own. They barely had had any time alone with the prince since his engagement ceremony.

"So… you're 22 now. Which makes you as old as Iggy." Gladio observed.

"That's really not fair." Prompto complained. "Although you still seemed to be favoring your good leg. Were there any side-effects you forgot to mention to us?"

"I'm fine. The nerves are acting up, but it should calm down in a day or two."

Noctis seemed to mind his longer hair a bit more, already wondering if he should take the time to get a haircut or something.

"Your lady seemed to like the look," his shield teased him.

"Which reminds me," Ignis intervened. "Next time you take off with the princess, I'd like a warning before you're gone to talk you out of it. It was incredibly careless to…"

The prince rolled his eyes.

"Well, I can't really blame the kid. It was about time he got some _real_ action."

The annoyance turned to embarrassment, Noctis crossing his arms and straightening up a bit.

"Any good pic from today Prompto?" he inquired, hoping to change the subject.

Ignis smirked at his embarrassment but didn't seem ready to interfere in anyone's favor, while Prompto shook his head.

"Come on, man, we barely had time to sit down and talk about it. How did you even manage the nerves to ask her to…?"

"I know it wasn't exactly subtle, but it's still… pretty new. I don't want to treat it like a conquest or…"

He shut up, hating himself for fumbling with his words.

"I'm not saying anything like that and I don't want details. It's just… I'm barely in control of my own nerves whenever I'm around Cindy…"

It was Gladio's turn to roll his eyes.

"So you two are officially a thing, huh? Did you even take her on a proper date yet?"

"Well, we've been talking about it. It would be nice to get closer to Galdyn Quay around the 28th."

Ignis pushed his glasses higher on his nose:

"At the speed at which Noctis is collecting royal arms, it should be entirely possible. Malamalam Thicket tomorrow and we'll head back to Leide." The advisor commented.

"I need to visit the Balouve mines and I heard some beasts have been making nest on top of Free Crown." Noctis informed them.

"Mines? Always mines." The gunner sighed.

"Think about it, we'll hit a hotel, some hot shower and the beach after the mines," Gladio reminded him.

It sounded good. But they still had to get out of Duscae, which was something else. Even driving as fast as possible, they would have a lot of road in front of them. Prompto suggested scrolling through his pictures of the day in the meantime.

The next morning saw them reaching the Malmalam Thicket, a run-down forest that kept twisting and twitching around the light dirt path. There were traces on the ground of something far bigger than the monster they were used to face.

"You think it's a giant bird?" Iris wondered.

Aranea shivered at the thought and Ignis held back his gesture towards her while Prompto shook his head the negative. It was Gladio who identified the marks.

"Too heavy to be a bird, even gigantic. And with the silent of this place, I'd bet my best sword we're up against a Bandersnatch."

The creature was known for its dark red scales and hundreds of teeth. Not to mention the sharp scale covering its body. The giant lizard was as strong as behemoth, but thankfully, not too bright. They usually got stuck in craters or caves when in a frenzy and remained there for most of their life. They could live on an empty stomach for long enough to dissimulate themselves among the rocks and snap at an unsuspecting prey coming down to their level.

There weren't much enemies to fight and Prompto barely infused a bunch of bullets with magic, saving them for the monster they might have to face later on. Their group had learned to travel through small terrains like this dirt path, Noctis always leading them, the others deploying or staying close to each other depending on the liveliness of the fauna. It wasn't easy not to get into each other's ways and Noctis almost wished for a mission didn't involving royal powers, so he could dispatch a separate team instead of using all his fire power in the same place. At the same time, working with so many people made it easier to take break and stay better rested through fights than having only his three friends as a cover.

They followed a nth twist in the road to see the royal tomb, standing at the bottom of a valley. And a red mountain of scales, seemingly guarding it. Summoning his engine blade, Noctis rushed forward, Ignis warping next to him while Prompto took off the safety on his guns and Iris raised her staff.

The Bandersnatch wasn't exactly happy to receive visitors. But when it started getting repeatedly stabbed, slashed and shot at, its rage reached a stage rarely seen. It kicked and writhed, making the ground shake under everyone's feet. Aranea managed to time her jumps right, but sometimes she couldn't control her drive to reach the thing and landed on an empty target. Prompto managed to shoot one of its eyes, disorienting it, while Noctis warped strike at its neck, staying on the thing. Iris supported everyone with potions, Luna and Gladio both hacking away at one of the leg. Crowe helped with very precise fire spell and over all, it was a matter of minutes before the fight was over, the beast falling.

"Wow, we're seriously starting to kick ass." Prompto cheered, raising his arms over his head in exhilaration.

"I think we were already too strong for that thing. And with our numbers…"

"Using an advantage in battle is not dishonorable. Especially when we fight to stay alive." Ignis cut off the shield.

Noctis just took the time to make sure everyone was okay before walking off to the Royal tomb. Luna followed him, wondering if collecting three of those weapons in such a short amount of time wouldn't be too much for him. A scepter waited for him, laying on top of yet another ancestor he could barely remember the tales of. The deceased king had been known for his strong beliefs in the Astrals. His scepter raised into the air, launching itself at Noctis. The invisible metal burned him and he gritted his teeth to hold back a cry of pain. Five weapons were now flowing around him and as his eyes changed color for an instant, he felt a tug around his neck. The ring was resonating with the Armiger. Did it want to be worn already? Was it time?

Luna's voice reached him, snapping him back to reality.

"Noctis, can you call them off now?"

He did, half turning towards her, her hands instantly reaching for his.

"You shouldn't rush this. You're anything but okay."

His skin was too warm, it almost burned and when he blinked, he saw pictures of a former king, fighting alongside gods. It was gone when he opened his eyes again, but the vision had felt like a promise. And also a threat.

"I'll rest in the car. We won't collect another one before tomorrow, so I should be fine. All I need is some practice with those things…"

"Why do they keep stabbing you?"

The spectacle each time was more than she could take and he gave her an apologetic smile in answer.

"I think… it's a test of worth. It only hurt for the first few minutes that follows."

"Maybe we should make a covenant next and you'd let me pay the entire toll. Lately, it feels as though you've been doing all the work."

"I'm trying to catch up to you actually. I didn't have a chance to do anything before."

And she wanted to call him wrong, but his eyes warned her. He didn't want to argue with her, even if it was to be praised. All this rushing around would serve to visit the imperial flying fortress of Quezacoatlz. She halted him before to pass the entrance, a crazy idea in her head.

"You didn't accept to pay years of your life just to catch up with me, did you?"

He blinked at that.

"Well, I don't think I could have matured two years in the span of three hours. Not because of a crystal induced growth spur. And I'm not thinking of paying any more years if I can help it. What would it take for you to stop worrying?"

Lunafreya pulled up a serious face, as though she was thinking about it seriously. When their eyes met again, there was something fragile about her expression.

"How about a kiss before we join the others?"

She was forcing herself, but he couldn't blame her. With the situation they were in, there was no way not to worry. He indulged her, wrapping one arm around her frame, his other hand cupping her face. The kiss was soft at first, growing demanding and almost desperate at their breath mingled. Next thing he knew, she was pushing him against a wall and kissing him back with all her might, refusing to let him go.

"You'd said one kiss." He teased her as they parted for air.

"I… miscalculated." She retorted, her lips tasting like a smile.

It took them a few minutes before to accept to break their embrace, but their fingers were still intertwined as they walked up to their little group of fighters. The past they were collecting might hurt, but it would make them stronger. Until they'd be strong enough to create a present that'd be worth living instead of simply surviving.

To be continued…

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This is my first draft of chapter 34. Which mean I haven't edited the mistakes out yet. Or re-read myself. I'll reread it tomorrow afternoon or so. Need to get to sleep, but I really wanted to update before the weekdays. Know that your support and reviews keeps me writing. Be sure to let me know if you liked this chapter. I get the feeling it's a bridge between events, but I already stated my gameplay view of the royal arms.

In next chapter, another dungeon and royal arm, a potential reconciliation between Ignis and Aranea, Ravus' troubles with the only OC of this fic and the beginning of Prompto's birthday. :D Our angel needs some love. Because I have awful plans for him once a few major events have taken place. I have awful plans for everyone. But know that no chocobros should die in this. And the purpose of the fic is to keep Luna alive. Anyway, Altissia is not here yet. We need to see Titan first. He's coming, I swear he is! I'll try to get back to the one week update time, but I can't promise anything. Will be busy for the rest of my school life or so it seems. ;)


	35. Coming back to you

I'm almost done with the class I was giving last semester. All the grading is done. And am I updating one week after the last update? Goodness! Keep those lovely reviews coming. I so need them. Although we're reaching a few pretty interesting turns in the story in my opinion. Then again, I'm totally partial with Unexpected. A lot of action ahead…

Have some Ravus on the run, team planning time, NoctLuna, Ignea and angst. Massive angst, guys. But know that we have fluff and borderline smut before. I'm just trying to keep things balanced. More stuff after the chapter. Have fun reading.

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Unexpected

Chapter 35 – Coming back to you

Regis' cold corpse had been lying on the floor in the middle of a parlour half an hour earlier. Left unattended, almost forgotten, the shadow of a king. Now the body was stuffed in a contraption made of ropes and scrap metal, his half-crown shoved in his shirt pocket, one of his eyes still half open, hanging in an elevator shaft. Ravus held back his angry grunt as he let the rope slip through his metal fingers. He wasn't alone in the citadel and might be found, but he wasn't going to make the dead king look worse if he could help it. He was carrying the man's sword despite having no right to claim it. His metal hand was surely burning up by now, but he couldn't tell, keeping the pressure right and minding his very breathing. One half of his brain counted the floors as the other part listened to the imperials' discussion. _Ten floors, 14, 15…_

"I don't think you should be among the search team, sir."

They were getting closer to him and it sounded as though a big wig was there too.

 _20, 21, almost the…_

"My father taught me this. If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself."

Ravus knew that voice. It was young, only recently dropped to a man's voice, arrogant and the tongue of the guy might as well have been bathed in venom at his birth.

"I'm sure I saw a weird dog on the streets. And he's got the weapon I need to take down a prince."

 _Ace_ , he thought.

His prosthetic snapped, the metal and rods in his nerves shifting. Ravus could taste blood in his mouth as he held back a scream. He'd been pushing himself too hard. Again. The shoulder was healing slowly, some pieces of the new arm too foreign. His side ached and the steps quickened.

He gritted his teeth and let go of the cable holding him up, knowing Regis' body had just touched the lowest floor. He'd better hide him quickly and make his escape while his right arm still worked. His free-fall lasted a full minute. He tried counting the floors, but they went by too fast and he needed to focus on the cable that would halt his fall if his hands could hold on. His stomach churned in protest, but there was nothing but bile in his throat. Daggerquills didn't have much meat on their bones as it turned out. The Glaive in his belt clapped against his leg, but didn't get caught in anything.

"Is that a vagrant prince I see?" Ace asked from above.

Ravus gripped the metal cable, the friction burning through his gloves, scratching off the skin. He mentally counted how many potions he had left, pulling the body into the hallway and out of its makeshift harness in a single motion. The metal arm moved awkwardly and he would leave a trail of blood if he didn't hurry. Thankfully, Luna's brother was an adept at memorizing palaces' configuration. It was necessary to get through the empire's fortress without going insane.

He ran through the corridors, kicking at corpses to send helmets or weapons flying in various hallways. Noise everywhere might disrupt his chasers. Because Ace had to be giving chase. If Ardyn had convinced him that he could fight Noctis on par with Ravus' arm… The boy was going to be like a mad dog with a bone. Except Ravus wasn't ready to be chewed on. He still had to confirm his theories over the blight, if nothing else. He hid Regis in the council room, having gotten a respectable advance on his pursuers. The king was buried beneath his councilmen and women instead of earth. The blond man made sure to stay in the Citadel to have them believe his intention weren't only to bury corpses and caused a ruckus in as many rooms as possible, taking out his blade when he came face to face with the first MT. Ace had brought a small platoon which had scattered all over the place. Taking them out meant leaving a trail, but he had been holding back on the empire for freaking years.

He slashed left, shot right, breaking a potion on his weakened shoulder. He needed all the vitality he could get. Ten MTs later, Ace showed up at the end of a corridor, eyes wild, smile dark on his perfectly shaven face. Ravus raised his arbalest, breathing hard as he came to a sudden halt.

"I've been meaning to face a real challenge. But you already look in bad shape, Fleuret."

"How long do you think you can keep your promotion, kid? A month?"

It might seem stupid to rile up the new commander, but anger rarely worked well with logic and Ravus could use a mistake on his enemy's side. He twisted his prosthetic, starting up the nullifier. He'd switched the mode to global destabilization. A piercing sound came out, the frequency so strong it brought Ace to his knees. Ravus eardrums were equally tortured, but his tolerance to pain helped him once more. He hit Ace's head with the side of his blade, drawing blood as he leaped past him. Arrows hit the MTs that followed and the human soldier running to his commander's side was momentarily disabled, meaning Ravus could make his escape. Unless another platoon was waiting on the outside. Which appeared to be the case as he burst through the doors.

 _That's what I get for one good action and a half._

…

The ride back to Leide took them most of the day, Noctis staying awake for the entire ride, forcing Aranea to lend her bike to Iris so he could start planning their future assault on Quezacoatlz with her and Ignis.

"You think Cor will be able to locate them quickly enough with the information you gave him?" he asked.

"If he can get on Ravatogh's top, he can't miss them."

"What about those sensors you mentioned on Quezacoaltz?" Ignis interrogated her.

Aranea squirmed in her seat, holding back her anger at the idea this was the first words he'd directed at her in the last six hours. Focusing on the road, the advisor didn't see her unease, merely noticing the coldness of her voice as she answered:

"They can detect any approaching vessel from a mile away. We'll need to take out the Cleigne's antennas before we can close in. Isn't this too early for all this planning?"

"On the contrary. After taking a break in Galdyn Quay, Noctis and I will head to the meteor site to forge another covenant. We don't need the whole team there with us and we have the means, so we'll send a team to take out those antennas," the Oracle answered her.

"Are you two seriously thinking of heading alone to the meteor?" Prompto asked.

"Gladio will surely insist to tag along. Are those antennas well-guarded?" Noctis inquired.

"From what I remember, they made a single outpost for the five of them. We could split into two teams... Crowe, Iris and Prompto could take care of the outpost while Iggy and I corrupt each antenna."

Ignis shot her a look through the rearview mirror, clearly intrigued that she'd specifically select him as her partner for this mission.

"It's the most logical teaming we can do. Crowe and Iris fights at close range while Prompto covers them. I know the location of every target and you can crack through their system faster than me."

Noctis exchanged a look with Prompto as Lunafreya laughed.

"Do we have two strategists now?"

"I'm more of an opportunist than a strategist," Aranea protested. "But I did help Specs with his studies every now and then."

He acknowledged her comment with a grunt, which had Prompto raising one eyebrow at their driver. Had the role been reversed since their little spat? They took a few breaks, the longest in Hammerhead where Cid was their only welcoming committee, Cindy being off on an errand for the garage. Aranea and Ignis danced around each other for their whole stop. When he fuelled the car, she hesitated a few seconds too long, missing yet another chance to confront him one on one. She wanted to corner him for only a few minutes, but he kept evading her, going as far as engaging in a discussion with the weapon seller, although they'd upgraded their arsenal during their last stop. As they sat in Takka's restaurant, she decided she'd tried enough for the day and sat with the girls in a boot while the guys monopolized the counter. Ignis was inspired by their plates and busy writing in his black book when Noctis subtly elbowed Prompto in the ribs.

"Ow…"

"We need to do something about those two before Specs' mood turns contagious," the prince declared.

The gunman agreed almost instantly.

"What do you have in mind?"

"You share Iris' bike for the rest of the ride."

"Huh… And how does that…?" Prompto started.

Noctis motioned to Ignis sitting on the other side of Gladiolus, raising his eyes from his book, brows furrowed. Prompto wolfed down two mouthfuls of salmon and cheese, pulling up his phone and pretending he was strolling down pictures to have Noctis' opinion on them. Gladio made a comment on the local hunt to catch the advisor's attention. The big guy was totally on to them, but he approved of any plan to help Ignis lose up.

"I'll drive the Regalia." Noctis explained to his best friend.

Which meant Ignis would need to stay idle, while sitting next to his old flame with nothing to do but listen to her or engage either of the royal in a discussion.

"That won't be very subtle." Prompto whispered, clapping him on the shoulder with a smile despite his reservations.

They both thought that at this rate, subtlety wouldn't get either the advisor or the dragoon lady anywhere. Convincing Iris wasn't hard. As long as she was the one driving, she didn't mind. Gladiolus warned Prompto not to unbalance his sister and cause her to fall. They didn't have protective gear for either of their motorcycle yet.

"You'd rather have me sitting with you, huh?" the blond man teased him, evading a playful slap with a chuckle.

Ignis wasn't as keen on letting Noctis drive, but it had been a while and if directly ordered too, he couldn't exactly protest. He sat behind his liege, Aranea doubting she'd get any word from the man despite the few reasons he had left to forego a discussion with her. They were both hard-headed and the situation wasn't ideal for a heart to heart. Until Lunafreya started playing with the car stereo, raising the volume in the front seats and swapping songs until she found the opera of Draco and Maria she liked so much. The genuine smile on the Oracle's face made it clear she enjoyed music. Noctis didn't even protest when she put the song on repeat, quickly apologizing to them.

"I've only heard it twice before," she explained, to the advisor's astonishment.

That reminded him of how secluded another girl had been. Glancing at her despite himself, he found himself lost in her eyes for a few seconds. And beneath her serious look, he saw a sparkle of mischievousness.

"Will you still ignore me?" she asked.

The music came only from the front speakers, giving the backseat passengers the impression they couldn't be heard if they talked low enough. Sighing, he shrugged in response.

"I'm trying to give you time right now," he retorted.

He sounded bitter and could have added how lost he felt about the very concept of giving her time. Was he supposed to regain her trust and affection or simply wait without doing anything that could influence her decision regarding her feelings for him? The last thing he wanted was for her to hate him and…

"I was a real bitch the other day. And though I used to think some of the words I threw at your face… That was merely one fight, with things said in the heat of the moment."

He crossed his arms, looking away as she scooted closer to him. There was a lot more that needed to be said, but the situation felt too awkward, especially since he knew Noctis had orchestrated it. The prince had better expect some form of retaliation. Ignis needed to regain a semblance of control. Picking up his cell, he opened a new note and typed a few words, before passing the phone to Aranea.

She read it, holding down her breath.

 _I know we can't take things back from where we left off. But being only your friend was never enough._

It felt as though nothing had changed. And it was partly a lie, they both knew it, but it wasn't as though everything was different. She tried to fight back the smile that wanted to burst on her face and didn't look to him right away, typing her own words back. The phone changed hands and his eyes lit up.

 _I might be more trouble than I'm worth. Which isn't new but… If you've calculated every other option and judged taking this risk was better…_

Luna saw the phone switching hands and wondered why Ignis was looking so solemn. Had he opened up enough to clear the misunderstanding between them?

 _There's no plan yet. No rules and as little expectations as possible. I can't guarantee you a house, or money, or even food. But my arms and my heart are yours._

This time, she looked up into his eyes, blushing and pinching her lips hard. She wanted to reach for him, to touch him, to let him know what his words did to her. But there was so much pain still lingering. Could they ever get over it? She willed herself to try, at the very least. Seeing her hesitation, he pointed to the phone, his ears slightly red.

 _Don't vanish again. I'm still trying to convince myself you're not going anywhere this time. My heart hasn't given up on you, but I was afraid… It's not about being independent or anything as childish. I_ _ **can't**_ _lose you another time._

Which meant she had been ready to not have him at all. He swallowed, hard. What could he say to that? They were both too realistic to promise things they didn't control. He'd told her she wouldn't lose him before and failed her. As their eyes met for the nth time, there was no barrier between them, no anger left, only a mix of hope and fear.

"I'll do my best." Ignis swore to her.

Instead of giving her the phone another time, he offered his hand. The final peace offering. She took off his glove without asking for permission, their fingers tentatively intertwining as their skin touched. Her palm was rough and his was sweaty, but neither cared. It was a first step on the path of healing. Not a single word was exchanged afterwards, although they would glance at each other every now and then. In the front seat, Luna patted Noctis' leg, letting him know his far-fetched plan had worked.

It took them one more hour to reach the Longwythe resting spot. Deciding on their sleeping arrangement was a bit complicated for once. Noctis and Luna wanted their own room, which was understandable and only earned them some teasing. The guys were okay with sharing a room, but Iris insisted on having her own space, which left Aranea and Crowe to share the last hotel room. Taking turns to shower, the team parted over dinner, the prince and princess taking their food up the stairs, needing some intimacy after a few days on the road.

"You'd think they'd get bored of always being together at some point." Iris observed.

"That's far too soon for that," Prompto told her. "It's hard to think we've met Luna less than two months ago. So much stuff has been going on in such a short time."

One floor above them, Noctis had agreed to talk of wedding plans with his fiancée. She already knew a few things that had been prepared in Altissia and wanted to know which details mattered to him.

"I think we should still do it in Altissia."

"That sound kinda dangerous. We'll have to make sure the empire won't attack or anything. And isn't Accordo under their jurisdiction?"

"Don't think about the politics right away… Altissia is covered in canals. We could get married on a boat and have fireworks to celebrate it."

The smile on her face was more than endearing, giving him the urge to wrap his arms around her. But before he could even make a move to get up from his chair and walk around the table, she mentioned the syleblossoms she wanted arranged all over the place and asked him what sort of dress he'd want to see her in for their special day.

"Didn't you like the one they'd made for you?" Noctis asked.

"Sure, but we'd have to steal it."

"I can see myself explaining to Cor we'd recruit his hunters to steal a wedding dress." He laughed out loud, soon joined by her.

They rarely took the time to unwind, but they'd been working so hard lately, they'd owed another break. When he made the first advances on her, Luna was happy to welcome the attention. They'd waited for so long to stand in the same room, to let their fingers brush warm skin. As he pulled her up to hold her closer, she asked if they'd dance. He whirled her around on the spot.

"Of course, we will. Try to pick up good shoes."

She laughed once more, cupping his face with her hands, wondering if losing herself in his eyes could ever get old. Noctis shivered as her fingers tiptoed down his neck and shoulders, nails grazing his back through his shirt.

"I'd take notes, but I'd rather…" Luna started only to be interrupted by his kiss.

It held far more fire than usual, the young man sitting her on the small dining table, a platter of empty dishes clattering to the floor. She gasped as he pressed himself to her but welcomed the rushed excitement. They'd been holding back for everyone's sake, only holding hands and sharing cautious kiss, too pure and soft to calm down the need they both felt. He wanted to touch her all the time and she'd barely managed to keep her hands to herself. It was still so new, so fresh. Every step towards it had made it both harder and easier. To think the only barrier left was their never-ending responsibilities. The table leaned dangerously to one side, Luna's legs wrapping instinctively around his waist.

"Let's not break anything." She suggested.

He stepped on a plate right then and seemed taken aback by the cracking noise. His grimace made her smile and Luna undid his shirt, gently following every muscle under his skin. He felt thinner. Could this be another side-effect of the crystal's toll?

"You're all muscle and bones."

"And your hipbones are too sharp." Noctis shot back.

"Hey! I'm worrying about you and…"

He took another step back, sitting down on the bed, with his fiancée effectively straddling him.

"Be with me, Luna." He pleaded, his voice sounding rougher between the kisses.

"I'm yours, Noct. And I don't mean to… ruin the mood. I just can't help it…"

"I need to eat more, I know. Is it bad if you're first on my menu?"

She managed to blush, even though he'd already seen everything and touched everywhere. Would he always manage to undo her with that look in his blue eyes?

"Say you love me."

His smile was quite vulnerable when he repeated the words, but his voice held truth. And this time around, the promise came out, too real to stay down his throat.

"I'll always love you, Luna."

…

Iris had been contemplating the idea of taking the first steps tonight. Ravus hadn't given her a single sign of life. Her phone was waiting in front of her, waiting to be used or forgotten for the night. A mean to reach out. A link to the outside world. A tie to a guy she should have hated and feared. She tried to forget Gladio's words about the man. Tried to remind herself that Ravus wasn't her concern. It wasn't as though she could help him if he got himself in trouble. But a voice kept repeating that he had to be in trouble. It was two days in a row without the usual : _How's my sister?_

She had thought he'd call or something, but her screen remained dark and her patience was running thin. He'd been in Insomnia for over a week, with imperial soldiers patrolling all over the place, MTs attacking civilians. Had he been nabbed or something?

Not caring anymore, she grabbed her phone and typed in a simple message.

 _Is everything alright?_

The message wasn't marked as unsent, so there was no trouble finding its recipient. Ravus' phone was still on and receiving signal from the satellites. And as she waited for a buzzing sound, nothing came. It was a knock on her door that made her jump in surprise.

"Iris?" Crowe's voice called.

"Come in." She answered, closing the phone screen and turning it around, trying to shove away her worries by not looking at the thing anymore.

The former Glaive walked in, carrying her backpack in one hand.

"Do you mind if I crash here? Aranea just made up with Specs and… convinced me to give them our room."

"Oh…" Iris blinked, feeling a light smile tugging at her lips. Ignis definitely owed some love, she couldn't refuse knowing how lonely he'd been for the last few years. "Sure, I've got an extra bed anyway."

"Really? You were so insistent earlier."

"So what, you think you could crash with Prompto and my brother instead? Now, our chocobo lover wouldn't feel like the third wheel."

The older woman frowned at that, looking her straight in the eyes.

"Is there something you want to tell me?"

"I'm not blind. Gladdy likes you. Everyone is pairing up all over the team. Maybe we'll find a fifteen-year-old guy on the side of the street so I don't have to remain single through the whole trip."

Iris hated herself for the resentment ringing in her voice. She was moving on from Noctis, but she didn't feel less lonely. It wasn't hard all the time, on more than one occasion, she was simply happy for the people around her. And they all cared for her deeply. Like a sister, or even a daughter. Like a partner in arms, but mostly like a nurse or a child. She wanted to grow up, for her limbs to stretch and her muscles to fill up, so she'd be able to run even faster than Ignis, to hold her own against Gladio's hits.

"Iris…"

"I don't want to sound bitter. I'm stressed out." She apologized, running one nervous hand through her short locks as Crowe sat on the bed in front of her.

"Why? If you don't like the idea of your brother and…"

"No! No, don't hold back for my sake!" she protested. "And it's not the fact I'm single or younger either. Not just that… I guess I'm worried."

Her eyes went back to her phone despite herself and Crowe understood.

"Your friend in Insomnia?" she asked.

Iris felt her throat tightening and forced out a deep breath. She was grateful that the Glaive didn't ask more questions about her mysterious friend.

"I don't even know why I care for him. He's obnoxious and rude most of the time."

"Why are you worried?"

"He didn't text me yesterday. Niffs are all over Insomnia and he's not exactly prudent…"

Crowe smiled at that, remembering how Nyx and Libertus would make her worry with their crazy stunts.

"It didn't happen before?"

Iris shook her head no, her phone buzzing at the same time. Crowe leaned her head to the side, looking at the girl hurriedly grabbing her cellphone to check the new text with a knowing smile.

 _wer r u_

"What the hell?!"

"What is it?" Crowe asked.

"He's not even answering my question. He's not even writing right!"

 _What does that mean, Ravus? - I'm around Longwythe peak._

She stared at the lighted screen, as though willing the answer to come.

"Iris… I don't know what's happening with that friend of yours. But I think you're focusing on the wrong things. We're headed to the Balouve mines. If your head's not in the game, you might get hurt."

"I know that… But it feels as though you barely need me at all. You all have some sort of magic or enhancement."

"And you still keep up with us. Do you have any idea what a warrior you'll be in a few years?"

"I don't want it to take years. I need to be a great warrior now."

Crowe sighed, knowing what the girl was going through.

"It sounds as though you've been holding back on a lot of frustration lately. How about you leave that phone here and get some training in?"

Iris didn't have to think about it for long. If Ravus hadn't the time to write full words, it was doubtful he'd answer her before a few hours. And she wouldn't be capable of falling asleep unless she was exhausted.

…

Ignis and Aranea had no idea how to share some quality time in the current situation. Their team did everything together and although some of the hurt was mended, both of them knew there would be more obstacles ahead. The first step in the right direction was their impromptu meeting in the bathroom hallway. The Longwythe area only had a motel, which meant every shower was separated from the rooms. There was a stack for the ladies and one for the men, their main door leading to the same hallway. Aranea was just walking out the door, wearing a bathrobe and her hair down, Ignis coming out of his own cabin at the exact same time, his hairstyle still pointing upwards for reasons the dragoon couldn't begin to understand.

Her first reaction was more of a reflex than anything, backing behind the door so he wouldn't see her legs. He immediately noticed her unease and couldn't help himself. Ignoring her for the last day had been hard enough and since she was willing to give them a try…

"Everything okay?"

"Yes, I…"

 _Why are you still self-aware?_ She chided herself.

"You can walk me to my room if you swear not to look at my legs."

He blinked twice, wondering why it sounded just like something his old Aria would ask of him. His eyes focused on her face, his throat feeling a little too tight.

"That last thing I'd want is to make you uncomfortable."

She rolled her eyes at him, not impressed. He wanted to point out she was the one half hiding behind a door.

"Your word, Iggy."

"I swear to the Astrals, I won't even think of lowering my eyes."

She took a cautious step out, before to fully walk off, almost leaping forward since she was angry at herself for acting like this. Ignis followed suit.

"Do you want to state any other rules?"

"Don't tease me now. I just don't want you to see the scars and get sappy on me."

"Aren't we entitled to a certain degree of sappiness?"

She could have laughed if there weren't so many things kept silent between them. Instead, she reached out for his hand, their fingers fumbling together at first. He hadn't let anyone this close in such a long time and despite the hand holding back in the car, he hadn't been prepared for her to reach out.

"You're more tense than ever, Iggy…"

There were a dozen questions in his head, but they were reaching her door, which meant the interlude would stop…

"Say… Is it only wishful thinking on my part…? Or would you say yes if I could have you stay?" she asked as they stopped in front of their room.

"Do you _really_ have to ask?!" he retorted, squeezing her palm.

"Give me a sec."

She let him behind, barging into her room and snapping the door shut behind her. He barely heard any whisper from inside, until the doorknob turned and Crowe walked out, giving him a knowing look.

"Don't be too loud, okay?"

He felt butterflies in his stomach as he stepped into the room and found himself truly alone with Aranea for the first time since she'd joined Noctis' retinue. She'd put on a pair of leggings and a tank top, her silver hair tied on the side of her head. Locking the door first and foremost, he exchanged a glance with her, looking for his bearings.

"Sit with me." She suggested.

She looked just as nervous as him as he closed in, the mattress shifting from the added weight. His shoulders slumped down slightly, not in despair, but in something close to relaxation.

"Can I use your old name, or is it against the rules?" Ignis asked, unable to hold back that question any longer.

"You can. But that name should be only for you now. For when we're alone."

He took her hand, unable to look away from her eyes as he tasted the syllables on his tongue, deliberately slow:

"Aria."

There was such relief in his voice, accompanied by a rumble of some kind. She tried to fight against the shiver that claimed her flesh and covered her arms with goosebumps. He'd always had a way of saying her name.

"Missed me?" she asked, reaching up to touch his face.

His glasses were still in the room he was supposed to share with Gladio and Prompto and she had full access to him, a few buttons of his shirt left undone. Ignis didn't dare to answer her, a burst of desire washing over him as he leaned into her touch and restrained himself from any sudden move. Her fingers were following the arch of his brows, the corner of a cheekbone, his jawline.

"Missed me?" he mirrored her question, raising the hand he was holding to bring it to his lips.

There were calluses in her palms and her fingertips felt rough, but he couldn't care. When she kneeled in front of him to stand at the same height and reached for his hair, he slightly backed away.

"Let me try something," Aranea pleaded, half-teasing, half-gentle.

He remained tense as she toyed with his hair, forcing them down on his head, ruffling his locks until she'd see his old hairstyle. For an instant, it felt hard to breathe, hard to gaze into her trembling eyes. The look on her face was a mix of sadness and longing. The masks had fallen with the barriers and he felt vulnerable under her gaze. How deep could she see? How much had she forgiven?

"Are you trying to hide that man from me? My dishevelled, raw Ignis…"

It was as if all his self-control vanished. She was here, she was alive and she still cared enough to look past every wall, every self-imposed standard. She was the only one who'd ever want to see the real him and he hadn't realized how much he'd needed it. To let his emotions rule him for more than an instant. To forego the logic that had covered him with bruises and convinced him to abandon his attempt at rescuing her.

He pinned her to the mattress, holding both of her wrists down, unsure which control he wanted. Control over her? Control over his own breathing? She didn't fight back, her hands gripping fistful of his shirt, almost ripping off his buttons, her body shivering against his.

"Don't kiss me yet. I don't think I can hold back if you do, and I don't want to rush this."

"You're taking off my shirt," he observed, their face inches apart.

She'd never been one for contradictions before.

"Well, I'm no saint, in case you'd forgotten. But I used to rush things in the past, because I was desperate and thought you were my last chance. That I was free to be with whom I wanted only once before to go mercenary or worse… I don't want to be desperate with you. Not now."

And Ignis could understand that, although _he_ felt desperate. So he pushed his luck, leaning in to kiss her neck. She sighed under his lips, her fingers slipping through his hair to guide his head to a sensitive spot. The old Aria used to do that. Never using words, but always letting him know what she needed. She massaged his scalp, almost too gentle. She smelled clean and tasted like spice under his tongue. As much as she liked the feel of him, she pushed him away at the first moan, shivering even more. The need was almost painful for both of them now, but she held her ground.

"I don't want to act as if this is our last night together," she defended her point.

She couldn't let him see her yet. She was on hinge, she wanted to cry and to laugh at the same time and she hadn't felt this many things at once for so long… What would it be if she let him love her like he used to? She'd never felt worthy of the look in his eyes or the way he'd call her name. And she didn't want to admit all of her insecurities if she could get over them on her own.

"Alright," he whispered, his voice a little hoarse. He scooted away from her, keeping one arm around her waist. "May I hold you through the night then?"

"Cuddling is A-Okay." She retorted, her voice trying to imitate his accent.

He pulled a face at the mockery, but gave her back her smile. They settled in bed, snuggling close under the covers, with him on his back and Aranea wrapped over his side. The position felt far more familiar than expected, even though they hadn't cuddled much in the past. Every stolen moment was so rare then. He stroked her hair, her bare shoulders, her free hand drawing circle on his chest. They remained in silence for a moment, just bathing in each other's warmth, enjoying the closeness. His fingers tensed on her back as realization hit him. This wasn't a dream. He wasn't delusional either. She noticed his breathing turning irregular and a violent twitch in his whole body, immediately struggling to raise herself, only to be held in place.

"Iggy?"

"It's just… really hard to process. You're alive, Aranea. You're alive and in my arms…" he marveled, voice faltering.

"If you cry, I'll cry too." She warned.

His arm shook around her, but he swallowed back the tears, coughing on a sob that raked his chest. Having her back was nothing short of a miracle. And if that one had turned possible, could his few, impossible dreams not become plausible too? Like his deceased mom. Or a fallen kingdom raising from the ashes, strong and unstained.

"I was never dead." Aranea remarked.

His chest heaved too fast and she raised herself on one elbow to look into his eyes, heart torn as he apologized to her. A dozen freaking times. Guilt might eat him alive.

"Don't… We need to move on from that cliff."

"I know."

But he'd move on too fast and the more he turned the idea in his head, the worse he felt about asking anything from her now.

"Don't beat yourself up. I'll have you make it up to me."

She rolled them on their side, knowing tears were threatening to fall from her eyes. But she didn't want tears now. So instead, she scooted closer, kissing his jaw, the tip of his nose, ruffling his hair even more. He wrapped his arms around her frame, amazed of how well she fitted next to him.

"One kiss." She warned him again.

"Or two."

"Maybe three." She relented as their mouth touched.

It tasted of salt and honey. Sweet and sour, just like their relationship might be for the next few months. Aranea swore to herself she'd endure it. Ignis was worth falling for, no matter from how high she'd have to fall.

…

It was dark, humid and with a low ceiling of rough stones. Prompto kept reminding himself he'd meet up with Cindy in a matter of hours, as soon as they'd find the deepest part, the royal tomb and Noctis had one more magical weapon to his arsenal. That would make 6 of them, meaning only one until he'd equal his father's weaponry. The gunman wondered how hard it would get for his best friend. They were all worried about the prince, watching him rush from one challenge to the next after paying two years of his life. They were quite strong now, able to wipe out a dozen daemons in a matter of minutes. Even mindflayers and the few giants that would show up at night. Of course, the magic helped. They had to keep drinking down potions to manage with the collective damages and sometimes, Gladio joked their blood might be greener than red at this point.

They had left late in the morning, Noctis and Luna sleeping in far longer than anyone else. Crowe and Iris were also late, both tired from their intensive training _aka outlet from hell_. Aranea and Ignis seemed more at ease next to each other, but there was some hesitation every now and then in their gestures. And while everyone knew they'd made up and spend the night together, an external observer wouldn't have been able to tell whether they were good friends or lovers. Unlike the prince and princess, those two had lost each other and had never been open about their relationship with the outside world even when there was no cliff accident to tear them apart.

Gladiolus was restless, after driving for a full day, and spending his evening reading a book or playing cards with the overexcited Prompto. The blond man could tell the larger man had more things on his mind than usual. He'd forgotten to do his usual squats and push-ups in the morning, barely stretching after getting out of bed. And now they were deep in the mines, Iris staying close to Crowe, every magic user on the team being more careful than usual about their spell. The space was too small to unleash fire and thunder was out of question, thanks to the constant dripping of water. A single spark would shock everyone.

Noctis and Gladiolus were leading the way, Ignis forced to trace their map of the place, sometimes warning them about a dead end or of a turn that would bring them back to already explored areas. Balouve mines had been out of commission for a long time. Thankfully, there was no surprise with the constant rush of goblins that sneered, grunted and jumped in the dark, half-blinded by the groups' lights. The worst really was walking all over the place, going down one level, hitting a dead end and going back down to a lower floor. Aranea gritted her teeth as the tunnel they were in opened on a wide room.

"I don't like the look of this."

Confirming her doubts, a tall daemon appeared, holding a katana over his shoulder, dressed in a worn down hakama. Prompto wondered why it was always more troubling to see a daemon as humanlike as this one. Luna swore under her breath, gathering surprised looks from almost everyone. She held her tongue, blinking hard to chase the figure she'd almost recognized. The monster had been human. And it felt as though she could see the man it used to be if she looked too closely.

"An Aramusha." Ignis told them. "I'd recommend fire."

"Nice, I've got the right round for this thing." Prompto commented, raising his gun.

He didn't like letting the magic burst from the bullet with his friends too close to the target. The shot rang onto the walls of the cave, fire bursting right into the Aramusha's chest. The thing didn't even flinch, his clothes burning and the smell of burned flesh rising in the air.

"Sounds like we have a tough one this time." Gladiolus observed before to rush toward the daemon samurai, which retorted with a charge of its own.

Ignis warped forward, pole arms raised, Noctis hot on his trails. Luna used her powers to repel any other daemons, Crowe crossing her arms over her chest. The guys weren't always ready to step back and let them deal with the enemies. She knew it was a lot safer this way, to take turns in battle. But she'd rather worked like that against larger daemons or waves of imperial. Her blood itched for a fight and Iris was just as restless. Aranea didn't wait, getting into the fray in two jumps, her hits quick enough not to hinder any of the fighters.

Prompto took a shot at every occasion, alternating between magic and normal bullets. He was growing better at reading the flow of battle and which hit worked best. He'd also realized over time that he could transfer the magic he'd absorbed to any bullet. He didn't need to infuse one in particular and remember the sequence in which he fired his ammunition. Instead he infused his gun and changed the bullet as he released the trigger. It tired him more than the usual, average rounds he'd shot, but he was dealing larger damages than ever in a matter of seconds.

 _I think someone is going to be jealous,_ he thought with a smirk.

Gladiolus confronted the daemon head-on, the thing quick enough to parry a few of Noctis and Ignis' hits while pushing back the prince's shield. But soon enough, its strengths crumbled under the sheer numbers of attackers.

Crowe and Iris offered them a few energizing drinks, the former Glaive commenting on their time as the Aramusha turned to ashes. Noctis did as always, stalking off to the next tunnels. The group followed quickly, if only to help with the new goblins that appeared on his way. The tomb waited, doors still locked. And a voice in the prince's head warned him he'd been waiting too long to visit. A voice he knew from Steyliff grove and the Citadel. When Luna motioned to enter it with him, Noctis halted abruptly.

"I'll be fine on my own." He told her.

"I know that, Noct…"

He sighed in answer, highly conscious of the eyes and ears of everyone else, staring and listening instantly.

"Stay with the others for this one. I won't be long."

When she started protesting, he warped forward, closing the door behind him in motion so fast, Luna found herself tumbling at the white marble.

"What's wrong with him?"

Inside the tomb, Noctis was asking himself the same question. And the voice spoke again.

 _You can't always depend on them. You are the chosen king, you alone. We've been watching you._

There was a sudden pain behind his eyes and he held back a gasp. This tomb belonged to the Cleverest of kings, long gone, but one renown for the incredible things he managed with the crystal, not that different from the initiatives Regis had taken as he'd build a second wall.

"How…?"

The Lucii ring was freezing against his skin and he understood the tomb resonated with it. Although he could swear this wasn't the crystal talking. Could that be his ancestors? The voice reverberated on the stone, ringing in his head.

 _You couldn't begin to comprehend this. And it isn't your role to understand. You're to carry the gods power among men._

"I… know that."

 _The five royal arms you carry won't be enough. You need all of them. The trident too._

His heart missed a beat. To wield Luna's trident, it would mean she would have to meet the same fate as his father.

"You can't…"

 _The scourge is growing, expanding. You convinced the Astral in giving the Oracle their powers too. No matter how great a feat that is… Your enemy can't be matched with only 12 royal arms._

Noctis felt his anger flaring up and his eyes flashed crimson red as he looked down to the grave in front of him. A bow rested on the sculpted stone. He raised one fist, barely controlling the magic in his heart. How many more things would they ask from him? His childhood, his future, his entire life?!

"We'll see about that."

 _Don't be a foo…_

His bare fist hit the stone, blue blurs of energy running in the air, his mind adrift with rage. And he commanded the thunder to strike, shattering down the statue, shattering the very ground above his head and running in a straight line. Ramuh had answered, enveloping him in thunder, the doors opening from the aftershock as his ancestor's bones were shattered and the blurry bow dive into his flesh. His team stood in silence, watching as the curtain of metal flowed around him. They could barely distinguish the weapons dancing around him. Sword, axe, scepter, shield, bow and giant shuriken. He'd been trained to use every of those things, although he hated scepters and couldn't throw shurikens far.

His red eyes met Luna's questioning look with a fury so strong, it took all her will not to back away with fear. What was happening to him? On his side, he barely tempered his anger, unable to process what his ancestors dared to ask. Had it been the kings of old or the crystal talking? How could they threaten the one thing holding him together?!

"Man, are you…?" Prompto asked.

The weapons dropped and his eyes turned back to blue, fists still clenched. There was blood on his hand.

"I think I need a break from all those royal arms. All that getting stabbed is not good for my head." He tried to joke around.

Their face remained pale, Luna taking one tentative step towards him. At the sight of her hesitation, his anger dropped entirely. He couldn't tell her until he had a solution. He couldn't tell any of them. He blinked, feeling lost and helpless for the hundred time since he'd left his home.

"I don't want this to be for nothing." He admitted.

Lunafreya shook her head, wondering why he would doubt himself now. Or if she'd missed any signs.

"You're pushing yourself too hard."

And the cheering started, earnest, giving him a hint of hope as the woman he loved wrapped her arms around him.

"We're stronger than ever."

"The empire won't know what hit them."

"There's no need to do this alone."

"We're going to give Free Crown citizens a dozen reasons to acclaim their new king."

"We've got your back, Noct."

Their words almost melted together, Noctis finding it hard to know who was saying what. He was just gaining control to be faced with a new price to pay. Holding Luna closer, he promised himself he wouldn't let it happen. There was no point defending a world where she didn't exist.

To be continued…

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I can say I hadn't planned this talk with ancestors/?/crystal entity thing. But believe me, it fits pretty well with what I have coming. Won't say more. Except that Noctis will do anything he can to prevent Luna's death. And I think I did this because there had been too much fluff beforehand. I shouldn't write on NoctLuna and Ignea in the same chapter. If you hadn't notice yet, those two are my favorite pairings in the lot. Well, I think I love them all to be honest, but well, Ignis and Noctis are quite dear to my heart. Next chapter will be entirely focused on Prompto's date and birthday party. Noctis needs some cheering up. And maybe we'll have more news about Ravus' situation. And a potential cliffhanger. Titan should start around chapter 37-38.

So, first things first, to address the case of Ravus and Iris, because the questions have been coming for a few chapters now. It's true, Ravus might not care for Iris like a sister. It's too soon for even that. And he won't ever consider her like a sister, although it would make things so much simpler for him. From where I stand, I think the guy stopped having friends when his mother died. He let himself grow filled with hatred and used it as a mask to remain unaffected as he worked for the empire.

As for those wondering if it's wrong of shipping Iris and Ravus together, let's say I personally ship it. And love isn't wrong because of age difference. It's when no love is involved or manipulation/abuse/Stockholm syndrome are the only reasons for the relationship. That pairing totally sneaked up on me as I was writing this fic. Be warned that this relationship will develop over time. Like years. For now, they're allies. They _might_ become friends pretty soon. The age gap is entirely clear in my mind and although Iris won't mind it, Ravus will totally mind. The girl is younger than his own sister.

Also, Ravus and Iris should be called Raviris. Ravis literally means delighted in French (the plural of it to be precise).

I also would like to thank Darkness032 for the last review to date. I think we all have things that disappointed us in this game. If I was to write it all down, I'm pretty sure it would be as long as this story. I did use magic in my gameplay despite hurting my darling boys with it. I was always quick to use a phoenix down or potions on them to make up for it. Thanks for keeping up with this story for so long. I hope it will keep you interested until I type the words The End. Rest assured, I have a lot more lined up before then. We're either halfway or a third of the way through. ;)

I've edited any major mistake and a few things with the Ignea scenes. If it feels too easy for them to making up like this, it's because they hadn't explained everything yet. Confrontation will come once more. In due time.

As always, reviews are more than welcomed.


	36. Mister Quicksilver's birthday

Fluff alert guys. Puppies and fluff are everywhere in this chapter. I don't know what to blame for it. Maybe my mind. Nope, my mind couldn't have been involved in this. I wrote it in less than ten hours, in the midst of the worse allergies I had yet as the sun finally decided to show up around here. But enough about me, we will have chocobros teasing a blond-haired angel and Ravus' total lack of social skills. I hope you'll like it. With Prompto's DLC eventually coming out, I need to focus my attention on him. He's been hanging behind lately. And Ignis is still trying to take over the fic with his romance with Aranea, I swear I can't help myself.

This early update is to thank you for the 90 000 views we topped this week. This story has exceeded everything I did in the past on this site. Nearing the 500 reviews is making me so excited. I don't know if I'll be able to make something special for it. Have a big weekend ahead of me and still pretty with my summer semester of school. I hope you'll enjoy the team's beach time!

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Unexpected

Chapter 36 – Mister Quicksilver's birthday

Noctis had had his best friend swore he'd take things easy for the rest of the day. It took a lot of convincing to have everyone off the prince's case after his little outburst in the royal tomb. It was clear their future king was hiding something from them. And as much as they wanted to confront him, a real break might be more useful at the moment than a dispute. They'd driven all the way to Galdyn Quay, the ladies setting on some shopping to gather whatever was still needed for the surprise party while the guys messed with Prompto's nerves. It was all in good fun and he didn't feel exactly pushed around, not until they literally pushed him into a shower and told him his date was coming and that he'd better clear his head to impress the lady. Gladiolus would have added a comment or two if Ignis didn't shut him up with a warning glare.

Cindy arrived in the meantime, her old truck looking out of place next to the Regalia in the parking lot. She joined the girls on their shopping streak, refusing their tips or suggestions about the dress she should pick, except for a stop in the hotel's hair salon. Galdyn Quay was pretty much the closest things Leide had to luxury, especially now that Insomnia had fallen. Free Crown would eventually supplant the small resort, but for now it was the best they had. Aranea was clearly less comfortable with shopping, more used to making do with the bare minimum and found herself hanging back as much as she could, often joined by either Luna, who rarely had the liberty to shop with friends, or by Crowe, who had already bought herself a swimsuit and didn't really care for much else.

"Are you nervous?" Iris asked, getting caught up in this semblance of normalcy.

Cindy tried to play it cool as she sat in the salon's chair, her faithful cap abandoned next to the mirror.

"I won't be 'til I see ta look on his face." She retorted.

From the way she dressed and acted, most would have thought Cindy to be an experienced woman in the love department. But she was a young girl more interested in motors and concrete than guys. She dressed to be comfortable despite the heat and because looking sexy made her more confident, but it didn't mean she'd collected boyfriends over the years. If anything, men were too scared of her paw-paw's reputation to approach her. The few who did show little respect or couldn't seem to understand her passion. Prompto was one of the first guys she'd let get this close. And also the only frogged person she'd kiss without an afterthought. All the texts and calls made either of their days easier. As much as being worshipped by the guy felt amazing, she also had the impression she could give more to this man than to any other. Despite his amazing skills and big heart, Prompto didn't seem to believe he owed any respect in life. He treated most if not every relationship as though he couldn't believe he was worthy of the other person's attention. And Cindy could tell, despite the walls he was keeping around him, despite the clown attitude that made him so endearing to her. Today, she wanted to let him know she cared and that he was worth all of her attention.

She wondered why she felt nervous as her dirt blond locks were twisted and cut here and there. She'd let the girls decide on her hairstyle, not much of this sort of thing. She was usually fine with a tad of make-up, her dirty nails, healthy tan and natural curves. But it was the man's birthday and their first real date. Could anyone blame her for wanting to blow his mind?

…

"Why should I wear a suit?" Prompto complained as Ignis straightened the jacket on his shoulders, removing a few wrinkles.

"Consider it a practice for Noct's wedding." Gladio threw back, sitting back on the couch, wearing a mere tank top and a pair of shorts.

"It's way too hot to wear a tie." The gunman pointed out.

"It's not his style anyway, Specs." Noctis observed from his own seat, a newspaper sprawled on his crossed legs, playing a game on his phone. "He looks too small with the jacket on."

"I heard that!"

"So what, we go for the untidy look? It's way too early for something…"

"Why did I even agree to let you guys help?!"

"Because it's Cindy _Goddess of the Gear_ Aurum, not a cute schoolgirl," Noctis reminded him sounding awfully serious despite the light smirk on his face.

They were all enjoying this way more than Prompto did.

"Didn't she suggested you dress up for the occasion?" Gladio asked, recalling the many times the blond man had told them of his upcoming date.

"Yeah, but I'm sure she didn't mean that much. And Noct is right anyway. This thing is two sizes too big for me."

Ignis rolled his eyes, trying to adjust the jacket by pinching the sewing lines. He might be able to do something acceptable if Prompto would cooperate with him.

"You should have had your suit custom-made like I'd told you. It's the only way to get a good fit. Stop fidgeting for the love of…!"

Gladio and Noctis were doing everything they could not to burst out laughing at the sight of a pissed off Ignis turned full butler-mode on the poor nervous gunman. But Prompto had enough of the whole thing, no matter how good it was for the guys to fall back into "normal" dynamics. He shrugged off the jacket entirely, walking back to Ignis' bed and throwing his suitcase open.

"What are you…?!"

"How about a waistcoat? You got one that's pretty neat. The silver one, you know? Would clash with my black shirt and make me look dressed for the occasion without giving me the feeling of being a total clown."

Ignis seemed more worried about the state his other clothes would get in from the search of the waistcoat, but he contained himself, knowing they'd already mess around enough with the boy. And the waistcoat complimented his thin line while giving him a laid-back but still sophisticated air.

"That's not so bad, actually." Gladio observed, almost sounding jealous.

He hated waistcoats because he could never find one that fitted on his bulky frame without major adjustments.

"It's too long." Ignis commented.

"It looks good," Noctis retorted getting up. "You clean up well, man. How about the hair now?"

"Oh come on, I just changed it three times already!"

…

It was well past 12 AM when Prompto finally met up with Cindy in the hotel lobby. Iris, Crowe and Luna had eclipsed themselves, much like his three friends. Prompto was pretty nervous by then, but he felt a bit more confident. The receptionist's head had turned as he walked by, her eyes lingering on his back and maybe his butt too for far more seconds than necessary. He definitely looked great in his improvised get up. He was relieved to spot a blond head sitting in one of the couches surrounding the lobby, hoping she hadn't been waiting too long. The lady uncrossed her perfect legs, her wine-red dress flowing around her as she slowly stood up. Cindy had her hair pulled back, her dress tightly bound to her neck by a golden circle, a slit on the side of her skirt showing off her left thigh. There was no cleavage, but her shoulders and back were quite exposed and he felt a knot building up in his throat.

"Have you been here for long?" he asked, unsure which way of greeting her would be best.

"Just got away from the girls." She retorted, offering him her arm after giving him an appreciative look. "Ya took me seriously when I asked ya to dress up."

"Well, wouldn't want to let you down." Prompto admitted, linking their arm in what he expected was the proper way for the occasion. "You look amazing."

To his own surprise, she blushed at the compliment and gave him a shy smile.

"I'm glad you like it. It's not my usual sort of place, but I wanted it to be special, since I heard it was your birthday today."

He blinked, taken aback. He'd planned on telling her later, maybe at another time, not wanting to put any pressure on her for their first date. He'd been sure it was only a coincidence.

"Who..?"

"I couldn't find a suitable present in time, so I thought the dress would make a good one. What do you think?"

She was trying to play it cool and he felt inspired to try a little something, taking a quick look around before to have her turn over herself, giving her a serious look over as she giggled.

"I like it." He whispered to her ear, pulling her closer to him.

"Happy birthday, city boy."

They walked out, arm in arm, making quite the lovely pair. It wasn't long before they were taken to an empty table, reserved with the prince's name, which assured them the best service they could get. Prompto wondered where his friends might have gone, not seeing them anywhere around the restaurant, although Noctis might have wanted to take Luna on a date or even Ignis and Aranea. Although that didn't look quite like them. Cindy was pretty good at keeping him distracted, asking about their trip, telling him all about her latest errands. When she admitted having trouble reaching people living in run down towns far from the usable roads, Prompto realized she couldn't call a chocobo on her own, lacking the whistles Wiz had given them.

"Say, I could surely get you a whistle to call a bird every now and then," he offered.

"That would be nice. But I'd rather wait until my aim is perfect."

"Did you really practice on your own?"

"Can't get rusty while ya're out saving the world."

He felt embarrassed and scratched the back of his head, trying to lessen her praise.

"I'm just supporting Noct and…"

"Ya shouldn't underestimate yarself, Prom. Ya're putting yar life on the line for Lucis and running around, skipping meals, fighting imperials every day…"

"Well… It's gotten easier lately. I didn't want to tell you about it on the phone…"

They talked for hours, Cindy soon dragging her chair to his side of the table to be able to look at the pictures on his phone, leaning to his side, enjoying the feel of his hip against hers, letting their arm brush at every little gesture. They were slowly reacquainting themselves to the other, looking for the closeness they'd reached too quickly. When he tried to put an arm around her shoulders, she leaned closer, smiling to herself at how tentative every of his initiative was. There was something simply endearing about the way he looked up at her, even if he was slightly taller, even if she was a mere mechanic girl with a funny accent. Something comforting in the way he held her, a mix of gentleness and need. Somehow she understood how lonely he'd been. Being raised by foster parents, like her with her paw-paw.

"Say, Prom, if you think you guys might ever need me on the field, like to understand some imperial ship or something, you'd let me know, right?"

"What, of course, we'd let you know. Although, you're already doing a lot just by supporting Free Crown and…"

"I can't leave paw-paw alone with the garage for long periods of time, he's not getting any younger, but I can still help when needed."

He smiled, understanding what she was getting at. She didn't want him to brush off her help only so he would keep her safe. She'd already risked her life and proved she could hold her own. At the very least, she wanted to prove herself she could.

"You know, Noctis might have some use for your expertise pretty soon. Although your old man will hate me even more if we do bring you into that operation."

"Let me take care of Cid," she retorted, clapping him on the leg without thinking.

…

Meanwhile, Noctis found himself confronted by everyone. Gladiolus was the first to pull him to the side, Ignis busy monitoring the cooking progress for the feast he was preparing with Iris and Luna back at the campsite. Aranea and Crowe were slowly emptying one side of the beach from all the people on it, the first wearing a large sun hat to hide her silver hair, the second sporting a floral-patterned sundress that totally clashed with the tough-girl image she usually projected. Even if Prompto had enough time to spot them, he wouldn't recognize either of them. Reserving the beach wasn't common, but the people seemed quite understanding and only a few asked for money to move around the pier.

"I understand you're trying to worry any of us, but you should at the very least confide in me, Noct. I'm supposed to look out for you." Gladio reminded him, pushing a case of fishing equipment in his hands.

Squaring his shoulders, Noctis had the stuff vanish through his powers.

"You've been doing a good job, man, this is not about my health."

"What's going on between your two ears affects your health, whether you want to admit it or not… your Highness."

That sounded bad, reverting to titles even though there was no occasion for it.

"I'm not going crazy." The prince sighed. "Every of us has been under a lot of pressure. And even though I have collected 6 different royal arms, there are more out there. I… I might only be tired. After we take down the Quezacoatlz fortress, we should take a real break if the people in Insomnia can still wait."

"You definitely could use a week off or two. Or full nights of sleep. I understand you're a young man in love, but…"

"Oh come on!" Noctis half-feigned indignation, taking a step away from his shield who simply laughed in answer.

"Jokes aside, Noctis. If there's anything on your mind and you don't want to share it with everyone… Don't forget I'm here."

The guy meant well and Noctis was grateful for how much he cared. But he doubted he could rely on any of his friends with the new problem posed by his ancestors. More than ever, he wished Regis was still here and could tell him if he'd ever been contacted by the kings of old during his travels. He couldn't remember every story his father told him as a child, some of his memories felt fuzzier since the sudden aging he'd been through. The former king cared deeply for the young Oracle. There had to be a way to save both her and Eos.

"Thanks man. I was just on edge earlier."

Gladiolus looked doubtful but decided to let it go for this time.

"Just try to take it easy today. This party we're throwing should help us all relax and get some energy back, not only Prompto." The shield observed.

"I know. Don't go preaching to the choir."

"I just need to get the coolers out of the car and I'm cracking a beer open." He retorted.

Noctis wasn't surprised to hear Ignis concerns a few minutes later, only to try comforting him too, feeling a little less successful than he'd been with Gladiolus. Ignis had helped in both his training and his studies, showing up almost every day to clean up after him and give him one or two lessons about cooking, making his bed in the morning or even getting shaved. Both of them were good at reading the other, after all the afternoons and evenings spend together in silence, Noctis pretending to do his homework or writing a letter to Luna while Ignis inspected his grades, helped him with revision or simply worked on fixing a hole in one of his clothes.

"If I'm not wrong, you summoned an Astral. And they aren't supposed to answer you unless you're in grave danger. Or are there precise conditions?"

"I don't know what it takes for an Astral to answer." Noctis answered truthfully. "All I know is that Ramuh did answer this time, because I was mad enough…"

"But why were you mad? What happened inside the tomb?" Ignis insisted.

"I've almost reached my father's level. One more royal arms, and I will have collected as much as he did. And for some reason, it doesn't feel like enough yet."

"How can it be insufficient? You can actually kill over 9 MTs in a single shot. Prompto was ready to swear you could take on a Behemoth on your own. Not that I'd recommend it," he added quickly, pushing his glasses higher on his nose.

Ignis wouldn't let this go easily and Noctis sure didn't feel up for a party if everyone kept reminding him of his outburst in the royal tomb.

"I don't know. There's still that fortress to take out and Insomnia's citizens that are being captured by that new army commander. I just told Gladiolus I need a break, but I don't think we can afford one."

"Weren't you listening earlier? You are not alone, and that doesn't only include the people of this little team. There's Cor and the hunters and also Libertus and every refugee in Free Crown. We could raise up an army in a few weeks if we needed to."

And it was all true, it should have been enough, but Noctis' eyes trailed off to Luna's blond head, laughing next to Iris.

"It this about Lunafreya?"

Blinking and quickly averting his eyes, the prince chided himself for being too predictable. Luckily, he had a truth to tell Ignis that might get him off his case.

"The stronger I grow, the more she worries about not being strong enough to back me up. And apparently, there are temples that could…"

The hours went by, the future feast left on the warmers, much to Ignis' disapprobation, but there was a lot to do in little time. Cindy and Prompto had gotten up from their table, Iris giving them the warning signal. They took their position while the couple walked down to the beach, holding hands and talking about anything and everything. For the young gunman, this had been an ideal birthday so far, no matter all the teasing the guys had put him through before his date.

"I think we should come back again in the future, don't you?" Cindy asked him.

"Sure…"

He felt a little nervous as they stepped down on the sand. The last time they'd been together on a beach hadn't exactly ended well and the fact there was no one in sight felt strange. It was a beautiful afternoon, the sun still high in the sky, the marine air fresh on their skin. He realized he'd been staring at the sea in silence for an instant and tried to focus back on her, to notice she'd unclasp the golden circle around her neck, as though she wanted to take her dress off?!

"Cind…?"

"I said it was your present, so I'd better give it to you properly," she retorted.

He blinked, almost frozen in place. He'd seen her throwing off her clothes once already, it was more than what a guy could usually say on his first date, but that didn't mean that he wanted… Well, not that he minded, especially since the beach was so quiet, but… Hell!

"W…wait a min…"

The dress was already down to her midriff, showing up a bright yellow top without any straps to hold it around her neck. And damn, was she looking good, perfectly tanned, her eyes sparkling, a light blush on her cheeks.

"Were you seriously thinking you'd keep me away from that beautiful ocean?"

"Or any of us?!"

Prompto's eyes were already wide, but they turned even rounder as he saw his friends popping up, the guys already in swimsuits, Luna sporting a one-piece suit while Crowe and Iris wore bikinis similar to the one Cindy had been hiding under her dress. Aranea wore a dark one with a long pareo over it, keeping her legs effectively covered.

"What the…?!"

"It's a birthday beach party!" Iris declared with a smile.

She was so excited she almost jumped in place.

"We got a suit for you at the camp, you can get changed and grab a bite…" Noctis started.

"Or more importantly sun screen." Ignis interfered, his sunglasses clipped on.

"Wow. Are you guys for real?"

Prompto didn't know how to react. He'd never had a surprise birthday party thrown out for him and he sure didn't think any of them would find the time to worry about his birthday with everything going on.

"Well, you won't turn 21 every year." Gladio observed.

"And before you asked, Cindy was on to us from the beginning." Crowe added.

"Smile Prompto, because we're about to snap a picture." Luna warned him.

He felt Cindy hanging one arm around his neck to be in the shot with him and barely had the time to hold her back, looking up with a large smile. It wasn't long before Gladio had escorted him to the camp and back, the others gathering their stuff. Chairs, beach towels borrowed from the hotel, Luna settling herself under a parasol, her skin not too fond of the sun. Noctis sat next to his fiancée, asking her if she really wanted a wedding on the water. Luna perked up, a flow of arguments ready to justify her choice. In truth, the young man just wanted to hear her voice and see her smile.

Ignis looked out of his element, much like Aranea, who was almost as pale as Luna and clearly didn't aim to get even one of her toes wet.

"Care for a drink?" the advisor asked her.

"Hell yes. Anything stronger than beer?"

"It's a bit early for that and we have wine for dinner."

"Cold wine? Crack that bottle open."

Gladiolus refrained from teasing Prompto on his small frame as they walked back to the beach, taking in the sight of their whole team simply enjoying themselves. Noctis seemed relaxed for once, while Ignis and Aranea were both sipping on cold wine under their own parasol. Cindy had already convinced Crowe to test the water, Iris stretching a bit before to join them.

"You're a pretty lucky guy, kid." The Shield told him.

"You shouldn't call me that anymore. I'm 21, which means I'd be of age even back in Nifelheim."

"Cut the crap, kid. As long as you can't beat me in a fight…"

"I know. Say man, is it wrong if I think your sister looks pretty hot in that suit?"

Prompto got running before to hear Gladio's answer, knowing full well what kind of risk he was taking. But as much as it was meant as a joke, Gladiolus took a good minute to consider the question. Iris ran up to him as though she'd noticed how he was looking at her, only to ask him if he'd joined them in the water. As she neared him, the shield raised his hands in front of his eyes, pretending shock:

"Whoa, too much skin, I'm blind!"

"Gladdy! I'm not any worse than Crowe or Cindy. You need to get in there!"

"I'm not throwing you in the water, Iris, this isn't a pool…!"

"The quay has rules against diving and you're so good at throwing." She interjected, pulling at his arm.

She was like a little girl all over again and it was so good to see her like that… He let her drag him towards the others, soon realizing that if Iris looked sorta good (she was his baby sister for heaven's sake, Prompto needed a good punch in the head), Crowe was rocking her red bikini. Her hair was already falling untidily on her shoulder, sticking to her skin and he wasn't angry to dive in the cold water to clear up his thoughts. Their budding relationship was going nowhere fast, especially since they seemed to always look after the other members of the group before worrying about their own needs. Normally, he wouldn't mind, but the attraction was still there, and he'd long to… No, no, not now, it wasn't the time for that!

Aranea sighed, looking at how carefree the others were, either splashing around, suggesting a swimming competition, Iris climbing on her brother's shoulders as they played ball.

"Something wrong?" Ignis asked her.

"No… Not really. It's just… I could never play like that, reverting to a childish way of seeing things… It's not in me. A little like you can't help being serious all the time."

He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. It meant both their childhood had been stolen far too early. And sometimes, he wondered if hers hadn't been taken from the moment she'd been branded by the empire.

"You're selling yourself short. You have a playful personality, and I don't think anything could break that down. Also, you know about Prompto's situation…"

"Well, maybe he's better at pretending than me. I can smile and laugh and I really don't mean to say I'd rather be brooding all the time. You know me."

He hoped he did and gave her a supportive smile, wondering where she wanted to go with her line of thought. She leaned back on her elbows, looking up at the sky, void of dropships, only clouds and shades of blue.

"Seeing this picture-perfect scene reminds me of my doubts about the future. If the war is ever over. I'm a fighter and a killing machine, Iggy. I can go back to being a hunter I guess. But living in peace. Is that even for me?"

He wanted to shake some sense into her, but he knew she'd react badly from the look in her eyes. She believed in what she was saying. Despite all the pride, all the defiance in her, she had let the world convince her she wasn't cut out for a peaceful life. And even though he was definitely biased, Ignis had known for years… if anyone deserved a good life, it was his Aria.

"There will always be beasts that need to be hunted down. And if you can put up with me, I don't think we'll ever have anything close to peace."

She smirked at that, knowing he was right. They got along well, but she liked to disrupt his plans to get him riled up, while he seemed happy to be himself around her.

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you for some time now. It's not a trick question, I don't need an answer right away…"

He frowned. This sort of introduction meant a trick question she wanted answered right away, or his name wasn't Ignis Scientia.

"If you had to choose, which one would it be. Noctis or me? I mean, your sacred duty to the king or the wreck of a woman I am…"

She kept a straight face as she asked it, but Ignis found it hard to do the same. She'd always assumed he'd choose his duty over her in the past. And she'd been right. But now? He remembered the look on Noctis' face just a few hours ago. Even with Luna around, he couldn't possibly let him unattended for more than a day or two. The young man wouldn't eat right, he would skip too many nights of sleep and wait until he was collapsing of exhaustion to get rest. And he could understand why Noctis was in such a rush. He had the feeling he'd been hanging by, doing nothing for his whole life and wanted to catch up on his previous nonchalance. Taking care of him was a habit now. It grounded him for the last five years, maybe for his entire life. And although the young prince was slowly growing independent, Ignis couldn't accept to let him out of his sight yet. He couldn't turn his back on any of the guys. Especially not the one he'd come to see as a brother.

Aranea looked away, worrying her lower lip. Maybe was she pushing too hard.

"Is there a context for this?"

"Cause you need one?!"

Now it was his turn to sigh, way too conscious of the points he was losing.

"He's not some brat I'm paid to look after, Aranea… He's like a brother to me. And holding up my duty as his advisor and friend is all I can do to alleviate the pressure he's under."

It was hard to stay angry when Ignis retorted to her reproaches by opening up.

"Maybe I should phrase my question differently. Back in Insomnia, I was your free time occupation. And I know you're going to be busy and I will take as many responsibilities as I can because I can't stay idle for long myself. But…"

She paused, angry at herself for insisting on all those things. She wasn't the kind of girl to insist on big promises. She didn't want the moon or a diamond ring or even a stupid house.

"But what? You want more than my free time?" He suggested, inching closer to her.

She didn't move back or react as his hand reached for her wrist.

"I sound pretty lame, right?" she mocked herself.

"Well, brace yourself, because I got worse. I'd take all of your time if you were willing to share it."

That managed to make her smile and the small sparkles in her eyes gave him the courage to lean in a little more.

"Sappy Ignis, huh? I am willing to share to a certain extent… You're conscious the others might see if you kiss me out here."

"Do you mind it?"

"I will if you get sand in my hair."

He seemed ready to add something, but she tugged on his neck, effectively bringing their lips together. Knowing he wasn't afraid to show his affection for her in front of his friends meant much more than she'd expected. Noctis and Luna were too focused on their conversation a dozen feet away to take notice and it wasn't before Ignis had wrapped one arm around her to deepen the fourth or fifth kiss that the first approving, "Go Iggy!" came out. It effectively parted the couple, but there were light smiles on their face.

"Should we get dinner off the burners?" Luna asked.

"Might be a good time for it." Ignis retorted.

Dinner was a joyful one, everyone joking, relaxing or just eating with gusto the seafood Ignis had concocted with the girls. Prompto and Cindy sat a little closer together than the other couples, clearly happy to spend so much time together after the one-week separation. The sun was still shedding quite some light and the beach had her own daemon repelling lights, meaning they could stay out as long as they wanted. Iris was deep in discussion with Crowe and Luna, Aranea arguing with Gladiolus about the best alcohol beverage they had around, while Noctis and Ignis sat back, lost in thought. It was the prince who talked first.

"Everything good between you and Aranea?"

"More or less, but she's giving me a chance. That's more than I could ask for. Also… The next time you try to set me up, just order me around or something."

"Last time I tried, you almost skinned me alive."

"You were looking for trouble." Ignis declared with a dark, solemn expression that soon shifted into a smirk.

They shared a laugh, relieved to have one full evening of peace amidst all the hectic action they'd been through lately. After desserts, Cindy dragged Prompto to the side for a walk, Noctis and Luna settling close to the fire, Iris wrapping herself in a blanket as she sat under the stars, her phone held close in case she'd have a call. Aranea helped Ignis with the gathering of dishes and the cleaning, both of them refusing Crowe's help when she offered it. They wanted more time together and the former Glaive ended up looking for Gladiolus, who'd walked off with what she'd guessed was either his sixth or seventh beer.

It didn't take too long to find him, hanging on the side of the fishing hut, staring out at the sea.

"Hey, big guy." Crowe called out. She'd put on a vest that looked a little too short on her and his eyes drank her up lazily as she made her way to his large rock.

"Hey, lady in red. I thought the party was the other way."

"Are you okay," she shot back.

"Wha…" he eyed the empty bottle in his hand and shrugged. "Sure. I'm just trying to get tipsy. And it's not working."

"Why?"

"It takes a lot of alcohol to…"

She rolled her eyes and poked him in the shoulder, which earned her a light tackle and to see the stars above her head as she was suddenly lying flat on her back with Gladio hovering above her. How could he still move so fast?!

"Why would you need to drink so much?" she insisted, raising her hands to his shoulders, as though to keep him at a safe distance.

"To numb the worst of it. Back at Free Crown, it would have given a bad impression, but…"

His big brown eyes were filled with pain and doubts. The king's shield had a big smile and also a big heart. He played tough, but as Iris had said over and over, he was a bit of a softie beneath it all. And seeing his sister on edge, seeing his prince snapping at his own fate, seeing his friends waltzing between love and pain and rejection and back to love while their whole country was hanging by a few treads…

"Maybe you should just feel it while we have a break. It doesn't make you any weaker."

"I know that. I know all that. Hey wait a minute… It's almost dark. Aren't you scared?"

"Not yet. And if we're changing the subject… You know your sister is on to us?"

"Iris?"

He seemed a bit slow despite saying he was still fully sober. Crowe followed an imaginary line, from his collarbone to his navel, making enough turns and loops to elicit a few shivers in him.

"She said you liked me. And when I asked, she said she was fine with it. Which means we don't have to remain discreet…"

"You shouldn't tell me stuff like that. Not when you're barely dressed at all."

"Well, maybe seeing those tattoos in plain sight all day affected me a little. And this rock is cold…"

It was enough to have him slip his arms behind her back, gently holding her head up. Her hair was rough from the salty water and she smelled of cinnamon and spices. Her arms wrapped around his neck, their eyes locked together for what felt like an eternity. The first kiss was a bit sticky, the second one less so, and the passion he poured in every gesture washed over any doubts Crowe still had about this relationship. She felt more needed in his arms than anywhere else.

And she'd been exacerbated all day, from all the shuffling, grazing and touching that had happened between them as they'd played in the water with the others. Following the tattoos on his back with her hands, she pulled herself closer to him, until their chest brushed. His lips left her mouth to taste the salt off her skin, lighting a fire wherever he touched, nibbled or licked. It seemed as though he'd felt just as tortured as her. She wondered if this wasn't too big of a step from the discreet make out sessions they tried to have for the last week, always failing. Could Ignis or Aranea see them from the campsite? His hands ran up her sides and down her hips, exploring her, lingering were the shivers turned into outright shudders, his head buried between her arms, lighting fires over fires. At this point, she barely minded if anyone stepped in on them. She just wanted to repay him with as much shivers and moans as he'd given her already.

…

 _You shouldn't tell me where you are unless you're AbSoLutely certain it's me talking. I don't really have time to talk right now._

Iris swallowed back the surprised gasp as her phone buzzed in her hands, quickly scanning the lines of text and answering just as quickly.

 _I: What's going on with you?_

 _R: No Time. Are you still in Leide?_

 _I: How do I know it's you?_

 _R: That's a quick learner. How's my sister?_

Iris rolled her eyes, convinced it was him.

 _I: She's on cloud nine. And I'm being serious. - We're at Galdyn._

 _R: Ok. Don't call or text unless you hear from me again._

 _I: What's going on?!_

 _R: I dug a hole in the wrong place. - Later._

How was she supposed not to worry about him? Why would he even dug up holes in the first place?

A few feet away, Noctis had pulled Lunafreya in his lap, showing her the calendar on his phone, oblivious to the crisis Iris was going through.

"I tell you, Luna, we should be done with the Astrals and royal arms in Lucis by January."

"We should slow down. We've been able to sustain this rhythm for now, but it's not healthy…"

"It's not November yet," Noctis reminded her. "The date doesn't have to be final. Winter or spring?"

Luna couldn't believe they were currently debating about the date when they'd get married. Aranea had made a snarky comment, about how Noctis had no reason to go through a wedding anymore, to apologize afterwards for being too direct. And the princess had to admit, she was amazed that her fiancé cared so much about them getting married. At first, it had only been a mean to see each other for the first time in years. But now they were already together. Going through the trouble meant spending money that could be used for Free Crown and resources that they should save up…

"Luna, this is going to give hope back to the people. Teach the empire a lesson and prove that we're not their puppet anymore. We've been moving around so much, we're barely on the news anymore and I don't mind it entirely… But our wedding could prove to my citizens and your citizens back in Tenebrae too that we're still here, fighting."

"So it's a political move."

"Well, getting to see you in a pretty dress and being entitled to a _real_ honeymoon has really helped weighing the pros and cons." He whispered in her ear.

She blushed and laughed and tried to poke him in the ribs to pay for his impertinence, but she was almost too happy to juggle all the emotions rushing through her.

"March should do it. It will be warm enough to take a boat on the water by then."

"That far?!"

"That soon you mean! We'll have to make the covenant with Leviathan first and from what Gentiana told me, it won't be an easy one."

Noctis had a strange feeling about that, but Luna was already talking about how she'd get syleblossoms in Altissia and whom they should contact in Accordo and about the other girls' dresses and he just tuned out his dark thoughts. For once, his princess was acting like a normal girl and he wanted to enjoy the look on her face as she did so.

…

Cindy and Prompto didn't walk too far, finding a semblance of intimacy under the pier. Cindy had put on her oily jacket and shrugged it off to test the water, much to Prompto's protest.

"What, too chicken for a midnight bath?" she teased him.

He joined her, shivering as he entered the water, soon dipping himself entirely to make sure he'd get over the cold feeling. Cindy let herself float on her back, extending her arms and legs in a star shape.

"It was one a-ma-zing day, don't ya think?"

"Well, duh!" He laughed. "Best birthday I ever had. Although you'd better not play with my nerves like that again."

"Ya mean when I took off the dress? The look on yar face was _so_ worth it. And it ain't as though ya 'n't seen me almost naked before. In fact, ya've been quite the gentleman for the last few hours."

"Are you… complaining about it?" he mused, taken aback.

"Nah. I just kinda wished we'd walked off earlier, when there was still some sun out. I have memories of kisses in the water I wanted to… reenact ya know."

He'd been working hard on not thinking about the very conflicting feelings he'd been through the last time they'd ended up on a beach together. He considered her with doubtful eyes and his right hand instinctively went to the wristband he was still wearing. It wasn't because everyone on the team knew of it that it meant he was fine with exposing it for just anyone to see.

"Prom, wait, I meant… To make those memories better. Like new ones. I thought it was forgiven and…"

"I don't resent you Cin, it's more like… For some reason, on beaches, you look a lot more comfortable than me. I get the feeling you toy around with me. When I helped and trained you, I was in control and I don't mean to say I want control, it's just…"

"Why shouldn't ya be comfortable? Because of the scars? The freckles? I love your freckles."

"Come on now, you're just trying to be nice…"

"Where's that confidence ya had when ya convinced me to let Luna fix me?"

As she spoke, she swam closer to him. His knees could almost touch the sand and he gripped her hands, feeling a wave of conflicting feelings coming over.

"Maybe with all the dark things I try to keep at bay. Cindy, I… I've never had a girlfriend before. And back on that beach, when I got angry at you, there were thoughts in my head…"

He wasn't proud of those thoughts and feared that they might resurface if he tried to ascertain himself. He needed to know he wouldn't mess things up. And the flashbacks he had whenever they visited mines or caves scared him. Sometimes, he wondered if he'd entirely left the empire or not. Was there something still broken with him? Something in his mind, that could snap, much like his father must have lost it to turn as evil as he was…

"I had said awful things." Cindy objected. "And ya kept protecting me even though ya could barely look me in the eyes. What I'm getting at here is… Ya can be impulsive and yarself around me. If there's anything that feels wrong or too rushed, A'll warn ya, believe me."

"You want me to take more initiatives?" he deduced, bringing her hands to his shoulders before to wrap his arms around her.

"I want ya to know ya have a right to. Because if ya're all nervous and full of doubt, I might not keep up my strong front myself."

"I don't see how you could even doubt yourself. You're the prettiest girl I've laid eyes own."

"Everyone has insecurities Prom. We just need to work around them." She whispered, ruffling his platinum hair with one hand.

He retorted by leaning into her, laying her on the sand, half lying in the water, half out in the open air. His fingers caressed her in the water, focusing on her thighs.

"Can I really be enough for you? With the scrawny shoulders and…"

"Shh. Smile for me."

His tentative smile was so bright, with that boyish look that made her melt every time. Her legs wrapped around his waist, almost making him lose balance and water splashed as he caught himself.

"I like you, Prom. In a fancy suit or a swimsuit."

He gave up on any restraint then, kissing her like he'd done back on the first beach. With all the despair and need his life had left him in. She clung to him, soft and rough in turns, not complaining about the wristband that dug in her back as he held her. All that mattered were the dozen kisses, the feel of their tongue dancing and fighting, the way their skin slid or stuck, the shivers that weren't from the cold water, the warmth that grew everywhere he touched. She rolled them around, her back covered with muddy sand, covering his chest with more of it as she let her senses take over.

It was a brief moment of pure love, their hair a golden mess as he cupped her face, looking for his breath, looking into her green eyes, ready to be swept away and changed into whatever she wanted from him.

"Well, I'm glad we're not in public." She teased him.

"They'd have to be pretty nosy to see us." He retorted.

She rested her forehead against his, their breath mingling, his hands caressing her, fingers toying with the light clothes she wore.

"How impulsive should I be?" Prompto started.

Her mind was already electrified, her body filled with lust and she might have agreed to pretty much anything if a buzzing noise hadn't caught their attention. It was coming from Cindy's jacket. A pout appeared on her face.

"I'd told paw-paw not to call unless it was an emergency."

She seemed to believe it couldn't be an emergency, but Prompto considered it might be better to halt things there. They'd been away for some time now. The guys might start looking for the birthday man at any moment.

"Better get it then."

They walked back to the ground, both slower than usual. Cindy shivered as she was entirely exposed to the night air, but picked up her cellphone, wrapping one arm around herself as she answered. Her face dropped almost instantly.

"Takka? Slow down. Paw-paw can't…"

Her eyes went up to Prompto who felt his shoulders tensing and his heart slowing down.

"I'll get the Oracle. We'll be there in an hour, top. Keep a check on his vitals."

She hung up, feeling Prompto wrapping her jacket around her and grabbing his hand instinctively as she walked back to the fire.

"What's going on?"

"Paw-paw's had a stroke. He's not stable yet, but Takka said he was holding on."

Her voice was white and her face even paler. The party was over. Entirely over.

To be continued…

Cliffhanger alert! Please, please, don't get mad. I needed all the fluff to end. I mean, it's refreshing to have a light-hearted chapter every once in a while. And everyone's character development is coming along nicely. But Noctis can't be planning his wedding for three chapters straight. So more drama and action to come!

Cid's rescue will be next, with Ravus' situation, and a potential intervention from a side character we saw once before that will definitely delay Titan by one chapter or two. Everyone is so pumped for Titan, I feel as though I must plan lots of things for it. Ardyn should make an appearance soon. I just want to throw more of the backstory I have made for him in this fic.

As always, please please review.


	37. Don't try and fix me

Cid's stroke isn't exactly filler. I needed it to get Iris somewhere, and also because Noctis will learn of something important when he next talk to the old man. Something that might help him in saving Luna's life. But I won't say more. Thanks for hanging in there with me. This chapter is posted so soon because I was inspired, we reached the 500 reviews count, and also because I want things to move along as much as any of you. Next update might take more time than this one.

Today we have two guys from the empire coming back on the scene, plus a lot of Ravus. I needed to write on Ravus, and I tried not to let him take over the chapter (pretty much failed, although I regret nothing). An Astral's backstory is also introduced.

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Unexpected

Chapter 37 – Don't try and fix me

It took only one hour for Cindy to reach Hammerhead despite the distance, Luna holding to the car's handle while Prompto tried to remind his girlfriend her grandfather would be fine. Two of the motorcycles were in the truck, Gladio following closely the Regalia that Noctis had offered to drive, since Ignis was always less keen on driving when the night had fallen. To say the guys were stressed out was an understatement. The party had turned into some sort of race to reach Hammerhead. Cid might be old, but none of them thought him old enough for this kind of problem. The garage was temporarily closed, Lunafreya the first to walk into the old man's room. Takka was watching over him, keeping a close eye on him as he'd been asked.

"His condition is not as alarming as I expected," Luna told Cindy after one glance.

"You can see as much in one glance…?"

"Give me some time to heal him. I'm pretty sure I can make him better."

Three quarters of an hour later, the rest of the team was finally reaching the garage, checking with Prompto how everything was going. No one felt like sleeping and they anxiously waited with Cindy, either checking their phones for something to do or exchanging worried looks. Crowe was the first to observe they wouldn't do any good for Cid if they stayed up all night. Agreeing to take turns, half of them went to the RV for sleep. Noctis stayed up, more worried about Luna's state of mind as she looked after Cid. She refused to let anyone else than Iris or Cindy in at the moment, and the first hadn't shown up in a matter of hours, while the second was too shell-shocked to offer assistance or sit quietly next to her grandfather.

Prompto remained close to Cindy, giving her space or hugs without needing so much as a word from her. He'd always been sensible enough to know which sort of comfort people needed.

Before that Luna got back to them with any update on the situation, Noctis received a call from Free Crown. Libertus sounded surprised to even get an answer at this hour of the night.

"Still up your Highness?"

"Long story. What's wrong?"

A courtesy call at two in the morning made little sense and Libertus sighed before to lay things out.

"You know, the only thing still up is the phone lines and thankfully, internet was down for the last few weeks."

Frowning, Noctis tapped his foot angrily. The connection down wasn't a good thing in his books…

"Information was travelling a lot slower and it was a good thing, because the empire's spies still don't know that we even have a refugee camp as large as our developing town. We were a bit too trusting, or so it seems. A freelance journalist sent me a headline that states Free Crown's coordinates. We tried building up defences, but we can't sustain any large-scale attack."

"Do you have a name for me? What does that guy want?"

"Dino needs money. The Nifs are ready to pay over a thousand for any tips on our situation. The guy's been making shady deals to decide which side to take. He's an opportunist if you want my opinion. The problem is, I can't exactly leave to track him down."

Noctis wondered why that name sounded familiar. He had read it in the newspaper once, but he couldn't tell… Wait, wasn't it the guy who'd written a series of articles over Lunafreya's leaving the empire behind to elope with him?

"Are you telling me Internet's coming back on, so the guy's going to let the information go worldwide unless we give him whatever…"

"You got it all figured out. He's hauling up to the west of Fayemoor Haven. Cor thinks he's hiding in the wildlands to avoid trouble. The guy must have made himself a haven of some sorts to keep the daemons away."

Noctis ran one hand through his dark hair, wondering how he could turn such a situation around.

"I'm not happy to say this, but… Do you think he is going to be a better asset to us alive?"

Libertus let out a bitter sigh on the other end of the line, while Cindy's eyes went up to the prince as she wondered what he could be talking about.

"I think the guy is too unpredictable. He's all about money and rare stones. We started doing business with him over a week ago, since we could use his circles of informants… and we're already at the stage of threats."

Noctis had the impression he wasn't getting the bigger picture, but the priority was assuring the security of Free Crown and its citizens. Putting Insomnia's population back on its feet depended on it.

"What did he ask for?"

"That's the thing, Noctis. He didn't ask for anything. He said that if the new king wanted to stop him, he'd know what to do."

That sounded pretty bad. Noctis couldn't remember ever meeting the man. And what did the guy know about him.

"This sounds like a trap, but we can't take a chance. Send me the coordinates. We have a dropship, so we should be able to reach him in no time."

"I didn't call to send you off into…" Libertus observed.

"If it's really a trap, my team and I can handle it. We can't sacrifice hunters or soldiers on something like this."

"Alright. But don't let this turns out into Free Crown sacrificing its king."

"Don't worry for me, Ostium."

He'd barely hang up before to have Cindy standing in front of him, Prompto on her toes.

"What was that all about?" she asked, her voice a little strained.

"Free Crown could be compromised if we don't hurry up. You stay here with Luna, Iris and Cindy, Prompto, I'll get the others up and we'll sort things out."

"What do you mean compromised?" Prompto repeated.

"Some guy is threatening to publish the coordinates of the camp unless I try and stop him." Noctis explained before to walk off to the RV.

The five of them prepared quickly for a drive up to Aranea's dropship. Flying at night might be easier for not getting spotted according to the dragoon lady and with the Regalia refuelled, they were ready to head straight out. Luna had finished most of her healing and briefly informed Cindy that her grandfather should be fine, although she'd rather keep an eye on him until he was stable enough to be taken to Free Crown. The old man had even regained consciousness, so the mechanic rushed to his side. After getting an explanation over what was going on with the refugee camp, Luna voiced a single demand:

"Before you take the road, Cid wanted to talk to you about something, Noct. He was pretty insistent."

The prince wasn't sure what that could be about, since he'd barely exchanged two words with the man in the last weeks. But Cid had been a dear friend of his father before their falling out. When he sat next to his bed, Hammerhead's founder cracked a light smirk, his face gray and the wrinkles looking deeper on his aged skin.

"I forgot to tell you the last time you swung by…That engine blade your father gave you is no… ordinary sword."

"Shouldn't he be resting?" Noctis asked, feeling a bit out of place.

Cindy raised her hands in surrender. Her paw-paw did as he willed, no matter how bad his health could be.

"Listen here." Cid insisted. "It might mean nothing to you right now. But the Glaive your father used. It was a royal arm he forged himself. And you've been using that engine blade for… how long?"

Noctis racked his brain for an answer, wondering why Cid deemed this information so important.

"Over 4 years now. Why?"

The old man nodded slowly, one of his eyes closing down. His right hand couldn't stop shaking and Cindy bit her lower lip at the sight. That was something Regis had escaped. Growing that old. Noctis tried to focus on the here and now and his eyes widened at the next declaration of the mechanic.

"Then the blade has the potential to become a royal arm. Some tombs might be lost to us, but that doesn't mean… you can't have a real arsenal."

"How?!" Noctis asked, using all his will-power not to grab the old man by the shoulders and shake him up.

Was this the solution he'd been hoping for?

"You'll need fire strong enough to forge it yourself. Reggie used his powers on Ravatogh's rock and managed a decent work. I thought I'd let you know… Since I don't think I'll be able to upgrade any of your weapons in the nearest future."

"Paw-paw..." Cindy sighed.

"Thanks, Cid. Get some rest now."

The man coughed in answer, but didn't seem worst for wear. The attack had done a number on him and he might never hold a wrench again, but he was going to survive this. Noctis could tell just from the look in his eyes.

Luna wasn't happy to see them leave, especially since the situation was so unclear, but she was tired from their long day and could barely stand up to wave them goodbye as they drove off. Thankfully, they'd get some rest once on Aranea's ship.

…

Ravus had run for hours. Hiding in run down houses, getting MTs lost in the unused subways, looking for his breath an instant only to hear the footsteps coming after him again. He'd considered going down the sewers, but his stamina was low and collapsing down there would get him killed. He'd managed to get away from the soldiers in front of the citadel thanks to the hand grenade he'd stored in his prosthetic. But he was out of arrows now, out of breath, barely holding on Regis' glaive. If he crouched down, he wouldn't get back up. Checking his phone told him he'd been out and running for over fourteen hours. Of course, he had a few hours break every now and then. He drank warm water in some abandoned supermarket, grabbing salted meat to eat while he put more distance between him and the overlooking drones.

Ace wanted to find him pretty badly. And as well as Ravus hide, a voice in the back of his head kept asking him if getting caught wasn't what he deserved. A push of a button could have his research sent to Verstael or even Iris. But he hadn't gotten so far to give up now. The thought of potential failure kept him running and fighting back, sending the rabid dogs after the MTs, his path turning entirely erratic. He didn't turn in circles, getting himself closer to the gates of Insomnia. He knew of the secret passage leading to the old base he'd taken weeks ago. He just wanted to make sure Ace would stop following him.

He could barely think straight when he seriously answered Iris' texts. His right shoulder burned and churned and the muscles twitched as the metal arm pulled on his flesh, almost hanging limply at his side. His left side was nothing but pain and he'd collected a dozen cuts and a hundred new bruises. Leaning against a wall, he tried to count the hours. To remember why going to the Citadel had sounded like a good idea in the first place. Was he simply looking for a punishment? It had been over 50 hours since he'd last slept. An alarm rang, making him jump away from the wall. Another drone. At this rate, Ravus was nothing but raw nerves and tension.

The night was still dark out and red eyes shone in the shadows, lighted by a daemonic flame, reminding him of the flames that had burned… He was slowly losing it. He hadn't felt this exhausted in a long time. His body was begging him to drop down and play dead while his mind still tried to concoct an escape plan.

"I've had enough of playing mice with that runaway bastard."

"Sir, we've sustained quite a lot of casualties already…"

Ravus pushed his head against the brick wall, wondering if the younger man had grabbed any sleep while he was running around like a mad dog.

 _Can't run any longer_ , he thought bitterly. _Might as well give him what he wants._

The thought had crossed his mind to trash his mechanic arm so the boy couldn't use it. But the fingers still moved and missing an entire limb terrified him. So he steeled his nerves and walked out, dodging the single shot fired at him.

"How about you come and get the job done yourself?" Ravus dared him, unable to temper down his pride.

"You think you can bargain your way back in?" Ace retorted, drawing out a sharp katana.

"What, with that arm maybe? Here!"

Ravus rushed forward, all his muscles on fire, working on mere adrenaline and will. His sword pushed the katana to the side, his red arm throwing glints of light on the glass building standing behind Drautos. His metal knuckles hit him right in the face, breaking his nose with a satisfying crack. The new commander hadn't expected a full-on attack. But he retaliated angrily, sweeping at Ravus' legs, his katana moving beneath the glaive.

Luna's brother managed to stay upright, but couldn't raise his blade quickly enough and felt the steel screeching against the metal of his arm. And his flesh. For a single instant, his heart pulsed in his entire body, frying his nerves and his brain. He reacted with a thrust of his blade, to which a handful of soldiers answered, surrounding the fighters and immobilizing the blond man.

"Hardly a worthy opponent, and I guess my methods are all sorts of wrong. But the look on your face makes it so worth it." Ace grumbled before to twist his blade around.

It grazed the bone and Ravus couldn't hold it back anymore. It was almost worse than the first time. He howled in pain, before the first kick came. His legs gave out. He almost wished his brain would give out too, but it stayed awake, hearing the orders thrown around, registering how they half tore half hacked off his prosthetic arm. Ace slapped him with the metallic hand, his words half-incoherent. Maybe was his brain faltering after all.

"What should I do with him now… He wasted a lot of our resources." The young man wondered, kicking in the fallen prince's ribs.

"Sir, pardon me sir, but there's been news from HQ."

Ravus' head was spinning and he had trouble understanding if he was lying on his back or on his side. He barely had the good sense of recoiling on himself as he saw the annoyed look on Ace's face. A boot dug in his side, two ribs cracking under the pressure. He'd taken too many hits. His body was failing him. He felt trapped in his own mind, all his control gone and revoked.

"What news?"

Another kick, lower, making it impossible to breathe.

"Izuna's here. He's asked for you to meet up with him right now, sir."

"Well, I'm busy at the moment!"

"He said to let the Fleuret rot. And he insisted that you come as soon as I'd relay the message."

Ace wiped the blood on his face, giving one last kick to Ravus.

"Can't make the chancellor angry. You learned that the hard way, huh, blondie?"

Another slap with the metal hand. And much to his own surprise, instead of finishing him off, Ace walked off, followed by each and every of his men. Leaving him behind, in the dark. Ravus waited for his brain to clear before to try and move. Rolling over was a torture, but he wasn't going to wait until he'd bleed out. The drones seemed to have gone back to inspect other streets. Which meant he was free to run, or crawl if he could muster the energy to do so.

…

Iris had just fallen asleep when her phone rang. She was thankful to be alone in the RV, Prompto and Cindy sharing her room while Luna remained at Cid's side. It meant no one else woke up from the sudden noise. Her eyes widened when she recognized the number calling.

"Yes?" she said warily.

Harsh breathing answered her, reminding her of bad jokes she'd been through back in Insomnia when she was a bit younger.

"Are you serious?!" she snapped.

"Dead. Or halfway… there. Where are you this time?" he asked, the words sounding a bit blurry.

"Ravus?"

"I don't feel patient and I need to get down a tunnel. Are you free to move around?"

"What's going on?! You're not making any sense."

"I could use…" He paused and cursed and grunted in pain before to let it out: "I need your help, Iris."

"Where are you?"

"Getting back to that base where I saved your life. And stole some blood. Track my phone."

"Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm lonely! Dammit, Iris… The sun should be rising so…"

It wouldn't be too dangerous for her to go out.

"I'll get Luna…"

"Don't… She'll think it's her fault again. I shouldn't have called…"

He seemed pretty confused, which made her worry even more. And for once, she was the one who could make a difference. Her and her alone. Was this what she needed? A purpose? As small as saving that jerk?

"Ravus, I'll be right there. Just stay conscious until I get there."

Sneaking out of the garage and grabbing one of the leftover motorcycles wasn't hard. She felt bad for not even warning Prompto or Luna, but promised herself to text them what was going on as soon as she'd reached Ravus. It sounded funny in her head when she realized what she was doing. Who'd think she'd rush out to _that_ man's rescue? But she had learned over the texts that there was more to him than a simple jackass. He was a brother and maybe that in saving him, she was trying to prove to herself she could help Gladiolus. She didn't need to reason too much about it. All she needed was to reach the base and find the secret passageway.

Noctis would have told her she was running into a trap, and surely any of the guys would have said the same. She had some doubts as she saw the fallen base, but decided to push forward. She was already here anyway. And with all the straightforward questions Ravus had asked her already, she doubted he wouldn't be honest if he wanted to try running tests on her. The idea scared her somehow. How many times had they talked together? Could she really think she knew the man? He was a defector and a murderer. The only things she'd kill as of now were daemons.

Parking the bike and getting down, she tried hiding it between some debris. It took her a few minutes to locate the passage and her doubts rushed back as she walked in the tunnels, her flashlight turned on, bo staff in hand. A few doors on the concrete walls made her wonder what could be hiding here. She almost wished she'd listen more when her father was giving speeches to Gladio, but she'd been a child back then, with close to no reason to worry about such things as bunkers and military bases.

She heard his coughing before to see his silhouette sprawled on the floor, his right side covered with blood, the prosthetic missing, Regis' sword lying next to him, stained in more blood and dirt.

"Holy…! Ravus, wake up!" she asked, kneeling next to him, her light falling in his eyes for a second.

She gave him a light slap, stirring him up from his feverish divagations. The man was more than half death and she wondered if she even had enough potions and elixirs to fix him. His first reaction was to back away from her as his eyes fought to stir open, but his strength was so far gone, he barely managed to squirm and whine. Iris hadn't thought she'd seen him look even more pitiful than on that morning when he'd tried to get up on his own in the cave, but there it was.

"How did you even reach such a state?"

His hoarse throat blurted out a shocked: "You're really here?!"

His pupils couldn't focus and the dark bags under his eyelids looked like bruises. Iris sighed as she understood the enormity of the task she'd taken in accepting to help him before to pull him into a sitting position.

"Can you walk?"

He chuckled and curled up in pain as his ribs and sides and shoulder protested all at the same time. The young girl took two elixirs out of her pockets and forced him to gulp them down. He wouldn't get any cuddling from her, not with the way he usually answered her questions. She was pretty sure he'd worked himself to the brink without a thought for the consequences.

"Tell me there's an infirmary or something behind one of those doors."

"If there weren't, I'd gone through the sewers." He retorted.

"And you weren't followed?" she insisted, managing to pull him to his feet after a few unsuccessful tries.

"Apparently, Ardyn had bigger fishes to fry." He grunted back, leaning on her. The walk to the closest door was torture on both of them. He smelled a dozen sorts of bad and she couldn't keep a good hold on him without hurting him somehow. Ravus didn't have much endurance by then and merely followed her lead, his brain half turned off.

Opening the door was easier than expected, the secret passageway hidden well enough to forego the most basic protections. Iris was thankful for the lock on the door and a small shower that would give her a chance to clean up the man. Any care she'd give him wouldn't mean anything if she couldn't remove the multiple layers of dirt and other craps he was covered in.

"Won't you talk and let me know what you did to get in this state?" she asked again, pushing him in a chair and examining his right shoulder with a grimace.

He winced and mumbled something about being an imbecile, to which she simply nodded in approbation.

"The flesh is close to necrosis. I think the only way out is to cut off the infected parts and dress the wound for it to heal properly before to reattach anything to your nerves."

Her voice hesitated on a few words and he just shut his eyes tightly, his shivers turning stronger. The elixirs in his organism barely managed to strengthen his ribs and he knew his body couldn't take much more.

"Ravus, I believe Luna could help you way more than I…"

"It's my sister. I can't have her see me like..." His voice broke a little as she started taking off his clothes, using scissors to remove one tattered and bloodstained layer at a time. She needed to see what she was doing. "I'm… sorry for even asking you to help. Just do what you must. I don't think you can make it any worse."

But she worried she just might. His muscles had slimmed down in the few last days. Foreign dog tags clung to his chest, his skin dark from the blight on his left side, covered with either red gashes or blue and green bruises everywhere else. He shivered and flinched at every brush of her fingers, not even defending himself against the numerous invasions. His eyes kept closing, his eyelashes as pale as his hair and the angry beard covering his hollow cheeks. Dry blood clung to the beard and she wanted to trim it clean, but forced herself to focus on the wounds first.

"Stay awake. I'm cleaning you up as soon as I'm done with that shoulder, and I'll need your cooperation."

"Why did you come?" he asked.

"It's not as though I can just let you die. Luna has already enough on her plate as it is. Why did you dig a hole in the first place?"

He blinked, teeth clenching as she disinfected the scalpel she'd found in one of the many drawers. The room was small, a set of metal drawers on one wall, a shower in the corner, a bed, the chair he was currently occupying and a single light bulb on the ceiling that wasn't alimented anymore. Iris had put one knee on his thigh, almost blinding him with her flashlight directed at his butchered stump.

"I know I shouldn't focus on what you're doing." He breathed out. "But I don't think I can be coherent."

"I'm not the gentlest nurse around and I can't promise a clean surgery. All I know is that you'll get worse if you stay like this. The elixirs should help with the blood loss, but I..." She halted in the middle of her warning, trying to gather her own courage. "Just talk. Tell me of Insomnia. Or even Tenebrae."

The idea sounded preposterous and when she pushed his head to the other side, all his muscles tensed, knowing this sort of torture was too much, even if he'd been rested.

"If you shake this much…"

"Numb the flesh with something. Alcohol, fire, I don't care what. I don't have any strength to resist…"

"Talk of something else. Anything else, Ravus."

He hissed as the medical alcohol burned his wounded, but forced himself to endure, knowing he'd have a right to sleep soon.

"I've got a hypothesis for the new cells in your blood. I think the Oracle powers are meant not only to heal you, but make you immune too. That way…" He winced. "She only has to treat the blight once for every person."

"So what, you're going to look for that dark sword and re-infect me?"

He breathed out sharply, feeling the metal digging into his flesh. His left hand clutched to the chair and for an instant, the only noise in the room was his laborious breathing and Iris' madly beating heart. She thought she'd feel some sort of vengeful pleasure in inflicting him pain, even though she meant well by it. And on the contrary, she only wanted to get it done as quickly as possible. The corrupted flesh didn't go deep and she slathered him with enough potion to halt the bleeding as she went.

"I was thinking of… having Luna heal me and test the blade on me, if I can find it. I've already put you through enough…"

He cried out at the next cut and Iris couldn't tell how she managed not to jump from the fright it gave her. Sweat perspired on her forehead and she forced his head back to the side.

"I'm almost done." She encouraged him.

"I wish I was done." He whispered through his clenched teeth.

She didn't insist on him talking, finishing up the surgery as quickly as she could. Dressing up the wound properly, she didn't leave him much time to recollect himself.

"Now, we're getting you clean." She declared.

"You think there will be water running in those pipes?" he asked, face white, eyes red from fatigue and the tears he'd shed from the sheer pain.

"There better be, lean on me, Rav…"

He seemed heavier than before, as though the suffering clung to him and weighed him down, but they still managed to get across the room. He didn't protest as she pushed him in the small shower, following suit. He could barely stand up on his own and she was as wet as him in a matter of minutes. The former army commander felt diminished and vulnerable, wearing only his dog tags and boxer, letting Iris move him around like a broken doll. But he'd been broken one time too many. More tears fell, as his shivers came back. The water was cold and she wasn't exactly gentle, focusing on her efficiency instead. The soap she'd found was small, but it worked, washing off the blood, dirt and also any drops of potion his skin hadn't drunk up. She cleaned up his beard and hair, a bit rougher, intimidated by how intimate the gestures felt. She was careful of not wetting his right shoulder throughout the entire process, making him wonder how such a young girl could gather this much nerve.

They didn't exchange a word, Ravus wondering if she was as cold as him, catching only glimpses of her face in the dark room. His eyes couldn't seem to adapt and he knew his mind was slowly drifting. When she finally cut off the water, his left arm instinctively wrapped around her, holding her close as he shivered and trembled. Her hands patted his head and back in answer, the girl understanding he was looking for some sort of comfort.

"Let's get you dry." She offered.

Ravus felt like a child in a body he didn't control anymore. Why were his legs so weak, why couldn't he stop trembling? He wanted to either apologize or hide as Iris helped him, but his throat was too tight by then and his limbs barely cooperated with him. The girl was merely following a mental path of instructions, knowing that as long as she stayed active, she wouldn't feel as embarrassed to make any of the things she did for him. Like helping him into a new pair of pants or drying his hair as his arm held on to her waist for balance. She'd treated refugees with all the care she could muster as they'd run away from Insomnia, but she didn't remember letting anyone that close to her.

"When was the last time you slept?"

"I'm… not sure." He answered truthfully, sitting down on the bed.

His muscles were still aching and he needed Iris' help to keep his balance, but he was slowly realizing he was entirely safe at the moment. Something he hadn't felt in years. The shaking got worse.

"You need some water and food. And I'd like to know what happened to you…"

And even worse.

"I told you already." He objected.

Except he hadn't. Iris turned her back on him, walking back to his stack of ruined clothes, getting his phone out.

"I left on my own to get you back from death's door, without warning any member of my team. I think I owe some sort of explanation. And I bet I can crack your code and get it from this thing if you refuse to talk."

"I doubt it. All you would find are blueprints and my research reports. But if you insist… I paid a visit to the Citadel and fell on Ace Drautos. Turned out the guy wants a third arm."

"Stop it with the bad sarcasm. What were you doing in the Citadel?"

He blinked and saw the tombstone with the Amicitia's name in the blighted section of the graveyard for a second. A new knot build up in his throat at the thought he'd inflicted on the girl the very illness that'd taken her mother from her.

"You couldn't mention how she'd died. It's understandable. What I don't get is why you even bother answering any of my messages. Or coming all the way over here."

"You're not making any sense." Iris complained.

"I don't think I have in a long…"

"Just answer me without any detours. What was that text on digging holes about? Why did you get caught after all this time?" she cut him off, walking up to him with a hard look in her eyes.

She was angry of being kept in the dark. She had a right to know, although he didn't want her sympathy. Not like this. He heaved a deep sigh. The trembling was still as bad and he hated his own weakness.

"I thought the bodies might still be there. Like they'd left my mother's… Luna has always respected Regis like a father. I thought I'd give him a proper grave so she wouldn't have to see him..."

The anger receded into shock. Iris took off the light still attached to her shirt, putting it on the nightstand so the room would be better lighted. Her eyes were incredulous and Ravus thought of backing away as she grabbed his shoulders.

"You said I couldn't tell you how _she_ 'd died. You can't mean…"

"I started with your father…" he admitted. "It took me a while to found his wife. When I did, I…"

"You buried my dad… next to my mom?" As she paused, he nodded in confirmation, unable to utter a word. He couldn't tell what was going on in her head. He didn't want to hear the relief in her voice. He'd needed it, but it was too soon, he was too raw, he… Iris interrupted his thoughts, insisting on getting answers: "Why would you…?"

Her hands were gripping too hard and he tried to pry her off, tried to find the words that would anger her. He needed anything but gentleness right now. But he didn't have the heart to lie and his creativity had left with his strength.

"It was the least I could do after…"

Her brown eyes were staring at him so hard, he couldn't look away. Even his sister had never looked at him like that. As though she didn't know if she should slap him or hold him. Apologies wanted to slip off his lips, but she pulled him into a hug before he could muster a sound.

"You moron! You didn't have to do that…"

"Why are you even believing me?!"

"Because it sounds like something you'd do. Getting caught trying to do something noble all on your own. It's so stupid."

He wanted to push her away, but one of her hands ruffled his hair and his shaking seemed ready to subside in her embrace. She was warm. It was only because she was warm he told himself. His arm held her back, his instinct pulling her closer than necessary. His memory reminded him of some words he'd thrown at her in mocked desperation earlier. _Of course, I'm not wounded, I'm lonely, dammit!_

 _I'm an idiot._

Iris felt too small next to him, too young. His saviour and former victim. He had no right to ask anything from her. But she let him hide his face in the hollow of her neck. Let him breathe into her hair and wrap his arm as tightly as he dared around her frame as she hugged him back fiercely. A sob ran through her and a new question came out:

"Do you think he suffered?"

He mentally gnashed his teeth.

"The whole point was sparing you those thoughts. And I don't want gratitude," Ravus tried to sound convincing.

But he needed it. He was only human. He'd only been a conceited fool to pretend otherwise.

"Well, I think I've already repaid you by answering that call. But I'm still grateful." Iris told him. "Which doesn't make you any less of a jerk."

He didn't laugh at the jab. The knot in his throat had reached the size of a fist and he was simply trying to contain his shaking. He'd pushed himself too far, thinking he'd atone for the bad decisions and actions. And despite all he'd done to her, she'd come all this way to help.

"Thank you, Iris."

She couldn't believe her ears at first. But the words came back two more times, her name sounding different on his voice. Not as frail as the flowers Gladiolus used to pick up for her. Not as gentle as when her friends called her out. But despite his usual roughness, it sounded soft.

"Just try not to do it again."

…

Ace walked into the control room, still holding Ravus' arm, not feeling patient enough to meet with Ardyn. The Chancellor was waiting, sitting back on a console, his fedora lying next to him, following the drones' cameras with a light smile.

"You wanted to see m…"

"Drautos, the hunter I was looking for! How fresh is that catch?" Izuna interrupted him, pointing at the red prosthetic.

"Let's say I could have brought you the head too if you hadn't been so insistent…"

Ardyn smirked at the look on Ace's face.

"I've told you the fallen prince of Tenebrae should stay alive, didn't I? He can still prove useful to us. And I have a far better prey for you to hunt."

"We're still working here…"

"Work that could be automatized if you give the right orders. We have a prince collecting all the pieces of his arsenal all over the country. And I heard Ifrit was seen lately."

Ace blinked, taken aback. Why would the man be interested in one of the Astral? The fallen one at that…

"I don't think I told you of the legend about Ifrit's fall, or did I?"

"Huh… Why would I need to know, sir?"

"Because you are going to find him for me."

The look on Ardyn's face was slowly shifting. The easy smile looked darker and darker.

"I… How?"

"Well, you got the arm. Now all you need is the right tools and a bit of history lesson."

Ace didn't feel like listening to any sort of lesson, but he knew better than to get Aldercapt's replacement angry. He'd seen what had happened to Ravus. Loqi had fallen as low as taking random people hostage to try and get some big wits attention instead of coming back with his tail between his legs. Highwind had run from her post and back to her adoptive country. Verstael stayed cooped up in his lab, going mad and madder. Which left him alone to face the orders. And as a Drautos, he'd learned early to stay on the right people's good side.

"So everyone says the blight was brought down on our world because of Ifrit. You'd think he had something against us, but apparently, it was the exact contrary. Ifrit was so curious of humans that he made himself a human body and tried to live among us for a few years. Shiva soon did the same, but it was more to be a messenger and she kept her distances. Ifrit didn't and made the mistake of falling in love with a human girl. So far, it's much like the fairytales you'd heard as kid, wouldn't you say?"

Ace shrugged in answer, only to feel Ardyn putting an arm around his shoulders, which made his blood freeze in his veins for a second.

"Try to picture it for an instant. A god and a human woman! Ifrit was called back to the spirit realms by his fellow Astrals and had to leave the girl, not suspecting he'd left something behind. The end results were twins and a dead mother… While one of the babies was perfectly human, the other was a monstrous thing, retaining its father's true traits. Not viable, the warped baby was buried in forbidden grounds, too monstrous to be seen or known. When Ifrit came back down to Eos, he learned of the birth and looked for his progeny. The human one had been adopted by a family and refused to see him. As for the monstrous one, Ifrit found its tomb, unearthing his remains. In a fit of rage, he burned the bones for a full month, wishing to give the stillborn a true funeral. And the smoke from his fire rose to the sky, showering every continent with ashes."

Ace had difficulties believing what he was hearing. But it sounded almost plausible.

"It started out the blight?"

"Apparently, it did. And if Ifrit is back in our realm… He might hold the key to taking out Lucis once and for all. I need you to find him and alert me when you do."

The young man wondered why it was so important for the Chancellor. If he'd know the identity of the human boy from the legend, he'd understood just how badly this mission might go.

…

As they flew over Leide and past the mountains, Noctis spotted a dark dot on the green plateaus. A dot that moved, walking back and forth. Too tall to be human. Too large to be any sort of beast he knew. Too much sun in the sky for it to be a daemon.

"Could it be… A prima?"

Aranea rose from her seat and peered outside, Ignis already monopolizing the binoculars.

"It is an imperial mech," the advisor observed. "And the pilot seems to be none other than the one back in our base."

"Loqi? How can that moron still be alive?!" the dragoon exclaimed. "He was one of the worst recruits back in training…"

Crowe frowned.

"He gave Noctis and the others a really hard time with his MA-X Prima. And he seems to have improved his machine."

"So he's taken Dino hostage? Why didn't that boy attack the refugee camp directly?" Gladiolus wondered.

But they all understood why quickly enough. The boy wanted to fight the prince and capture him. There could be no other reason for the imperial soldier to pull off this sort of desperate plan.

"Well, he should have tried hiding himself. This time, Ramuh is going to answer. We might get back a lot earlier than I'd expected." Noctis declared.

"Brace yourself for evasive actions," Aranea warned.

Her dropship had no furtive mode and Loqi had just spotted them, firing at the target right away. For once, Aranea regretted the red streak she'd painted on her ship. Noctis wasn't long to react.

"Can you open a door while we're still flying? I feel like giving him the imperial medicine."

"Are you crazy?"

"I can still warp in the air, Gladio, I'll be fine." The prince objected.

Ignis raised one brow. It sounded as though Noctis was back to his rash behaviour. This threat against Free Crown had gotten him even more riled up than he'd thought.

"Do you have parachutes on this thing?" he asked his girlfriend.

"Why don't you take the controls and let me jump off with the prince? I can take a fall from this high without any extra equipment."

"I don't think I feel like seeing you jumping off." He shot back before to notice a change in the sky. "Careful, to the right!"

She dodged a barrage of missiles and cursed under her breath. Meanwhile, Noctis was opening a side door and looking down. Loqi was two miles lower, his mech guarding a small mountain shack.

"Don't fly too close to him. I might try striking him with lightning for real this time." He ordered before to jump off.

His royal arms held him up, transforming his fall into a graceful flight, as though the man was skidding on air.

Crowe whistled and Gladiolus groaned:

"He'd never be this careless with Luna around."

They could only hope Ramuh would answer and the fight would be over before things turned too dangerous for either of them.

To be continued…

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Loqi was meant to become some sort of team rocket in this fic and since I needed the team to split up for Iris to go rescue Ravus without having to sneak on too many people, Loqi happened. It won't last long, I just wanted to give his part in the story some closure, and also to use him more than once since he has a name and a face and was merely there for a 15 seconds fight in the game. (maybe more, I was so overlevel, I don't remember..)

Next chapter – which will definitely not come out as fast- should see Ravus entirely fixed, Loqi's small intervention finished and our royal couple going after Titan.


	38. Don't trust me

Here is the new chapter. We're closing the brief Loqi's arc with it and also Ravus' situation. We have confused action, I apologize in advance for it, and we have some Fleuret's siblings time too. Also, Iris is getting scolded by everyone. Don't be mad at me for it.

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Unexpected

Chapter 38 – Don't trust me

 _Please don't be mad at me._

Prompto rolled his eyes. Iris almost never texted him. Except to ask where Noctis was, or what they were doing when she was bored. Finding out she'd vanish in the middle of the night had made him half-worried about a potential kidnapping -or worse, Pryna getting hurt! - , until Luna voiced the possibility the girl had received news from her "friend" from Insomnia.

 _I'm not mad,_ he wrote back. _But you'd better tell me where you are and what went through your mind to leave us like that._

 _I: It was irresponsible, I know, but Luna's brother was in danger._

 _P: Luna's brother? Seriously?_

 _I: Prompto, he could use her help. Can you drive her here? We're at the base near Insomnia, in the secret passageway. He's out of immediate danger, but when he called me this morning, it was an emergency._

 _P: So you're at his beck and call? All those times you were hanging back and staying silent, you were thinking of that guy? Iris…_

 _I: I wasn't! I only helped him because he's Luna's brother. Think a minute. If she's sad, Noctis will be sad too, right? Anyway… I'll explain when you get here. Are you coming?_

 _P: You're lucky the others aren't back yet. But I won't let you hear the end of it so soon. And just wait till your brother knows of this!_

Prompto closed his phone, wondering how he was supposed to break the news to Luna. She'd just been treating Cid and now, she was supposed to rush to her brother to heal him from whatever state he was in? Never mind how he'd try to explain things, the princess was going to worry. And for the drive, he wondered if he could control the big motorcycle Gladiolus had left behind. It was worse than a manual car for him.

…

Even though Noctis had called forth Ramuh, Loqi managed to evade the first strike of lightning and was only grazed by the second one. The prima pilots all had good reflexes, but it seemed that being cranked up had made the young soldier even better than when he'd last seen him. Although Noctis wasn't worried. He was way better himself.

He warped in mid-air, changing his direction to evade the missiles shot at him over four different times. He cut one in half, threw fire and lightning to the others, his weapons rushing around him. It was exhilarating to fall from the sky and know he was still in full control. He'd always tried to get his father to tell him how it felt. To be in that curtain of metal. To feel invincible. He'd been there a few times, but it seemed stronger lately. He wanted to get done with the fight as quickly as possible, because with that feeling came a grave realization. The people around him weren't invincible. If he could save them from some fighting here and there, he would.

The bullets rushed through the air, bigger than his thumbs. And it was almost a waltz to coordinate his moves to evade, repel, and out warp the projectiles. His feet hit the mech's shoulder a second, his sword, axe and spear rushing around. He cut off canons, broke down guns, running, jumping and phasing. He felt the ghost of dizziness, the shock of a clawed hand hitting his blade running through his arms. Aranea's ship landed on the side, the guys rushing out to support their prince in the fight. Crowe used fire on the mech's legs while Ignis warped forward, Aranea leaping into a tremendous jump. The pilot shook off Noctis and rushed about, firing left and right. His cockpit's windshield was cracked, but he had a lot of hidden guns and turrets on his Prima. Gladio had to phase through one clawed hand and managed to stop the next hit, the shock reverberating through his arms.

"You threatened hundreds of people to get to me." The prince stated.

"I couldn't go back to the empire empty-handed." The teenager retorted from his seat, sending a barrage of bullets that Crowe destroyed with a new spell.

That soldier had scavenged a mech from some fallen imperial dropship, gathering parts and missiles in the last few days. All those resources thrown away in a futile attempt at hurting the Lucian king.

"You are not going back to the empire." Noctis warned him, feeling his anger growing with every new attempt.

Aranea landed a devastating hit, tearing off one of the claws, only to be hurled back by a violent kick that might have shattered her ribs if she hadn't moved fast enough. This mech was way too mobile.

Gladio grunted:

"We should get rid of him for good."

Noctis wanted to agree with him, but the people gathered all around the Prima made it harder for him to use his full potential. They all knew their adversary was desperate and desperate persons could try anything, awful things. He threw a brief glance at Ignis, who gave him a serious look.

No time to be soft. The man had threatened the security of every refugees in Free Crown.

"You should have run." Noctis whispered bitterly.

"I won't run away this time! For Aldercapt!"

"He's going to blow himself up!" Aranea warned.

The Prima's core was flashing through the cracks in its armour and the air was rapidly filling up with static. A violent ringing burst in Noctis' ears, making him even dizzier than before. Could his royal arms protect him from this sort of deflagration? And more importantly, could the others get away fast enough to escape the radius?

"Get back!" He called out to his friends.

Crowe did as told, Ignis only reluctantly backing away until Aranea had a hold of his arm and made sure he wouldn't rush back in. Meanwhile, Gladiolus refused to move an inch.

"What are you doing, Noct?!"

He was doing what he thought best, but it wasn't as though they had time to explain things. He'd caught Loqi's furious eyes for an instant and knew this thing might do more damage than expected. Not to mention the man wouldn't miss him. If he moved, the Prima would go right for him. And it still moved freely, even in that sorry shape.

"Get back, Gladio, it's an order!"

The crystal core was now glinting so fast it was impossible to follow and lightning bolts ran through the air at random, the magic going unstable. Ignis tugged against Aranea's arm.

"How far can this explosion go?" he asked her.

"I don't know. He's messed with the thing enough, it's unpredictable. Iggy, the debris might kill us if we don't take cover."

Which explained why Noctis didn't want anyone else staying close. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it yet. The ringing was a rattling of metal now and while the prince rushed forward, his royal arms hacking through the prima, the thing whirled around, slashing and hitting back like a mad puppet.

"Gladio, phase through it!" Ignis shot to the large man, accepting to run this time. The shack was closer than the dropship and would have to do.

Noctis had to use two swords to hold the remaining claw back as his other weapons shifted all around him, stopping bullets or darts he didn't even see. And the infuriating sound of metal snapping rang stronger. Like a wave rippling out. The fire burst out, the crystal core letting out all of its energy. Noctis absorbed most of its heat, his armiger shielding him from the debris. Then he heard the first yells of pain. The Nif man was burning alive. His eyes shone crimson as the deflagration pushed him back, still floating in the air, shards of metal grazing him. If this was a test of strength, he would pass it. He hadn't used a single ether since the beginning of the fight. His limits were so much further, he barely recognized himself. Iron and steel finished raining down to the ground. The air in his lungs seemed filled with ashes. The smell of burned flesh. His thoughts were slowing down.

 _Why didn't he run?_

The weapons floating around him vanished one by one as he lowered himself back to earth's level. It felt uneven under his feet and if it hadn't been for Gladio's strong arm, he might have collapsed to his knees as he touched down.

"What the hell, Noct?"

"You okay?" the prince asked his shield.

"I ran out of magic for the day, but yeah, I phased through it somehow. Why did you stay this close?"

"Because he'd come after me if I'd move."

"I hate those primas." Crowe whispered.

"You and me both," Aranea added. "This smoke is going to alert dropships for real now. We'd better get a move on."

"Dino's in there." Ignis pointed out.

The man had been tied up to a chair inside the shack and sported a few bruises.

"Why did you even let that man near you…?" Crowe asked the journalist.

"I'd put up a hunt for stones, I had to meet up with him to get the goods." He defended himself.

"Maybe you should have worried a bit more about your contact's identity. We were all lucky this time." Ignis stated darkly.

Noctis had already downed two vials of potion and seemed more like himself, but everyone was wondering if this fight hadn't taken things too far. Relying on the Armiger couldn't get to his head. This had been one desperate man's attempt. What would happen if there was more than one of them?

…

Iris woke up first this time too. She'd ended up falling asleep next to Ravus, sharing the small hospital bed with him. He was on his left side, his arm tightly wrapped around her, his large hand actually snuck under her shirt, his fingers brushing her back directly. And she could feel his breathing on her, his face buried in her chest. That was slightly too close, even when she knew what he'd gone through for her. Her first reflex was to push him away, to which he snuggled even closer to her, grumbling a few incoherent words in his sleep. The only thing she perceived as she gently touched his shoulders was:

"Warm…"

Despite herself, the young girl felt compelled by this more innocent side of Ravus. The man had been through nothing but losses and torture lately. She gazed up to the ceiling, surprised that she even managed to fall asleep with her flashlight still on. Her skin almost felt on fire where their skin brushed. He wasn't doing it on purpose, there was no reason to panic, but she knew how it looked. And she remembered Gladiolus' worried look as he tried to have her realize the risks she'd taken. And as she squirmed a bit more and felt his hold on her resist once more, his hand only pulling her closer, most of her sympathy slipped away. She hadn't been that close to anyone… like ever. There was a limit and conscious or not, she'd better draw it now.

"Wake up, Ravus."

It wasn't as instantaneous as the time back in the cave. The former army commander had pushed himself too far. He groaned as his brain slowly woke, his body a concert of pain and sores.

"I just want to get up, you can go back to slee…"

There was no reproach in her tone, except maybe for a slight hesitation somewhere that puzzled him until he realized just how close they'd been sleeping. He almost yelped from the sheer shock and let go of her faster than she'd expected from a half-dead guy. He was pale and lacked too much blood to blush, but he looked quite embarrassed.

"I didn't mean…"

Iris got to her feet, not sure where his excuses might even go. She'd been a simple source of warm, like a snuggly blanket.

"You were cold, Ravus. It's all fine." She cut him off.

He blinked, still slightly drowsy.

"You could have kicked me or something," he objected.

"I think you've been kicked around enough already. I'm going to call the others so Luna can come up here… Don't try sitting up or moving around too much."

He frowned at the mention of his sister, but didn't voice any complaint or retort. He had the impression he'd been ordering Iris around ever since she'd walked into that cave with him. She was an ally, but he owed it all to Luna. And her betrothed. Iris was back before he could even clear up his thoughts, telling him Luna would be there in a matter of hours. The girl got busy cleaning up the place. Ravus didn't try to sit up, or to roll over. He stayed as motionless as possible, his eyes glued to her. She was such a small thing. Anyone would underestimate her at first glance, but she had the same strength as any Amicitia and her nerves were pretty tough for someone as young. His stomach churned as she collected the shreds of flesh to dispose of them.

He trusted that girl. The annoying brat was reliable, damn, she was surely the only reason why he was still alive today. And she wasn't exactly annoying. Not as much as the various and confused thoughts running through his head. He hadn't been quite coherent when he'd called her and was trying to remember if he'd said anything he shouldn't have. He had broken down more time in front of her than he'd done with Lunafreya and that thought scared him. The fact she was young didn't make Iris any less threatening. And he had given up any semblance of control, letting her take charge. His sister was coming and the whole prince's retinue would surely be with her. He was in no shape to face Noctis and his bitterness, no shape to make any demands and be taken seriously. His throat felt too tight as Iris' eyes met his. She looked lost and almost as confused as him.

Maybe she regretted answering his call? It wasn't as though she owed him anything. It wasn't like…

"What's on your mind?" he asked her, unable to endure the silence any longer.

Iris blinked, crossing her arms almost defensively.

"When you're officially safe, I'm going to get into so much trouble."

He managed a low chuckle, feeling a mix of guilt and empathy fighting over his heart. She should have been a simple tool to keep an eye on Luna. Like a lens or a mic. But the lens had a voice and some bite. He'd made her cry the other day by mentioning her father.

"It was your choice. Even though I can admit I didn't give you much of a choice."

"You're un-be-lie-va-ble! When was the last time you'd eaten? You couldn't even tell me when you had last slept. How long did you run around Insomnia with Drautos hunting you? And you kept texting me as though it was nothing."

"Hey! I've never intended to need anyone's help," he retorted, managing to sit up despite the lack of sleep and right arm.

"You asked me where I was almost 30 hours before you called for help. What was up with that?"

"Well, you were too far to be of any help. And I should have been able… There's no point arguing about it now." He observed with a sigh.

"I don't think we're done yet. You might be from the same blood as Luna, but at least, when she pushes herself to the brink, Noctis is there to catch her."

He gritted his teeth, his stomach rumbling loudly, making him look even more pitiful.

"I've already said that I'd been stupid. It won't happen again." Ravus argued.

"Don't make promises you won't keep. As long as you're not done with that crazy goal of yours, you won't stop. It's a miracle you've gotten this far without some guardian angel recharging your batteries or forcing you to get some sleep."

The insult didn't prickle as much as the look in her eyes. She was angry at him and it wasn't even for the right reasons.

"The deal was exchanging intel, not keeping an eye out for each other," he admitted, shifting till his back touched the head of the bed and he could move his left arm freely.

Iris had settled to look for some sort of rations, but didn't wait for the next point of his new argument.

"You can't give me any intel if you die."

"Which words do you want me to use then? It won't happen again," he repeated. Much to Iris surprised, he went on: "I was careless, that's true. I got rash and cocky, fine! And making you responsible of my well-being by asking for help wasn't fair."

"Well, I did come to help. And I don't think you could steer clear of trouble even if you wanted to. But I do believe that you can try to take better care of yourself. Because Luna won't like what she sees when she gets here."

Getting scolded by a 15-year-old. How the mighty had fallen. Ravus let out an exasperated breath and ran one hand through his hair, pulling at a few knots a bit harder than he should. The pain was familiar by now. Always echoing in the back of his mind, eating away at his sanity. It kept his doubts silent and pushed him forward, an old enemy he'd befriended since the first burns he'd gotten from the empire. Enduring it was all he could do, because it was all Luna ever did as she tried to take away the pain of others. If the pain ever stopped, he might slow down, he might even let the memories come back.

"Thanks. I definitely needed to hear that. Can you get me my phone?"

His voice was harsh and he mentally winced for it, but the hurt was done.

"How long will you keep ordering me around?" Iris complained, not making a step in the direction of his old clothes, and thus his phone.

"You don't have to stick around, but since you're still here…"

"What are you trying to prove with this sort of talk?! I'm not going to forget all the awful things you did because you buried my father. But we'd reach a point where we respected each other while talking on the phone. I'd rather have that in person too, if you don't mind."

His jaw tensed slightly as he mumbled a set of numbers.

"What?"

"The password on my phone. Open it and check for yourself what's in it. I just wanted to check a few things before Luna arrived."

He didn't repeat the numbers and Iris looked at him with wide eyes for an instant. Somehow, the new information and his suggestion felt like an order when considered together.

"Can't you relax for even a few minutes?"

"I slept a couple of hours." He protested, sounding so sincere, the girl wanted to laugh or slap him in the face.

They might have argued longer, but a knock on the door interrupted them. Lunafreya was here, flanked by Prompto and Cindy. It didn't take long to determine Prompto was curious of checking the rest of the rooms for resources while Luna needed to spend some time alone with her brother. Iris didn't even need to be told. She followed the two blonds outside of the small infirmary, giving a warning look to the gunman.

"I know I was reckless, I'd rather not hear it a hundred times."

"Fine!" Prompto retorted. "Then you'll hear it a thousand times."

Iris turned her attention to Cindy.

"I'm sorry for dragging you all the way out here with what's going on with Cid…"

"It's fine, Takka and Cor are driving him up to Free Crown anyway, so I'd rather do something useful instead of sitting back home fretting over that old man."

…

Luna sighed as she sat next to Ravus, quickly asserting his state.

"Iris said you'd let me heal the blight this time," she started, her voice trembling on the last three words.

He nodded, his throat even tighter than before. The look on her face was almost breaking his heart.

"Will you try inflicting it on yourself again once you're healed?" she asked.

"You took away the sword…"

"Ravus Nox Fleuret, for heavens' sake, tell me the truth!"

He swallowed down the knot and answered:

"Maybe? I don't think it could even work. Luna… I know I've crossed too many lines. But I need to give you a contingency plan. It's not because I wish things to go wrong. They'll just go wrong as they always do."

She wanted to tell him wrong. She wanted to give him the assurance his efforts would be wasted, but as much as she wanted people to nurture hope, she'd only started to hope for herself recently.

"No contingency plan should imply that my brother loses an arm or his life. From what Iris told me, you ran all over the city for more than three days. I ran one single night."

"Well, I'm older and I…"

"Ravus, stop. Just stop justifying it. I'm your sister, there's no need for pretenses with me. I don't want you in danger or in any sort of pain. I don't know what you're running from, but it's not the empire..."

The truth in her words was almost painful, but he'd dealt with that pain often enough. Her hand seemed small in his own, and he squeezed her palm, keeping his face straight.

"I know it's selfish to ask for it now. But I can't… I might have overestimated myself."

It cost him to admit as much and Luna didn't add anything, looking back into his eyes, squeezing back his fingers.

"You're still human, brother. It's not a bad thing. And I will fix everything I can. But I'm worried the blight isn't the worst thing you've put yourself through."

"You're telling me?"

Lunafreya noticed the trembling in his frame and smiled, before to cup his cheek.

"Mother wanted you to be happy too, not only me, brother."

The knot felt like shackles now and her hand went up, shuffling his hair before to pull his head down. He needed her help to stay upright as their forehead touched, accepting for the first time to lean on her. In every meaning.

Luna had healed wounds for him with her magic before. Her light had warmed him a dozen times, reminding him of the prayers his mother would use to lull him to sleep when he'd had nightmares. But this time was different. This time the wounds she wanted to fix ran deeper. Ravus resented himself for being weak. He should have healed his blight himself with the successful vaccine, but it was still a mere formula waiting to be tested. And he needed all his strength to capture daemons for his final tests.

He thanked the Astrals Luna couldn't read his thoughts. She shone from the inside, as though her soul was visible, her eyes pure gold under her eyelids for an instant. She didn't say a word, her prayers running inside of her mind. And as the stains slowly erased themselves, Ravus could tell his sister was fixing a lot more than just the illness. Her magic reached for the stump, cleansing the flesh from any infection. It itched as she quickened the healing process, but he wouldn't protest. Until she tried imbuing new vigour in him, to reduce his fatigue.

He moved back, not caring for balance, eyes hard and jaw set.

"Are we both going to keep overdoing it until one of us topple over?" he asked her.

"Oh, so it _was_ a competition…" Luna snickered.

Ravus rolled his eyes, wondering how he could turn things around. Being truthful was the only way to go, or so it seemed.

"I'm not a very good brother, needing to be rescued when I'm trying to save you…" he sighed. "And I suck at comforting you too. So just… smile, that bright smile you always get when you talk of a _certain_ prince."

It was instantaneous. Her face brightened and she bit her lower lip, unable to believe how easy it was for him to make her smile, even in such dire circumstances.

"Be fair, Rav. I want you to be happy too. You know you have a right to your own life, don't you?"

He didn't want to go through this sort of talk. Being her brother was already more than he could ask for with all the people he'd hurt or killed.

"Luna…"

"Don't spend it all on me. I know this research is your bigger goal, I know it drives you, and I can support that, although I think you should have a little more trust in me. But what I'm getting at here… Ravus, you can't keep on sacrificing yourself. I'll always be there for you, but you need more than a sister…"

"Luna…" he repeated, warningly this time.

"Okay, let's take it from another angle. You're ready to put everything on the line for your goal, even other people, like Iris."

Ravus was almost reassured that she brought that up.

"As I've told the girl, it won't happen again."

"Is that how you talk to her?!"

"I'm trying to keep some sort of distance. You know I don't do friends and she's already seen me at my worst twice."

Luna couldn't help the smirk that grew on her face at that.

"Well, despite you being as charming as a doorknob, it seems she likes you enough to rush over when you're in mortal danger. And I'm grateful she did. I just don't want to see something similar happening in the future. She's a good girl."

Ravus was still trying to understand how charming a doorknob could be. He had a bad habit of pushing people away, but his princely pride was hurt. He could be charming if he wanted to! Luna helped him up to his feet after giving him his boots back. She'd borrowed a spare coat from Cindy's old man. It was a bit small for her brother, but it still looked better than walking around half naked.

"What were you up to in Insomnia?"

"More research. Burying a few bodies. I've got unfinished business there, so don't expect me to join your little team."

"I wouldn't dare to do so." She sighed. "But I really wish you'd be more careful. And that you'd talk to me too, whenever you'll call Iris in the future."

He blinked at that, noticing that they were now headed to the door, which meant their conversation would soon be as good as public.

"I thought you didn't want to hear about the blight more than you've already…"

"Who says we can't talk of anything else? You need to lay off the work, brother, since you've given your resignation… You're the only person I know who _really_ remember Tenebrae. Gentiana was in fact Shiva and won't talk to me anymore since she forged a covenant with me."

It seemed Iris had left out a few important details. Although she might not be in perfect terms with Lunafreya, in which case, she couldn't help it.

"If it's to hear about your prince all the time, forget it."

"Don't be like that. I just want my brother back. I'll refrain from gushing over Noctis if it makes you feel better. And you'll let me know what you miss from home and how you even manage to hold on, being always on your own."

Her demand wasn't exactly preposterous. And if he was to answer her question, Ravus could admit he didn't do that well on his own. Not that he did well around people either. Despite her care, he couldn't stand fully straight and was leaning heavily on her. As they walked out and back into the tunnel, they met the rest of the rescue party.

Cindy couldn't wait to get back to Hammerhead and barely gave a look to the prince of Tenebrae, leading the way back to the outside world. Prompto felt Iris' unease and lingered in the back with her, while Luna helped her brother walking. Regis' sword was tied to Ravus' belt once more and the gunman wanted nothing more than to pry it off. It was Noctis' father's and the rightful legacy of his king. It was only for Luna's sake that he didn't say a word about it.

The road back was uneventful, Cindy too tired to make any comments on Iris' rash attitude or Ravus's aspect. The man lied on the back seat, Luna looking after him while the younger members of the group shared the passenger seat.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Prompto told Iris as a turn in the road got them bumping into each other. "I know there aren't many princes out there, but that guy looks like a lot more trouble than our Noct."

Iris' answer was an elbow in his ribs and a very serious: "Cut it out, it's not even like that!"

Could she even call what she felt for Ravus something akin to friendship? The man was close to insufferable, but he treated her like a grown-up, or at least, he didn't spare her like everyone else tried to. But now that Prompto had mentioned it, she couldn't think of anything else. No matter how many time they'd talked together, she'd never really considered him as a Highness. Despite the state of his home country and before to be an army commander, Ravus was a prince. He sure didn't act like one, but being surrounded by royalty her entire life, Iris couldn't see them as such different people. What did a title mean, when a man was ready to forsake as much as Ravus did?

…

Noctis and Gladiolus were both in the Regalia while the other three were taking Aranea's dropship to get back to Hammerhead. They'd drop Dino in a resting spot earlier, having a long talk with him about risks and security measures. They'd confiscated anything that could have the coordinates of Free Crown from the man, Ignis consciously deleting potentially compromising information from his phone. The man had been angry, but hadn't protested much. He felt already bad enough for causing such a situation.

The shield had voiced concerns about letting the prince behind the wheel, but Noctis needed the distraction. He'd been so worried. The whole ordeal had him realize how precarious Free Crown's situation was. They needed to collect weapons, they needed to reinforce the structure of the mine to safeguard the habitable parts of any potential cave-in. An attack couldn't happen. If he had the whole crystal, he might even create a wall for the future city. The idea didn't scare him as much as before. Those hundreds of people depended on him and his judgment to survive. A single mistake or in this case, taking too much time to find Loqi and they could all be gone. Just as fast as Insomnia had fallen.

Losing any fight was more than he could bear and although he was happy that this specific treat had been dealt with… he was starting to wonder when the next one would show up. And if he would be strong and bright enough to save everyone…

"You know, you got us pretty worried for a moment." Gladiolus told him. "Jumping off the ship as though you had a parachute ready. All this flying around with the armiger is still pretty new. It gets on my nerves actually."

 _Seeing him going somewhere he couldn't reach and thus couldn't protect him._ Noctis tried shrugging it off, knowing how bad his friend wanted to keep his duty.

"I saw my father doing it a dozen times. And don't try to pretend it wasn't effective. That guy blew himself up from the sheer confusion we created, attacking from every side."

"It was pretty cool," Gladiolus admitted. "But I just wonder if you should keep on talking all those risks. The mission was capital, don't get me wrong. But you're not dispensable, Noctis. Soon you'll be king in name and station. And I hope that you remember that we're there for you and can take risks too."

"Sure man. Just don't try to hog all the credit to yourself." Noctis tried as a joke.

They were in for a surprise as Luna and Iris welcomed them to the garage with news about a peculiar visitor. Cindy had finally fallen asleep and Prompto was keeping an eye on Hammerhead's phone in case anyone called for a towing.

"Your brother is here?!"

"And you're the one who went out and saved him!?"

Less to say, Iris was in for some serious scolding while Noctis sat down with his fiancé to see how they planned their next move with this news in mind. The rest of the team was already there, but Ignis had decided they'd better get some rest before to even comment on the situation. Noctis took some convincing, but agreed to sleep before to try and speak with Ravus. He was so on edge, he might have jumped at the man's throat at first sight. The guys would share the RV while the girls bunked with Cindy and it didn't take long for everyone to catch up on the news over dinner.

Dino hadn't threatened their country yet and the threat was gone. Ravus was staying in Takka's room for now, missing his prosthetic arm. Any news from the capital he could give, Iris already knew, since she'd been exchanging texts with him for the last week or so. She'd reported it all to Luna and Noctis, relieved not to have to lie her way out of it to share the intel she'd gotten. Now they knew about Ace Drautos- a name that had made Crowe snarl from the hard feelings- and of the civilians still hiding, trapped inside the capital. Cid was now in Free Crown, under constant guard. Apparently, his main nurse was a guy, which didn't sit very well with him. The old man was already better, he'd called Cindy twice in the last ten hours to complain about the invasive bath he'd been given and the absence of sky. The prognostics sounded pretty good for her paw-paw.

In the early morning, they met around breakfast, sitting on either side of the main counter, the restaurant still closed to the public. Takka wouldn't be back before Cor could escort him to Hammerhead.

"Luna thinks we should still focus on Titan for now. So everything is still going to happen as we planned it. Gladio, Luna and I will leave for Cauthess while the rest of the team heads for Cleigne." Noctis declared.

Ignis took over for the rest of the explanation:

"We'll keep in touch and should meet up in Lestallum before we take on Quezacoatlz's fortress. Taking out the dropships will make rescuing Insomnia' citizens much easier. We need to take out the eyes they have on our roads if we want to move that many people around."

"I'd rather have Iris going to Cauthess with us." Gladiolus observed.

He didn't have to say why. It was written all over his face. Iris raised her hands above her head in surrender.

"I know I've been careless twice now. But Ravus had refused to give me any intel on Insomnia unless I'd keep things quiet. I'm as eager to know what's going on as any of you."

Crowe frowned, the excuses sounding a bit too clumsy to comfort the girl's brother.

"I think the next time, you should warn us before you rush off." Luna declared. "I'm glad you saved Ravus, but we shouldn't keep anything from one another on this team. Not when it puts you in danger."

She wasn't targeting Iris only with her speech, Noctis could tell she most certainly knew he was hiding some things from her for once, but he decided to worry about Iris' situation.

"No matter what excuse you have, you're still young." He warned the brunette. "And I don't think any of us wants you under the influence of a former imperial soldier, I'm sorry to say it like that Luna… So, Iris, the only reason you're still on the team right now is because we can't lose a fighter at the moment. Cor's too busy to join and leaving you behind sounds like it would only backfire."

"I'm not under anyone's influence!" she protested.

"Maybe not entirely, but you still let him state his conditions and abide by them." Aranea interfered. "You could have saved him just as well with Luna and Prompto backing you up."

The younger Amicitia could only nod in agreement. It didn't exactly feel as though everyone was ganging up on her. She had been careless. She owed a scolding or two. Heck, she should have held her own against Ravus and warn Luna from the start, it might have saved her from some embarrassment. But she wondered if he'd told her that he'd buried her father with his sister around. She wondered if he'd talked as freely if they hadn't been alone.

"I don't want the fortress disabling mission to go south." Noctis went on. "But consider yourself warned. When you insisted on being part of this team, you had to know there would be tough choices. And you can't do as you please."

"I know," she whispered. "I was so concerned about you guys barely trusting me that I managed to lose what little trust I had with this whole thing..."

Gladiolus didn't like the sound of that. Wasn't it his place as her older brother to make her feel comfortable within the team? Had he voiced too many doubts about her? She was at an age where he barely knew what to do around her. Give her time or be patronizing?

"I think we could be saying this instead. When did we lose your trust? You were so sure to know how we'd react, you didn't even dare to try and talk things out until you found yourself in a desperate situation where explanations would have taken too much time." Crowe commented. "You didn't have to wait. I think this team is more a family than an army at his stage."

"Wait, I didn't mean to say…" Iris started, looking even closer to tears.

"It's okay, Iris. You've been meaning to make your part ever since Insomnia fell." Gladiolus interrupted her. "I'm just worried. And I guess that's what everyone is trying to convey."

She tried to smile, but her mouth seemed stuck upside down and soon, her brother was next to her and pulling her in a warm hug. Having someone's life depends on her, no matter who it was, must have been awful for the young girl. The team disbanded for the rest of the morning, Noctis suggesting they take more time off before they'd leave. He had to talk with his future brother-in-law. And he dreaded it.

"Why does he still have my father's sword?" he asked Luna for the nth time as she walked with him towards the room.

"He's been running and crawling all over Insomnia and got his arm torn off for the second time. You'd rather he'd lost the sword?" The princess reminded him.

"I'd rather he'd give it back to its rightful owner. I can get him another sword."

Much to their shock, Ravus appeared in the doorway to his room, still looking pale, his beard entirely gone. He had to lean against the wall for support, but he looked as proud as ever.

"I've told you before, your Highness. I'll give you the Glaive when I deem you worthy of it."

All the fury and hate surged back in the young man's heart at the uncalled jab.

"You think I care about your opinion?!" Noctis retorted.

"Well, I still owe you a revenge match. I can't be on par with your powers, but I think it would be fair to leave me one royal arm. Not to mention that those things stab you when you collect them. It's fine for the kings of old, but your father is only half-buried at the moment."

"Ravus!" Luna exclaimed, unable to believe him.

Noctis didn't answer with words. He punched the smirk off his face, sending him to the floor and would have fell on him with both fists if it wasn't for Lunafreya getting between them.

"Please, not now. He might be delusional from the pain…"

Ravus looked insulted at the insinuation, already raising himself on one elbow, and Noctis barely contained himself, his face red from anger.

"I won't have you talking of my father like that!" he warned.

"My point still stands. Luna doesn't need a skewered fiancé."

They'd never think of it, but it was true that Regis' glaive was still perfectly tangible. It wasn't a gravure on a tombstone like the other royal arms.

"Even if you were right, I wouldn't let you keep it. It has nothing to do with…"

"I won't lose it if that's what you're worried about." Ravus groaned back.

"You really have some nerve, talking back in the state you're in. I'll have Cindy keep an eye on you. If anything happens to her because of you…!"

"You think you can make me any more miserable?"

"I can take away Iris' phone to make sure you stop slipping weird ideas into her head."

Lunafreya saw the very slight tension in Ravus' jaw at the threat. It was so small, Noctis missed it, but he held his ground.

"Did you keep tabs on us? Or was it just to take your mind off that research you're doing? No matter which way, I swear, Luna's family or not, if anything happens to Iris because of you, you're a dead man. And it won't even be my fault. It's not like I can control Gladiolus when he's mad."

"Nothing will happen to her." Ravus answered, holding back Noctis' glare. "What else do you want to know?"

"Why did you share intel with Iris? And how can we trust it?"

"I've _defected_. Ardyn wanted my head two days ago. Now he must want someone else's skull. Feeding lies to Lucians wouldn't get me anything."

It wasn't a full answer, but Luna squeezed Noctis' arm, hoping for the confrontation to stop. She was pretty sure her brother's stump had reopened and needed medical attention. Except the guy was too proud to act carefully even in this state.

"I don't have time for this." Noctis sighed. "Let's agree on one thing here. As soon as you're back to full health, I'm getting my father's sword back."

"Fine with me." Ravus retorted. "You stay safe, Lunafreya."

"I'll try. Don't do anything rash while we're gone. No running away, alright?"

Ravus shrugged in answer and the royal pair walked out, Noctis more adamant than ever on leaving. The door was barely shut behind them that the Oracle was already voicing her concerns about the brief argument.

"I'm sor…"

"Don't apologize for him, Luna. You're not responsible of your brother."

"Doesn't make it any easier to see him acting like that. He wasn't always so angry."

Each sibling had reacted differently to the loss of their mother and Tenebrae's independence. Noctis wondered which path he'd followed if he was in either of their shoes. But those questions wouldn't help him in the long run. He still had so many things to do.

Gladio had talked things over with Iris, reassuring her that he would still be there for her and support her even when she made mistakes. He also admitted that saving someone wasn't a mistake, but had her promise not to rush off again. The guy was clearly torn as both teams regrouped, Cindy staying closer to her city boy.

The bikes had been stocked in the dropship, Aranea already kicking off the engine. Ignis exchanged a few words with Noctis and Luna, before to head into the ship. Crowe promised Gladiolus she would look after his younger sister in his stead.

"I'll keep you updated with our situation too." The former Glaive added. She'd recently gotten herself a phone, a gift from Libertus so they could keep in touch.

"You'd better." He shot back.

The look they shared was rather long and a lot of words could have been said, none that was needed. Prompto and Cindy weren't as discreet, the first concerned about leaving her so soon, the second pretending she'd be fine.

"I'll have the princess' brother ta keep my mind off things. Believe me, he's goin' ta wish he ain't run inta trouble. I'm a lousy nurse." She kidded.

"Just keep texting me, alright?"

"Sure."

Their kiss was as brief as possible. Cindy might have followed if the situation was different, but with her paw-paw still under medical attention, she didn't want to get too far from him.

Iris received one hug from Luna, slightly shocked from it, since it was the first one since she'd met her.

"Thank you for enduring my brother. If he ever proves too much, hold your ground. He won't have enough energy to challenge you for long."

"What are you talking about?"

"I just have a hunch he's going to call you again."

At the moment, Iris wasn't sure the prospect pleased her. Noctis gave her a brief look, as though to ask if she felt up for this new mission. The brunette nodded vehemently. If she was going to prove her worth to the team, this sounded like her best chance. Maybe her last chance.

"We should get to Cauthess by the end of the day. I hope the covenant won't take us too long, but there's no telling what's waiting for us at the meteor site. We'll send you news around 12:00 and 20:00 every day. We meet back up in Lestallum once we're done. Try not to let Ignis get hurt out there. No need to make him immune to potion just yet."

"Don't worry, Noct, I'll cover every of them." Prompto said.

"I know you will. Cindy, thank you for your help."

"Don't mention it. This distraction might actually help me. Just get out there and kick some imperial asses!"

Gladiolus insisted on driving the car this time around and it didn't take long for Aranea's ship to lift off into the skies. As they sat on the backseat, Noctis and Luna huddled close, hoping Titan would be as kind as either of the Astral they'd contacted so far. They both knew better than to entertain false hope, but the silent treatment the Oracle had received from the gigantic Astral seemed to indicate he'd calmed down. Or was he simply confused since the order of things had been changed?

To be continued…

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Titan is up next I swear, with less dialogs and more action. I've planned up the 15 to 20 next chapters or so. Altissia is still far... Your support for this story means the world to me. I've edited the major mistakes I managed to notice in here.

Next chapter will see Noctluna, a new royal arm, surely more talking with ancestors and Titan. Ravus will take a break for the moment, but he will be back for more screentime.

And his fight with Noctis was just what I needed. It's their third meeting in the story and punches are still exchanged. It will take some time before those two make up.

As always, reviews are more than welcome.


	39. Can you hear them calling your name?

Titan is here. And there's one thing about this encounter that I had planned since the beginning of the fic… and I really don't know how you'll react to it. But believe me when everything that happens here happens for a reason. Except the fluff. Fluff doesn't need justification, right?

We have one royal arm, one Titan, a guest Astral, NoctLuna and a few surprises with the rest of the team. 😉

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Unexpected

Chapter 39 – Can you hear them calling your name?

The trio slept in a resting post on the way, Noctis and Luna making small talk with their driver, before the Oracle insisted again about learning how to drive. She wanted to make her part and the guys agreed that they would give her lessons as soon as things calmed down. In the morning, they drove up to the meteor site, which was usually under imperial control, but Cor's men and Monica's hunters had gotten through their security while Noctis was running all over the country. The disc was back in Lucian's hands.

"The terrain is a bit uneven inside, it might be better to leave your car by the gates, your highness." Dave cautioned them.

"I guess we can walk the rest of the way. Still nothing, Luna?"

She shook her head, looking a bit more alarmed as they kept on nearing Titan. This silence was starting to feel ominous. Noctis led the way, Luna staying by his side and Gladiolus kept an eye out for danger, right on their heels. The crater where the Meteor had crashed was warmer than the rest of the country, the temperature rising the further they went. Dave had warned them that the disc had been burning for the last month. And as they followed the trek diving down between ragged cliff, Luna felt a sudden pressure on her mind. She missed a step and called her trident without thinking to catch herself.

"What's wrong?" Noctis asked her.

 _ **I'm sick of their lies!**_

Luna brought one hand to her forehead, her breathing heavier.

"I don't understand. An Astral is nearby. But it's not…"

Gladio frowned and Noctis looked ready to escort her back, hating the pain he saw etched in every line on her pale face.

"It just took me by surprise. It was a lot louder than the usual voices too. But I think we shouldn't postpone this."

 _ **Clever oracle.**_

Noctis heard it this time, the rocky whisper that seemed to echo inside his head.

"Was that it?"

Luna shook her head the negative.

"That was Titan. The other one was different."

The young prince wished he could hear each and every of them, but he simply made a prayer for Titan and whichever other Astral that was here to let him pay the toll this time. Or that they'd at least share it between the two of them.

 _ **Wishful man. Hurry before their shadows reach us.**_

There was no time to waste apparently.

"Who's he talking about?"

"Could you two stop talking as though I wasn't there? I can't hear either of your Astrals, but I'd like to know what's going on." Gladiolus butted in.

"Oh… It's not clear…" Luna started.

"Nothing new yet." The Shield insisted.

"We're going to have company according to Titan. And I don't think it's the second Astral Luna has been hearing. Let's hurry." Noctis commanded.

The dirt path twisted and dove deeper in the crater, leading them down a slope that turned into a disc of earth overlooking the Meteor and its bearer. Titan owed his name, standing almost as tall as the Citadel as he crouched under the burden he carried. The legends said that Titan was both the giant who'd raised from the ground and the meteor that had come crashing down. Sometimes, people pretended he'd move or roll his shoulders to ease off the stiffness, but Noctis knew better. The thing had come down here with two goals in mind. Keeping an eye on the Lucian line and waiting for the chosen king. The Astrals had had one champion among the humans, a champion who made the bridge between their infinite powers and Eos physical realm. And that person was supposed to be him.

Much to their surprise, a coffin was lying by the very ledge of the natural balcony.

"Is that…?"

Noctis recognized the gravures as the blade of the Mystic. How it even got here seemed too far-fetched to ponder and he exchanged a brief look with Luna before to walk up to the thing and kneel in front of the slightly damaged coffin. He touched the blade without hesitation. The Mystic had forged two covenants during his own existence, researching magic and Eos' cosmology far more than any king of the past. The face in the stone had been erased by time and erosion, leaving behind the creepy pretense of a human being.

And while a new blurry weapon surged through the air and stabbed him in the heart, Noctis heard their voices.

 _Caelum, Caelum, chosen king, Caelum._

The litany went on, the voices superposing and rushing through his ears. Some syllables were almost distorted and started mixing together, until a booming voice shushed all the others.

 _You've collected one half of them, but you twisted the rules. Splitting the covenants between the oracle and yourself._

Any protest he wanted to express died in the back of his throat as the pressure on his skull turned intolerable.

 _ **What is this about twisting rules?**_ Titan asked _ **. Did Ramuh and Shiva really mess things up?**_

 _Mistake or not, this breach in the teachings of Etro has no precedent._

"What's… Etro have to do with this?" Noctis managed through his clenched teeth.

As much as she wanted to support him, Luna was thrown to the ground from a sudden quake that made the whole disc area groan in protest. Titan was rousing, the Meteor rising in the air.

 _Etro created this world and every last one of us. The Scourge is a…_

 _ **Don't make me laugh! Etro never cared for her creation. She created countless lives to collect them right back.**_

Noctis didn't recognize the voice, but it sounded sharp like a snake's tongue and Luna yelped from the pain. Gladiolus pulled Noctis back from the ledge, dragging him by his collar, only able to see Titan's suddenly moving and registering that the temperature had risen even more, reaching unbearable levels.

 _Of course, the fallen god would say so! Caelum, don't stray from our path. If you think the sacrifices we ask are a harsh price, think of every king and queen that came before you._

"Fallen…?" he repeated.

But he was doing as asked and ordered, which made any sort of reprimand useless. Or was he still wrong? Was collecting the royal arm and forging the covenants not enough? His thoughts had trouble aligning as the concert of voices insisted.

 _Caelum, you must retrieve… Us. Caelum. Us. Caelum. Crys… Caelum._

Why couldn't they make sense?!

"Noctis, snap out of it!" Gladiolus called out.

Luna gasped from pain as Titan spoke once more.

 _ **Have you come for me, or those little kings?! My patience is running thin.**_

"So is mine," the oracle retorted.

It wasn't easy to have a good grasp on the situation and every member of the trio wished for far more control. But Noctis shook his head, seemingly regaining contact with reality.

"Why is it so hot around here? I thought Titan controlled earth…" He observed.

"You mentioned a fallen… Could it be Ifrit?"

Gladiolus paled slightly.

"Two belligerent Astrals for the price of one? Sounds like fun."

They might have done better to bring more hands on deck.

…

"Cauthess? We lost a garrison recently back there…" Ace sighed.

"Just follow the coordinates I gave you and stick to the plan. With luck, you might be able to test that new weapon," the chancellor told him.

The young man looked down to his wristband on his arm, where a dark stone had been attached. The final step was to have it grafted under his skin. He wanted to test it first to be sure the sacrifice was worth it. Ardyn had proposed an armour similar to Glauca, but the white tones the empire etched in everything made Drautos feel queasy. He preferred dark clothes and would get a black armour. He wouldn't simply be his father's replica if he could help it.

"We're taking on a god." He muttered.

"Temporarily immobilizing him." Ardyn corrected. "We'll simply talk, like civilized people."

"It's still a god…"

"I know. But the gods needed us men. That has to mean something."

…

Luna had insisted that Titan wouldn't calm down until they stood close enough to touch him. The covenant usually implied a discussion with the concerned Astral, something she only did with Ramuh. Her prayers had been answered and she'd learned from Gentiana a lot about arguing a cause. Whether Titan was getting ready for a fight or for a serious talk, he was moving around and causing a lot of quakes. They'd gotten down the ledge, careful of every step, although Noctis kept on walking faster, which had Luna rushing to keep up or Gladiolus pulling the prince back, warning him about the shifting ground.

"Don't go tripping on your feet."

"What am I, a child?"

"I know you're angsty to be done with this covenant thing, but if you fall to your de…"

"I'll call the armiger and fly the way down. Actually, we should just do that. I can carry you down first and then Luna."

The lady on the team frowned almost as much as the prince's shield. Something was definitely up with Noctis and she needed to know what. Gladio was faster, ready to put some sense back into the young man.

"Carry _me_ down?! Why don't you save your strength for that guy?" he pointed out the Astral standing further down the crater.

Getting each and every royal arm seemed to have an effect on him. Or could it be the aftermath of aging two years in such a short amount of time? The vapours in the air and melting rocks didn't help with anyone's temper. Luna grabbed her fiancé's hand, squeezing his fingers as the earth trembled beneath them. He was standing right next to her, but his eyes seemed distant, the blue ready to shift to red.

 _Stay with me,_ she thought with all of her strength.

And since it was for her that he worried so much, because of her safety that he felt rushed, Noctis agreed to walk down the trek instead of flying. They were as careful as possible, Luna only talking to answer Titan's few questions. Because the giant being talked, his voice drumming inside both royals' skull. The second Astral had gone back to silence, but the oracle felt him in the furious heat everywhere around her, in the flames that licked the rocks and the blurriness of the path she tried to see. They trekked through the scars dug into the planet by the meteor. Star pieces. Titan's soul. So many names and legends that were all wrong.

 _ **What do you know of us, speaker of the human kind?**_

"Not enough yet. But we're willing to learn."

Whenever Luna answered the Astral, neither Noctis nor Gladio understood the words she spoke. It was as though another language was coming off her lips. Her eyes were more gold than blue by the time they reached the centre of the crater. And Titan stirred, sending more dust and dirt on their head. Noctis coughed, covering his face and Luna summoned her trident. Gladiolus stood back, sword held out, feeling useless. This sort of mystical ordeal was way beyond any training he'd been through.

 _ **Shiva is with you, daughter of Tenebrae, but Ramuh has sided with the Lucian King. Which means I can choose the one I deem worthy of my strength.**_

"And how does he decide that?"

Noctis was starting to feel sick of the tolls asked left and right. Lunafreya worried her lower lip, getting the same impression of helplessness as her lover.

"Whatever test you have in mind, he's worthy." She declared.

 _ **Love may blind you, oracle. I shall test you both. In body and mind.**_

Titan didn't wait any longer to balance the meteor against his neck, freeing his left arm to strike. Noctis pushed Luna to the side without thinking and stopped the blow, barely managing a parry. He didn't dare to take out his armiger here, not with the woman he loved so close. He usually didn't use it with any of his comrades nearby and blamed himself for not training more. As though he'd had the time to do so with everything going on!

The gigantic fist moved faster than physics allowed, swiping the air, having them cowering like flies.

"How are you guys supposed to…?" Gladio started, interrupted by a nth quake beneath their feet.

"I think he wants to see how long we can hold our own against him." Luna answered.

It was the only logical outcome since the giant's skin was far too strong to be chipped with either of the weapons they carried. But how long would the test last? Noctis blocked another attack, a smaller crater digging itself under him from the cheer strength of the blow. How could his arms hold? How could he strike back? Lunafreya backed away to stand next to the king's shield.

"Do you think you can throw me at him?" came her question.

"What?!"

"So that I could grab on his hand. I can't reach him on my own, but I'm sure my trident will work once I'm close enough."

"Luna, that thing is colossal."

They covered their eyes as a new waft of dirt hit them, Gladiolus blinking the dust away.

"I might be able when he swings, but the velocity and…"

"Just try it. I need to support Noctis in any way I can and he doesn't need healing right now," she insisted.

Gladiolus let go of his sword, lifting the princess in one swoop. Launching people wasn't usual, but he had tremendous strength. Except he knew what would happen to him if Noctis' precious fiancée came to harm by his fault. The woman was lighter than he'd thought.

"Don't go falling and breaking your neck." He warned as he gathered speed and strength, timing his shot.

Noctis dove to the left, his arms needing some sort of reprieve from all the shocks. His bones seemed to be jumping in their sockets, his shoulders and elbows begging for mercy. As he rolled on himself, Luna soared into the air, her trident striking Titan's wrist. The three spikes plunged deep into the stony flesh. All she could do was hang on as the Astral took another swing at the chosen king, his angry roar making it hard to breathe. Wind rushed all around her. But she held on. And as her heart hammered in her chest, she twisted her spine and stood on the giant fist, her magic deployed as a cushion, covering her skin with light. Her trident hit to break, no matter how small the marks she left behind. She had her own strength and wouldn't be content with defending herself this time.

Noctis didn't stay idle, calling his armiger once more and warped into the air, right after her. Titan's face cracked into a hideous smile. As though this was the show of prowess he'd been hoping for. Gladiolus gathered his sword, wondering what he could do more. Was he supposed to stand by the sideline? It was their covenant. How could one protect godlike humans? Did they even need protection at this stage? His prince moved so fast, all he could perceive of him was a blue streak warping everywhere, leaving silver craters on the giant's skin. Luna kept her balance, either using her trident to stay on Titan, or walking over his arm to strike a new vein. For an instant, the Shield wondered if Prompto would have been able to snap a picture of this incredible vision. Then the ground shook again and the heat was burning his lungs once more, debris of rock flesh showering him. Bruises and cuts all over his body that he could barely feel.

 _Maybe I should just take cover while…_

Titan moved faster, his fist coming down for him and Luna slipped. Gladio's mind analyzed everything like he'd been taught too. Potential outcomes, where the Astral's punch would hit, where the princess would drop. Noctis was too high up. Gladiolus' legs moved quicker than his head. He'd launched her up there, he might as well catch her.

Luna let go of her trident, the weapon vanishing into the air, the gold in her eyes turning back to blue. The landing was rough, the Oracle crashing into the Amicitia man, who mostly served to cushion her fall. She heard something crack and apologized through huffed breaths.

"I'll fix you, then you can throw me back."

"Are you kidding me?!"

What was up with those royals?

 _ **Let me see what's on your mind.**_

The intrusion was like hitting a charging Anak for Noctis, his armiger failing him two seconds, maybe five, which send him falling. He called the swords back, his thoughts running wild.

 _I want her safe. I need more power. I need my country safe. All those people back in Insomnia…_

 _ **Can't you focus at all?!**_ The astral snarled.

He slapped the chosen king with the back of his hand, sending him hurling back. Noctis remained in the air with a tremendous effort, breathing hard, his energy absorbed by the Astral. His eyes flickered from blue to red, the royal arms barely staying solid around him.

Back on the ground, Luna gasped, feeling Titan pulling at her life force too.

 _ **What is that you want, daughter of Tenebrae?**_

There was only one thought in her mind, her soul speaking out, loud and clear.

 _The power to help him._

The Archaean stopped moving, his right eyes closing. More stone fell down, Noctis following suit, collapsing on one knee but keeping one of his royal arms out.

 _ **I heard both of your wishes. And I shall take both of your shares. But I can only follow one of you.**_

Lunafreya got to her feet with Gladio's help, walking up to Noctis, only to feel the tugs grow even stronger. The voice in their head didn't hurt as much, but it was impossible to stay upright to face him.

For each covenant, there was a price, and shared or not, the toll was tremendous pain. A human body wasn't made to welcome god's powers. Luna couldn't breathe, even though her nostrils flared and her mouth hung open. She was gasping and grasping desperately for some oxygen. Noctis' hand clutched at his heart. It seemed ready to burst out of his chest. This was nothing like Ramuh's test. Gladio clenched his fists at the horrifying sight. Luna's veins were visible through her skin and Noctis was twisting and shaking from head to toes. It only lasted for a minute, but it was downright torture for their bodyguard. There was nothing he could do but bear with it. Luna's struggling breaths preceded Noctis' whine as the pressure suddenly released. Titan's physical body was fading, limb by limb, stone by stone. And the legends saying the meteor was a part of him must have been wrong. Because the meteor was coming down!

"You gotta be kidding!" Gladiolus groaned, grabbing Luna under one arm and shoving Noctis without ceremony on his shoulder.

They were both weakened and didn't even protest as he rushed off the crater. One jump and they were back on the trek. He didn't watch his steps, not caring if his boots turned scalding hot from the burning stones. The meteor was falling and although it was only from two miles or three, he wanted them all as far as possible before that thing made contact. Eos sounded really quiet for an instant, the crater waiting for the new quake, the deeper scar etched in its skin. And over the sound of his feet and their three raspy or frightened breathing, Gladiolus heard engines. Above their heads.

"Dammit!"

One glance up and he saw a dozen dropships, accompanied by a dreadnought. Which meant a general was here...

"Put me down, Gladdy… I can take them!" Noctis asked, his voice hoarse and weak.

"Don't listen to…" Luna coughed from under his arm, her hands reaching for his knee.

She wanted to stabilize herself somehow.

"I know princess. Just let me do my job." He almost snapped at her.

If he was angry with anyone, it was himself. How could he even think that forging a covenant with that thing would be easy?! Noctis believing it was one thing, but he was supposed to make contingency plans, he was supposed to listen when Ignis voiced concerns. They'd been through so many easy fights lately. Taking out the Prima the other day had looked like a piece of cake. He pushed the angry thoughts aside and spotted a small opening in the cliff on his right. He phased his head and neck inside, before to squeeze both royals in the cavity, pushing two elixirs in their hands.

"I'll look for a way out, stay quiet until I'm back." He ordered them.

Noctis tried to oppose, but Gladiolus retorted by hacking down an enormous stone and shoving it in front of the opening, effectively hiding them to the outside world. Luna's fingers struggled with the bottle in her hands. The rocks around them were too warm for comfort and she prayed for a fresh breeze, to which Shiva answered almost instantly.

"Noct?" she asked.

Fumbling around, the prince lighted his flash light, heaving a deep sigh.

"You okay?"

"Can't say yet."

She managed to open the damn bottle and chug down the elixir, droplets falling down her chin and neck. It was bitter and sweet and when she blinked, she could have sworn there were spots of colors beneath her eyelids. Had she hit her head somewhere? Noctis' hands looked for her in the dark, the light flickering on his chest. The glass had cracked during the fight. It was a miracle it hadn't happened before. When his hands touched her waist, she jumped. Was she that nervous?

"He chose you, didn't he?"

Lunafreya was surprised to hear something close to bitterness in his voice.

"I didn't mean…"

He tugged at her clothes before to shift closer to her, pulling her jacket open to look for her pulse. His hands were shaking and she wrapped her arms around his neck, every move awaking a dozen aches and sores for them both.

"They hurt you more when they go with you," he told her. "I could hear you… If it gets worse with every new covenant,we make… And you were supposed to endure it alone?"

She wished he wouldn't linger on the past like that, but he was hurt and under shock. She felt fresh energy settling in her limbs thanks to the medicine and noticed the bottle sitting in his lap.

"You should take your elixir."

More fumbling and a few gulps later, Noctis was sitting a bit straighter, but his eyes still shone with worries.

"You shouldn't make such a big deal of it. Unless you're ready to tell me what's eating you up. You were spacing out after collecting that blade."

Another sigh, and his hands felt a bit more possessive on her, brushing her neck, running all over her back. Following the curve of one hip, down her thigh. His nose brushed against her collarbone. His breath felt warm on her skin. She stroked his hair, straightening a few knots to massage his scalp. Accepted to sit closer to him and slipped one hand under his shirt to splay her fingers over his heart. It was beating so fast, almost too fast.

"Noctis, please. Talk to me."

 _They want you to die, Luna. They want me to lose you too._

The words that came out were different, slurred here and there.

"Since Balouve Mines, when I collect a new royal arm, I hear voices. My ancestors… At least I think. It gets really confusing. They usually talk like five or six at the same time, I can't even tell…"

 _I can't tell you._

"It's okay, Noct. I've been hearing weird voices for some time, believe me."

With all the prayers and the covenants. But he wasn't worried she'd think him crazy.

"They're rushing me even more, Luna. It's as though the empire could do something with the crystal, but it doesn't make sense. I mean… Only my line can..."

"Stop it. I know you're under pressure, I know the stakes are high. But you can't worry about things you can't control. You have the Lucii ring. We've got 3 Astrals on our side now."

He wondered if he shouldn't worry about Gladiolus out there, but the fact the man had started using his phasing powers a bit more reassured him. He would put their safety first and that meant keeping himself alive. His Shield was bright enough to know that.

"You really think Ifrit is hanging around here?" he asked, deciding to change subject.

"Yes, but I don't think it's a good idea to try and forge another covenant right away though. Titan's toll was harsh. For an instant, it felt as though poison…"

"…was running through your veins? It burned me too."

A shiver ran through her. He was already suffering enough from the royal arms he had to collect. Shots could be heard outside, orders and the shifting of metal. The ships were landing. The imperials had to know the prince was nearby. The Archaean was suddenly gone. People must have seen the meteor falling all the way from Lestallum. And here they were, both responsible, holding tight on each other as they hid like animals in a small cave.

"Are you better yet?" Noctis asked her.

She heard the restlessness in his voice. The urge to go out and support Gladio. The man was too tall and large to sneak around a full regimen of Magiteck soldiers. She was just as worried, but it was still hard to breathe every now and then. Too much dirt in her lungs. She stifled a cough, her hand still hovering above his heart.

"I'll be better when we are far away from here. And when you'll have a chance to relax more than 10 hours."

"What about you? You barely got any rest with Cid and your brother needing help right afterward."

"What can I say. We're in demand. I try to see it as a compliment."

But it was heavy on her shoulders too. Noctis kissed the top of her head, wondering if they could ever be free from those never-ending responsibilities.

"That trick you pulled off earlier. Getting thrown at him by Gladio. Man… If you want to fly, you should ask me for a ride. I'm sure that with some practice, we can manage something less dangerous."

"Something implying to walk on your weapons?" she deduced.

They laughed despite the gravity of the situation. There was something surreal about it all, but they had already crossed many limits. It seemed normal for Noctis to talk about flying now and Lunafreya had proved to him and mostly to herself that she could do considerable damage in a battle. The last oracle who had seriously fought with her powers had died centuries ago.

"As strong as we've gotten, Gladio still had to save our hides."

"In a pretty undignified manner. But he's going to need as much of a break as us. I hope the others are doing okay…" Noctis sighed.

Luna mourned the smile he'd been wearing earlier, as they'd taken the road. His blue eyes were dark, filled with sorrow and gloom. And she knew her eyes were most certainly looking the same. He'd barely talked of his encounter with the Prima pilot. Luna couldn't help but wonder if it was because he resented some of the actions he'd been forced to take. Or worse, if he was already apprehending the next attackers. He couldn't live in constant fear. She had tried for years and all it had gotten her was an angry heart and one even angrier brother.

"Don't think too far ahead. Be with me, here and now, Noct."

He swallowed, unsure of how he could rid himself of the tension accumulated in his body. He wanted to shelter her from any more pain. He wanted to be rid of the empire once and for all. But all those wishes were the very reason why Titan had chosen Luna instead of him. He was unfocused, fleeting from one task to the next.

His throat felt dry as he realized the reason why might be his fear of falling to pieces if he was to stop for too long. Moving forward didn't give him time to process anything, at least not fully.

"I'm here, Luna."

"Not entirely. Your mind is in a million places."

"My mind, maybe. But my heart is here."

The sweet words erased some of her fears. They shared one brief, chaste kiss, just to confirm they were both here, both still alive and somehow human despite the feats they'd managed so far. Movement behind them had Noctis scrambling to his feet, which resulted in his head hitting the natural ceiling of the thin cave.

"Easy there, kids." Gladio told them, apparently coming out of nowhere. "I've found a path… with _a lot_ of phasing. The Nifs are collecting fragments of the meteor, but there's one guy looking for trouble. So we've got two choices. We sneak back out and check on the hunters. They were supposed to be at the gate and there was no sign of an attack yet, but they might lack the numbers to riposte to this invasion."

"I don't know how much I like that option." Noctis replied almost instantly.

No need to think it over. It was as though he had a bloodlust towards anything imperial.

"Second choice," Gladio went on. "We follow trouble guy to see what he's up to. I vote for option one."

"Me too." Luna said.

"Wait, wait, what is trouble guy doing?!" Noctis pointed out. "How many MTs are even out there?"

"About 150. You're going to tell me you have a spell to get rid of that many metal dolls?"

"With all the fire shards around? Yes!"

"Noctis, I think we've already accomplished a lot." Luna reminded him.

"Well, can't I veto your votes, since I'm the king here?"

"You might get through those MTs, but what about that second Astral? You were ready to topple over an elixir ago, Noct," the oracle warned.

"I can't just… run away guys."

This time, his voice cracked a bit and Luna felt the light tremble in his frame. He didn't _want_ to stay, but he felt forced to do so, since it was the only way to hold up his duty as king of Lucis.

"Gladiolus… Did you see anyone else important around? Anything that could help us shed some light on what their goal could be." Luna inquired.

"The chancellor is supervising the work." He admitted.

The princess tensed at the news, but felt her resolve growing stronger.

"Well then, we absolutely can't leave," she declared. "We must know what he's after."

The night would fall soon, which might slow down the Niffs and make sneaking around to spy on them easier. But Gladio still thought they could use more manpower for this kind of mission.

"Alright. Let's see how well we can emulate Iggy's strats."

…

Crowe had insisted for Iris to drive with her once they parked the dropship and took out their bikes. Ignis and Prompto shared one bike, since the gunman was better on a bird than a machine, Aranea led their charge and Crowe followed, manning the enormous motorcycle Gladiolus usually drove.

Iris had been silent for most of the dropship ride, barely answering Prompto's tries at making conversation. She seemed deep in thought and the former Glaive had a fairly good idea what she could be wondering at the moment. The others had put her on the spot, refusing to see how the risks she'd taken had saved a man and that most if not every of her decision had been done with Luna's interest at heart, when she should have hated the girl who'd stolen her crush from her.

Being tired from the fight with the Prima, they should have convinced Noctis to hold on with his judgment of the situation, but so far, the king had been making the right decisions. Except the pressure was most certainly catching up to him. And Iris shouldn't have to prove she wasn't a liability to the team at this stage. She'd been with them in the royal base. She'd been covering their back in Steyliff Grove. She'd fixed their wounds through their run all over Duscae for more royal arms. She complained less than Prompto. And the only person who had treated her like a grown-up as of late was a former enemy. Who had given her the information she wanted, surely without any sugar-coating the more sordid details because he underestimated her.

"How are you doing, Iris?" Crowe asked her in the middle of a curve.

She wouldn't try to presume how the girl felt. It was this sort of thinking that had brought her in her state of mind to begin with. It took some time for the younger Amicitia to answer.

"I don't really know. Frustrated to be honest. Lately, I was wondering… What I should do to finally have Noctis and Gladio realize I'm not a child anymore…"

"I don't think you should change anything." Crowe declared. "Because the changes have already happened. It's their eyes that need to see what's going on. If they hadn't shown so many doubts from the get-go, you wouldn't have hesitated as much to tell them of what was going on."

Which was true. Entirely true. Iris was relieved to feel real understanding from someone after being faced with nothing but reproaches.

"I still wished there was a way for me to get the point across. Prompto only seems to think I'm playing with fire, but he hasn't told me to run away from Ravus or to block his number from my phone. Neither has Ignis."

But they hadn't stood up for her either when Noctis chewed her off for being irresponsible. She'd come clean and was rewarded with more doubts and suspicions than ever.

"You know, I think there's away. How about you write a letter? You can start with your brother. He won't have a choice but to read it and won't be able to cut you off if something you say isn't to his liking."

"That's not a bad idea. I used to leave him notes in the kitchen since he was always getting home late."

"You can tell me off if I'm being nosy here, but… What kinds of notes?"

"Oh, simple stuff, like which lunch I'd made him for dinner, or if I had a good day at school. Or just wishing him good-night. I stayed up late a few times, but it would drive him mad, since I had school on weekdays, so I left notes pretty often. Sometimes, I'd make a trail of paper and hide his food somewhere else to teach him a lesson. He would always answer me with a note of his own in the morning. Dad said we were weird to stick to paper, but he joined in every now and then."

Longing ranged so clearly in her voice, Crowe didn't know what she could say back. But when Iris wondered out loud if a letter was such a good idea, the older woman insisted.

"It might actually do him some good, to stop for a few minutes too. And with Gladiolus on your side, it will be that much easier to show reason to Noctis."

Iris felt excited at the prospect. When they stopped to make camp as night was slowly showing up, knowing their destination was about three more hours' drive ahead, she walked with the usual spring in her steps, which had been subdued for the last few days. Ignis noticed the change and didn't take long to realize it was Crowe's doing. Their teenage girl didn't need to be scolded, by fair guidance and also recognition. He had been buried under so much recognition at her age, he'd almost wanted to run away from it, hating being in the spotlight almost as much as Noctis. But the girl was holding on far much better than most of them.

"What's on the menu for tonight?" Aranea asked him as they unpacked the smaller kitchenette they'd managed to install in one of the bike's compartment.

"I think I should make a stew. It will take a bit longer than usual, but…"

The silver-haired lady observed his light look in Iris' direction, as the young girl was ordering Prompto around to set up the tents, while still helping with every task involved.

"It's her favourite, isn't it?"

"I get the feeling we've failed her. Usually, when someone runs away, even for a short amount of time…"

Aranea didn't like how that sounded, because it was a talk they had avoided in their own relationship, with how she would disappear for days with no sign of life.

"If there's something you want to say, you should say it, Scientia."

"No need for distance. I think she hasn't felt as welcome as she could be. Gladio doesn't realize it, but his attitude sounds as though he'd cage her somewhere safe instead of making her feel useful."

"So… you're worried you might want to cage me somewhere?"

"Oh… Maybe once, a long time ago. But I've learned better since. Although I wouldn't mind having you to myself for more than a few stolen hours."

"Promises. Why don't you focus on dinner for now? Then, maybe we'll see about stealing a few hours together and some flirting. Unless your duty tells you otherwise."

He raised one brow, unable to miss the teasing defiance in her eyes.

"I can't help but notice you're implying I'll be left alone to prepare dinner."

"I remember you preferring not having anyone meddling in your kitchen."

"Dear this is not what I would call my kitchen. You can meddle all you like."

She blinked, taken aback by how natural it was to hear those words in his mouth. She took a step closer, not fighting against the smile on her face anymore.

Meanwhile, Crowe had finished checking the campgrounds and Iris and Prompto were done with both tents. The youngest member of the group took up to writing down her letter, typing it on her phone and saving it down for when she'd get a sheet of paper or the nerve to send an overly long text to her brother.

 _Dear Gladio,_

 _I get the impression we never really talk lately and that you have a dozen things you would want to say. About a thousand different things. So I'm going to take the first step here. I don't know if you'll like it, but I need to do this to feel better with myself. I'm sick of being underestimated all the time._

 _We both lost our home, brother, but I was there when it happened. I ran among other civilians. I was in the first wave rushing through the gates, Talcott holding to my hand, Jared securing us a car in the chaos. I saw people pushing down others for a chance to survive. I tried to fix the wounds of the survivors that made it in our truck. I couldn't sleep for days. I kept checking my phone for a sign someone I knew was safe. My last text was from that girl in physics that I couldn't stand up. She was asking if there was anywhere safe in Insomnia. I saw it 12 hours too late to answer. I don't know if she just lost her phone or didn't make it. I don't know of any of my friends, but the chances are that they didn't make it._

 _And I haven't cracked yet. My mind is still working, I keep my training up to date and I try to stay sane as much as you must be trying on your side. I think we can all make bad decisions. Especially with the circumstances we're in. But I've been kept on the sidelines all my damn life, Gladio. When mother was dying, whenever you got hurt because of training or for protecting Noctis. I don't need to be cuddled because I'm a girl or because I'm young. I don't feel young. And if you think anyone can turn me into a bad person, you're dead wrong._

 _I didn't admit of my texts and talks with Ravus before because he wanted news from his sister and knew she might try to hide things from me if she knew. I totally know where he's coming from, do you have any idea why?_

 _The other reason was because I knew how mad you would get and how much worried you might be. But father raised me better than letting a few sentences from one guy straying my thoughts._

 _Actually, do you know that Ravus got hurt because he went and buried our father and tried burying Regis too? I can already hear you asking: Why would he ever do that? Because he felt guilty. Apparently, he's human under all the jerk attitude. It doesn't mean I forgive him anything else he's done. But knowing dad is laid to rest… Just knowing for sure that he's not hurting anymore… You need to know it too, don't you?_

 _I know this might come out as pretty harsh. I don't want to send this to you right now. I know how much you want to keep me safe and to look out for me. But the truth is… you can't keep me safe. No matter how strong you are or how much power Noctis could give you. It's not a bad thing. It doesn't make you a bad brother or anything. I just want you to try and understand me, okay? I will always be your little sister. But I don't think my age should define what I can do or what I can think. I don't want to stay angry with you, but I think the faults aren't only on my side._

 _Just try to keep that in mind the next time you want to go overprotective or to scold me for something. I saved someone's life. If it had been Talcott, you wouldn't have been nearly as aggravated for it. So just try to understand me. Please._

 _One hug and a half. Other half when I'll see you,_

 _Iris_

To be continued…

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And so Luna was deemed worthy of Titan. I bet you didn't expect that one. Or maybe you did? Either way, I wanted Luna to have Titan for two reasons. Noctis is already overly powerful and getting even stronger with his royal arms and the fact he can use every weapon at the same time instead of four. Second reason is that I want to split the Astral fairly between Noctis and Luna. And if Ifrit joins one of them, it can't exactly be her. He brought the Scourge upon the world and she's spend her entire life learning how to cure it, one person at a time. As for Bahamut and Leviathan, well, my decision has already been made. I'll let you guess, but I think I'm on the obvious track with that one.

Next chapter will see a talk between Iris and Ravus, the start of the disabling-Quezactoaltz-sensors mission, Ignea, more action with Noctis and Luna and surely a bit more of Prompto.


	40. Acknowledge me!

The two weeks of wait between last chapter and this one might have told you so. This chapter was a real headache for me. It never sounded like I wanted it to. I restarted a lot of parts. But I'm kinda happy with how it turned out. I think I really need to get the Astrals out of the way. Have a talk between Ravus and Iris, two Astrals, (yeah, two, and not even Titan,) plus Ignea. Hope you'll enjoy the 40th chapter!

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Unexpected

Chapter 40 – Acknowledge me!

R- _Hey._

I- _That's a rude way to start a conversation_ , came her instant answer until Iris remembered that Ravus still lacked one hand. Seeing how long it took him to reply, she decided to call him. The dial rang twice before that Ravus' somehow gruff voice answered with an annoyed "yes?".

"Hello to you too, Ravus. It must be easier for you to talk instead of texting."

"I wasn't sure you'd want to talk, seeing as you got in trouble…" he pointed out.

"Well, maybe if Gladio or Noctis were here, it'd be different. But it's not as though the others really mind. It gives Crowe a chance to call one of her fellow Glaive instead of looking after me."

The uneasy silence that followed reminded Iris that she didn't usually comment on the activities of anyone other than Luna. And the former army commander might be too tired for a deep conversation. In truth, he was partly worried about her and had no idea how to express it. Did she have to be looked after that much? Was it his fault?

"Say, how are you doing? Up to no good already?" Iris asked him as casually as possible.

He scoffed, grateful to be treated as usual. It helped a lot more than Luna's worrying.

"I've convinced my jailer to build me a new prosthetic."

"How?!"

"Well, I would have worked on it myself otherwise and since I was causing a ruckus in her workplace, she relented. She's still charging me for her time and any mental scars it could cause her."

His voice sounded lighter and Iris had the feeling he was actually excited at the prospect. He had made a dozen blueprints already.

"Do you even have the money?"

"Did I look like I had some? I'll test the thing with a few hunts. Aurum looked pretty content to charge me the interests."

Iris smiled at that, before to go on:

"It's the least you can do. How is it going so far?"

"Can you be more specific? Between getting three full meals a day and getting pushed around whenever she finds me out of bed… I'm already on the brink of insanity."

"Come on now, you _need_ a break. And one healthier diet. Your research can surely wait a few days…" the girl observed.

"I'd rather not let the trail grow cold. You'd mentioned Cindy had been infected with the blight and cured by Luna, didn't you?"

Iris' eyes widened as she deduced his intentions.

"You're not going to ask for some of her blood?!"

"No, of course not. I've already been slapped twice for it and threatened with a gun."

She rolled her eyes before to register the words that followed.

"Maybe you could talk some sense into he…"Ravus was trying to ask her.

"Haven't I helped you enough already?! Don't you have any decency? The poor girl must be worried sick about her grandfather, she's struck alone in her garage with some infirm creep and…"

"Hey, watch it! I might be a creep sometimes, but I'm entirely self-reliant."

She'd struck a nerve, but couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips. It only seemed fair to serve him his own medicine every now and then. Also, the fact he cared more for the "infirm" mention than the "creep" was sort of endearing.

"Why would you need her blood?" she asked.

"To confirm my hypothesis."

It sounded worth a shot since his only test had been on her own blood.

"You could at least wait until Cid is back in Hammerhead before to ask her again…" Iris suggested.

"I don't intend to remain here for that long."

"You can't leave until your new arm is done and even then, I doubt your shoulder would have finished healing. If that wound was gone, you'd fare better against Ace."

He grumbled angrily: "I know that. It's not like the surgeon I had before you cared about my remission."

It seemed that more than anything, Ardyn had meant to toy with him until he'd reach the breaking point. And it had worked. At the very least, his voice sounded better now.

"You know, I'd prefer not to play with a scalpel again if I can help it."

"I… For all it's worth, you did a pretty good job. And I'll do my best to make sure our next face-to-face encounter won't be as… traumatizing." He told her, unease sipping from his voice. "I've put you through a lot."

"Are you… trying to apologize?" Iris asked despite knowing better.

Much to her surprise, he didn't try to say otherwise.

"Yeah, that's what I'm trying to do." He sighed.

"You're not really good at it." She observed, unable to simply accept that weird excuse.

"Well, that's obvious…"

"Why is it so hard for you?"

Ravus scoffed, voice hardening:

"When did I sign up for a therapy?"

From the corner of her eyes, the young girl saw Prompto's smile as he won a new round of cards. Ignis was distracted by his girlfriend while said girlfriend seemed equally distracted, but still thought she should keep the gunman busy, knowing full well Iris didn't need any extra attention during her talk. Crowe was standing a few feet away, in deep conversation with Libertus. From how much her lips moved, it was no wonder who had the more things to say between the two Glaives.

"I was just wondering," Iris whispered. "No need to get defensive. How about you try it again, properly this time?"

Ravus' patience was running thin.

"It was a one-time deal."

"Lousy."

"Stop acting as though we're friends. Everybody thinks I'm a bad influence on you."

"Well, I lost a very good opportunity to be rid of that influence, so it'd better be a good one."

"You really don't hold any punch, Iris. But I don't think I have that much of an influence on you to begin with. Otherwise, you wouldn't talk back to me. None of my men ever…" He paused mid-sentence, realizing how wrong that sounded. He was letting his guard down.

Shifting awkwardly in her camping chair, Iris retorted:

"I think we need to clear where we stand. I'm not your soldier. And apparently, I'm not your friend."

She didn't mean to feel anything from it. It wasn't as though she wanted to be his friend. Or did she? Talking with him never got boring, that was for sure and there was this strange connection. Did she want to mend him? Surely if she could help someone as damaged as Ravus Nox Fleuret, she could face anything…

"No, you were supposed to be my spy." He shot back, sounding self-entitled again.

She gritted her teeth and suggested another way to name it: "Info dealer?"

"That's the definition of a spy in my books, Iris."

"Well, you're my spy too then. Although I don't expect you to gather much intel right now."

"Pretty sure I can still surprise you on that front. Does that mechanic have a different colour of bikini for every day of the week?! Or is there a secret code behind it?"

Iris laughed out into the speaker before to quickly add, for good measures:

"You moron!"

He didn't detect any anger in her voice and felt a strange wave of relief at the idea he could make her laugh.

"Maybe I shouldn't be asking, but did you get any news about my sister yet?"

"Not yet, but that covenant tomorrow must be taking all of their attention. Are those pacts as intense as Prompto told me?"

He heaved a deep sigh.

"I haven't found many texts over those things. But they all agree on the brutality of the Astrals. They're gods, Iris. Even a fraction of their power would make a normal man go mad."

"I was trying to be less worried, thank you for not helping. My brother's out there," she reminded him.

"Sorry. I don't know how to sugar-coat things."

For some reason, hearing his voice softening created a warm feeling in her chest. It ran up to her arms and legs, like a shiver, but softer yet.

"That apology was better than the last one! I might have a good influence on you," she teased him, trying to shake off the weird impression.

"You wish. There's no reforming me. And as much as we could keep this up, my phone is about to die…"

"Okay, I should probably try to get some sleep for tomorrow too. Try to stay safe."

"I'll try. Be careful out there." Ravus asked her.

Hanging up felt harder than usual for both of them. It might have been idle chatter, but it had made them feel a lot more at ease. Those talks were turning in their new normal. Iris felt herself blush as Crowe gave her a curious look. She didn't know why. Maybe because Ravus was opening up a little more with every new conversation they shared. Or how possessive it felt when he called her _his_ spy? As least, he was hers in some way. Info-dealer. Part-time confidant. She could almost remember the feel of his hand on her back.

 _Those talks just take my mind off all the rest_ , she told herself.

But a little part of her was already looking forward to his next call. Knowing that he wouldn't be in danger this time. Except if he tried Cindy's patience, that is…

…

The grass was covered in blood. It always came as a shock when a human soldier hid among the magiteck dolls. Iris forced her stomach to hold on her food as she followed Crowe into the main camp. Prompto had thought of a new trick with his magic. The bullets could rush out of the gun's chamber without a sound if the magic served as a trigger. He'd practice on it all night, almost draining himself.

The ride up to the camp had been quiet. Sneaking up was easy with only the three of them. They all knew a mistake would be fatal. And with Prompto's silent shot, taking out the scouts was only a question of precision and timing. Iris still had trouble seeing the blood. Green fluids in one place, crimson red in the next.

 _Just focus on what you have to do_ , she kept telling herself.

The outpost was a small house sitting in the middle of nowhere. A few fallen trees here and there, rocks protruding from the ground. Iris felt a dull pressure on her skull as they moved forward. Every MTs and human soldiers outside had been taken out when Crowe kicked in the door, landing inside as nimbly as a cat, the younger girl right on her heels. Prompto was going to get in through the back entrance. The house was divided in five separate rooms. The first one was filled up with screens and control panels that were all left unattended. Apparently, the technicians had been alerted despite Prompto's silent shots.

"You're still up for this?" The former Glaive asked Iris, seeing how pale she'd turned.

"Yeah, I just want this whole thing to be over with."

She felt uneasy, but couldn't exactly tell why. Were things going too smoothly? They barely had a few grazes from the confrontations with the soldiers outside. As they walked between the desks littered with electronic equipment, the younger Amicitia observed condensation on one screen. It felt cold inside, despite the machines running in a continuous buzzing sound.

"How can it be so humid in here?" she sighed.

A plank protested under their feet, the wood whining and crackling.

"I think this house was deserted for a reason." Crowe observed, her voice lower than a murmur.

A shuffling of feet in the other room made them bolt for the door that burst open under their charge. Crowe casted a thunder spell on the few silhouettes inside, effectively immobilizing them. Prompto had stopped using silent shots, needing the girls to tell where he was. Guns were still rare among the Niffs and the shots were coming from a back room, followed by screams and metal rattling. Iris raised her staff, breaking articulations and helmets, trying to relish the cracking sound. But she was still cold, no matter how much she moved. And the floor felt even less stable under her.

Four technicians and two MTs down. They proceeded to the next room, taking care of more MTs. Prompto would crack down their codes and disable the makeshift station once they were entirely done. The empire had put little guards in the place, not wanting to grab unwanted attention. If their former commander and commodore hadn't left, they might have had enough officers to worry about the importance of this station. But Ardyn's plans weren't of conquests and Aldercapt was too far gone to worry about a lost base.

Since there was no use to move in silently anymore, Iris and Crowe burst into the third room, easily getting through the few MTs and last technician in the place. Each defended his life viciously, making the very idea of taking prisoners preposterous. Prompto joined them in a matter of minutes, having already taken care of the leftovers, nursing his left arm.

"What happened to you?" Iris asked.

"One of them liked to throw knives. I just wanted to make sure you were alright before to treat it."

Iris immediately asked to take a look at his wound while Crowe inspected the room for mics or cameras. The place seemed safe enough, littered with fallen MTs.

"Do we trash the equipment after you're done hacking their system?"

"No, since we won't be rushing right to Quezactoatlz, I'm just going to leave a time bomb program on their main computer. This way, I can disrupt their signal when I want to." Prompto explained.

"But can everything keep running without someone around?" Iris mused.

His cut was mostly fixed and the bandage done, so Prompto sat behind one computer and got typing, giving her the expected answer a few minutes later:

"It's all automated. Those technicians must only be around to play games and react when a glitch happens."

"Can you get us any information on their latest communications?" Crowe insisted.

As Prompto played the keyboard as a musician, the keys clicking away under his fingers, Iris looked around for an explanation to the cold clinging to the house. She found a flight of stairs beneath a trapdoor in the kitchen and barely warned Crowe before heading down. She wasn't trying to be careless, her curiosity mixing with a mysterious pull. As though invisible treads had tied around her wrists and were tugging encouragingly. There was no man down the stairs and the basement was made directly on stones, water trickling down a wall. She could hear Prompto shifting on his feet over her head and Crowe called after her, worried about potential complications.

Iris was too mesmerized by what she was seeing to answer. The house was built on top of a natural cave, glowing stone alight in every corner of the basement, like shards of the camping grounds they used outside. The pressure on her skull had shifted into something different, like a raging in her blood. The basement was made of reinforced pillars and filled with digging tools. She noticed a map lying on a molted table, with more instruments. Archeologists had been here before. Back in peaceful years where the Lucians could still try to discover mysteries about their country instead of worrying about invading empires.

"Iris?"

"You should come down and see what I've found!" she called back to Crowe.

"I can't open the door, Iris. Come back up, I have a bad feeling about this."

The brunette didn't remember closing the trap door behind her. But as she turned on herself, the walls and pillars seemed to mix together. For an instant, she felt dizzy. Crowe's voice was speaking but she couldn't hear. There was a slope going deeper in the cave, water cascading on a lower level. When she blinked, she could almost picture it beneath her eyelids. Pristine, cold water, green moss on the natural walls. The coolness quality of the air eased the headache she'd been feeling. Her feet moved forward, down the slope. There was something hidden in this place and she wanted to see it. The deeper she went in, the stronger the tugging felt and as she walked faster, she slipped and tumbled down.

There was no fear in her heart as she rolled on herself, hitting her back, scratching one of her legs and scrapping her hands on the rocks. She came to a stop, lying on her side, a few new bruises on her skin, erased almost instantly as she looked at the oval cave she was in. The stones forming the walls were a dark shade of blue, sparkling with foreign lights. Stars? The cave had a low ceiling, she could stand up, but her brother would have had to be bent in two. The shards of light were forming an intricate set of lines, twisting on the walls, unfurling in an explosion of curls and waves around the single stalagmite in the room. Its rock had been molded into a humanoid form, with scaly wings on its back and an armour that reminded Iris of old paintings. A dozen plates to cover the chest, one horned helmet, gauntlets holding a spear.

"Is this… an altar?"

A voice echoed around her, while her head filled with noises. Not noise. Voices jumping over each other. Not male, not female. Maybe not human…

 _ **Who are you? How did you…?**_ **What** _ **are you?**_

Iris covered her ears, but the voice reached further than sound.

 _ **Answer me, child.**_

"Whoever you are, you let me in here," she retorted, angered to be called a child once more. "I'm… I'm Iris Amicitia."

 _ **Amicitia? Amicitia…**_ The voice repeated, as though it was testing the name, tasting it. _ **A noble line, ranks forgotten with years. And your blood… shines.**_

The voice sounded astonished. Could it be talking about the remnants of Luna's magic in her blood?

"Are you… Could you be… Bahamut?" the young girl asked, throwing glances around her.

 _ **I didn't think another would reach me, while my chosen still lives.**_

"Your chosen must be Luna… What do you mean by… another?"

 _ **Ramuh bent the rules to make up for his past mistake. And you have the potential. The magic has seeped deep enough to make you hear me.**_

The sparkles on the walls shone brighter, forcing Iris to blink and cover her eyes.

 _ **You want to prove yourself and help with the current state of the world, blight survivor.**_

"How?"

Could the Astral read all that in her?

 _ **You have a pure heart. And only those I deem worthy can find me.**_

The statue moved, eyes opening under its helmet. Iris couldn't move back, barely able to see the light rushing towards her. Her blood burned in her veins at first and the magic took over her mind, shutting her down. When she came back to her senses, Crowe and Prompto were carrying her up the stairs.

"What just…?" the girl started.

"You're awake? Iris, you got us quite worried!" the former Glaive sighed.

"I didn't mean… I thought you couldn't come down?"

"I kept trying, Prompto came to help, but that thing wouldn't budge." Crowe explained.

"Then a violent headache took over her and next thing I knew, she was spasming on the floor. When it calmed down, the door opened and we found you down there, unconscious in the middle of a dark cave…" Prompto finished the explanation.

Iris felt a low ache in the back of her skull. The cave couldn't be dark. Unless she had absorbed all the light in it? But how could… Ravus had hypothesized something like this could happen, but she wasn't sure what it meant for her. She had a dozen questions, but more than anything, she was scared. There was something foreign inside her. Powers she hadn't asked for, well, she did want some sort of power to be on par with the others, but she never thought…

"How do you feel?" Crowe asked her.

"Let me walk on my own. Let's get out of here first. What time is it?"

"Time to regroup with Iggy and Aranea." Prompto answered.

Iris realized that the one person who could help explain what had just happened to her was Lunafreya herself. She couldn't wait to get news from her.

…

Ardyn was busying himself, having the stones aligned in three rows that formed a perfect circle. Some of the meteor fragments were already melting on the coalescent rocks, and his preparations were almost settled. Ace was ordering the MTs around back in the crater, collecting the unused fragments for future operations. Like building weapons. The meteor was made of star pieces. The same material used in Ravus' dark blade. Luna knew it from the first look. Noctis had stayed with them, not sure he wanted to let Luna on her own. Gladiolus had suggested a tactical retreat a dozen times already, finding their odds far too small for bravery.

The trio had snuck around, taking as many detours as necessary to ease Gladiolus' worries, taking out a few MTs her and there, Noct and his shield using their phasing magic to hide the body inside the rocks. The more they advanced, the more confident they grew, and Luna couldn't help herself but wonder if this wasn't an elaborate trap. But her curiosity got the best of her, especially when they finally spotted Ardyn, supervising the layout of his circle of fragments. So far, they'd managed to stay hidden behind rocks, but the space where the chancellor had taken roots was quite open, a promontory surrounded by wide paths of turned or melting stones. There would be no cover if they were to get any closer.

"What's his deal?" Noctis asked.

"He's preparing something. Something related to the Astral still here."

Gladiolus voiced more concerns, but both royals were too intrigued to take heed. They tried to inch just a bit closer, only to see Ardyn raising his hat to them in a theatrical gesture.

"Lady Lunafreya! And friends too!" he marveled, his smile turning dark as he added: "How long did you think you could play me?"

Noctis retorted with his blade out, rushing forward, halted in the middle of his warp when a shockwave hit him, sapping out that magic that always followed him. His weapon crumbled in his hand, back to his infinite pocket dimension, which felt a bit finite at this point. All the air left his lung and a few feet back, Gladio fell to his knees, his strength sapped a moment too long. Luna felt the tension in the air, a pull she'd sensed only once before. She invoked her trident, only to confirm she could, before fighting back the MTs that threatened her friends. There was too many of them and she was soon forced to lay down her weapon, Noctis unable to defend himself and being held down by two soldiers. A set of feet was shuffling closer, the boots making crunching sounds on the stone while MTs surrounded them, Ardyn making a small reverence to the princess after walking up to her.

"I was hoping to see you sooner, Oracle. I'm in dire need of your help." He whispered, despite the relaxed expression on his face.

Noctis struggled against the metal hands holding him, cold fingers digging into his shoulders and tying his hands in his back. A young man with brown hair and light eyes stopped a few feet away from the circle of meteor's debris. The distortion in the magic was coming from him. He was using Ravus' arm somehow. Or at the very least, the mechanism that used to be in it.

"So you knew she'd be here?", the newcomer asked.

"That's right, Ace. Which is why I couldn't let you do as you pleased with her brother. He's always been such good leverage. Although the princess has brought me plenty of leverage today…"

He made a gesture toward her, Noctis instantly fighting twice as hard against his restrainers.

"Don't you touch…!"

"Oh, to be young and in love again." Ardyn teased, grabbing Luna by the arm and pulling her to the centre of his makeshift circle.

Her fists clenched so tightly, her knuckles turned white, but she followed, knowing the situation was out of her control for the moment. Gladio was kept on his knees and Noctis grunted as his powers refused to answer him.

"Having some trouble there, your Highness? How does it feel to be merely human for once? I bet it's uncomfortable…" Ace mocked him. "But I forgot my manners. Ace Galahad Drautos. Apparently, my father killed yours."

Twisting his wrist, the imperial commander reinforced the magic dampener, a sick smile on his face. Noctis howled, expressing a perfect mix of pain and rage. The thing wasn't simply taking away his royal powers, it was eating away at his life force somehow!

"Why do you even…?" Luna started asking the chancellor,

"I want you to call an Astral for me. The meteor pieces will keep him in place. I just need him to manifest in a physical form."

"You think I'll…"

"You'd better call him. I've been quite patient. Ace," he started, looking over his shoulder, voice rose: "you can take the prince away, just don't break him!"

"What?!" Luna and Ace exclaimed almost at once.

Gladiolus couldn't believe they were in such a situation. Turned into playthings for the Nifelheim's chancellor and his men. The guy seemed a lot worse than he'd thought him to be. He'd seen mad people before, but this… This felt simply twisted.

"We're going to have a little fight, me and his Highness. Man to man." Drautos declared.

Luna wanted to protest and Noctis wanted to break free, but the first sign of resistance appeared from somewhere else. Ifrit burst from the flames at Ardyn's feet, pulling the Oracle away from him, horns ablaze, body as tall as the Leville's hotel.

 _ **I won't play your sick games**_ , the Astral declared, his voice only making sense to the royals' ears.

Ardyn scoffed, gesturing for Ace to walk away. Noctis was dragged off, the MTs holding their position, Luna standing behind the gigantic man of fire, her head reeling as she understood what the chancellor wanted to accomplish. He was going to rally Ifrit to his cause.

"To be graced by your very presence is already an hour, oh scourge bringer." Ardyn kept his hat down, the heat from the very body of the Astral not affecting him at all.

 _ **You dare speak of the scourge!**_

"Oh, you'd better listen up before to blow me off. We've both been wronged and it's about time we teamed up with someone who can understand what treason means."

Ifrit crossed his arms over his chest, eyeing their surroundings. The Lucis' heir was treated like a prisoner by mechanized dolls, pulled to the side for a punishment he didn't deserve. His shield was stuck in their holds, a sword held to his neck to deter any opposition. Lunafreya called up her trident, unsure of what could happen next.

 _ **Speak up, aberration. But don't think the blood in your veins protect you from my wrath.**_

…

"You're seriously doing this?" Noctis asked the man walking in front of the MTs dragging him. "There's a god standing just there and you want to beat me up?"

"I have orders. And priorities. They might be wrong, but I take pleasure in my work. And I'd rather stand away from that monster."

Noctis struggled out of the MTs hold, fighting against the weakness permeating his body. He wouldn't stand down when Luna and Gladio needed his help. He hadn't come this far to get beaten because he lacked the royal arms. And despite himself, his thoughts reached out to Ramuh.

Thunder roared above their heads. Ace barely had the time to turn around before the prince's fist made connection with his jaws. They rolled down the trail, back into the crater, the rocks shuffling around them.

"So you have some spunk left in you." Ace observed as they both kicked and punched, before to push the royal back. "And you're even ready to summon your own Astral. Well, bring it on. My father defeated yours at full strength. He cut the ring right off his trembling hand."

Noctis saw red, the anger he'd tried to tone back in front of the wounded Ravus surging right back. How conceited could that guy be, to think he had a right to talk of king Regis that way? To exult on someone's death.

"I won't need any powers to kill you."

The sky above them was dark, clouds gathering and charging themselves with electricity. Noctis lunged, effectively disarming Ace from the sword he'd unsheathed. One order had the MTs standing back, silent watchers of the confrontation. As he struggled, punched, kicked and kneed, Noctis didn't even think of taking off the magic dampener. He wanted to win this with his own hands. Lightning struck half a mile away, as though Ramuh tried to let him know he could be of help. But the Astrals had refused him so far and while he might resort to them to save his friends, this fight wasn't about saving. It was about hurting someone back, to free himself from the anger that had started overshadowing each and every of his decision. The anger at the thought Luna had to face Ardyn after what the man did to her. The anger at the thought he might not save his kingdom and see it restored in his own lifetime.

He roared as he tackled the Galahdan to the ground. The rest was a flurry of hits and misses, Noctis disarming him from every new weapon, three knives, a handgun. He might look scrawny, but he was all muscles and nerves under his dark clothes. And his rage had finally found a worthy victim.

From across the crater, Ifrit raised one brow. The utter anger he felt in Ardyn was echoing with Noctis' rage. So much fuel.

He wondered if he could bless anyone on such a criterion. The amount of wrath in their veins. The other Astrals had put him apart from the others, denied him his rightful place in their pantheon. As though he cared any less for the humans.

…

The antennas were small constructions, a mere metal rod with a case of wire. They weren't heavily guarded, not more than 3 MTs patrolling around one at a time. Their locations followed a star-shaped pattern around the station Crowe and the others were currently taking down, every rod separated by a few miles.

Ignis and Aranea were making their way across the perimeter, having already disengaged two antennas of the five. They'd quickly convened on a strategy, Aranea leading the way while Ignis offered cover. He was not exactly happy to let her face the danger first, but his warping ability reassured him enough to give her space. Rationally, he knew she was strong enough. At 16, she could defeat guys twice her size with cunning and a few good kicks. Now her kicks were as deadly as her jumps and the pair of MTs patrolling around every installation were merely enough for the two of them.

The hardest part was to walk the whole way and remember they couldn't make too much small talk. They'd taken to talk more after dispatching the MTs, while Ignis had his eyes on the wire and Aranea covered his back.

"Were you usually stationed in badlands? Or rocky terrain?" He asked her as he worked on the third antenna.

"Where does that come from?" the dragoon retorted.

"It's just that your armour is… really easy to spot in this environment."

"It wasn't designed as camouflage, but to strike fear in my adversaries. And it's not like you blend well in your black clothes. Have you been staring all this time?" she added with a teasing smirk.

"More like studying it. It's quite elaborate in design and as much as we've caught up on what has happened in the past few years…"

He paused, giving a cautious look to their surroundings. There was a lot to cover for the past 5 years.

"You want me to talk of the empire? Or you want my armorer's name to order something for yourself?"

She crossed her arms under her chest, giving him a weary look.

"I'd like to know how it was to work for them. What you've walked away from. It might not be the best of times, and…"

"It's the worst occasion, but you know full well, I get more talkative under stress. I was ranked commodore back in Nifelheim. My brand plus the surgeries earned me a few privileges, if I can call it that. For the most part, I was hunting down ferocious daemons on the border, capturing them sometimes… During the last six months, my assignments changed. Taking down insurgent civilians. Stopping a civil war with Ravus Fleuret and a few subordinates. Things are getting really out of hand back in Nif territory."

Exchanging a long look, Ignis realized why she was admitting so many things. He had regained some of her trust.

"You've always been so hard on yourself, Aria."

"What?"

"You manage to say all that with a straight face, but…"

She rolled her eyes, not wanting his sympathy.

"Stay right where you are, Iggy... I'm trying to bring you up to speed. In Insomnia, I had to survive on scraps and lies. In Nifelheim, everyone was in the same situation as me. It was no picnic, but at least, we were all in a tough spot."

It was like building a new rift between them, and Ignis refused to play her game, gripping one of her wrists as he stood up.

"I know you can walk through fire and hell and I'm not trying to have you depend on me. I just don't want any of those… walls keeping us apart."

Because her armour was another wall, as were the secrets she kept of her past. Aranea shrugged him off.

"Do you have an answer for me then? Which one would you stick with if you had to choose? The king or me?"

There it was again.

"Well, I'm here with you, aren't I?"

She raised one brow.

"I give you a straight face, you give me a straight answer, it's only fair."

 _The brother I raised or the woman I love?_ He thought.

A clicking noise broke the tension, momentarily saving Ignis from the conundrum as he focused back on the case of wires. Some of the antennas were booby-trapped.

"That was some incredibly good timing," Aranea commented. "But you still owe me an answer."

For a second, he wondered if the waves that metal box was throwing around weren't bad for their health. Anything to run away from her inquiring stare:

"I'll cut this off first and…"

"Why is it so hard to decide?" she shot back.

Anger rang in her voice and he wondered why he felt a new pressure on his shoulders. A pressure that had nothing to do with disarming a bomb. Why was he suddenly was kneeling by the edge of a cliff instead of the plain, wondering why he was letting anyone drag him away from her? He'd make that mistake once and every new instant of hesitation was pulling her further away from him.

"I want to be with you more than anything," Ignis started. "But for that to last, I'm going to have to offer some more back-up to Noctis for a few more years."

Meaning he might neglect her every now and then, but that it would be for her in the long run.

"A compromise then? I'll share custody with the prince."

The joke felt forced and as he stood up to fully face her, Ignis sighed.

"How can I ease your mind, Aria? Is there any way for me to fix my past mistake?"

"I don't know. What I do know is that you're being sincere with me. That's already a lot. And I don't want you to devote yourself to me and stop existing as an individual. I guess I'm just trying to find the old magic we had. I want the pressure I feel on my chest entirely gone around you."

His throat tightened at the notion she wasn't entirely comfortable around him yet. And she must have caught some of it, because as soon as he started talking:

"What if..?"

"We should get back to work. We can talk by the campfire tonight." She cut him off.

They both knew waiting to be surrounded by the others again wouldn't make them talk. It might simply be her way of letting him know she wasn't ready for more apologies. But the more they walked around and he thought about it, the more he wondered why they couldn't find the right way to address things. She decided when to start serious talks _and_ when to call them off if she had enough of it. It was hard to admit she was right, but Ignis slipped back into the professional mask he'd made over the years. The fact it wasn't a comfortable retreat this time around barely registered to him.

He was trying to arrange together the right words to regain Aranea's good grace. Every time they fell apart made him question whether the previous peace had been faked or not. But while he was trying to get his head around a miraculous resurrection, she fought far more horrible demons.

Promising he wouldn't leave again was beyond him. Of course, he wouldn't per say, but he knew too well he'd fly to Noctis' rescue if the need arose…

They dispatched the fourth antenna easily enough, Ignis still looking for a proper way to make Aranea feel better. He didn't want her to live in the constant fear of being left alone. She'd been abandoned more than enough in her life as it was. The fifth antenna seemed easy enough and the reprogramming started well too.

"Isn't it a shame that we can't seem to focus on the present? I'm stuck in the past and you're only worrying about the future," he observed.

Aranea felt a pang of guilt at the truth in his words. Her past life had been nothing but enjoying the present while it lasted. But wasn't it easier to throw caution to the wind when all you had was the present? Now the future was foreseeable.

"You should focus on…", she warned.

"I'm perfectly focused…!"

The cracking sound that followed alerted Aranea. Ignis seemed ready to fumble some more with the thing, sure of his skills, but from one look at the thing, she knew there wouldn't be time to disarm this one. The empire's traps were sometimes a bit random. Verstael used to tell her that being too rigorous made people predictable. She grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him away.

"Get away from it." The dragoon told him.

"But we can't let it…"

"Just listen to me, Iggy!"

There were no ticking or bright numbers, only a gut feeling and the worry in her eyes, but if he wanted her to trust him, he had to trust her too. They ran off, Aranea forcing him to halt far much sooner than he expected, throwing him to the ground and shielding him as best she could. The explosion was larger than he'd thought, debris falling around them, the silver-haired woman sheltering his head, holding him close. He hadn't time to protest or point out it was his role to protect her. She was the one wearing an armour, as she so often remarked with a smirk.

Said armour was painfully digging into his flesh, but he waited until the dust raised from the explosion fell down, his hands instinctively palpating her for any wound.

"I'm fine, no need to feel me up." She teased.

"Are you sure that's not the adrenaline speaking?" he shot back, running one finger along the line of exposed skin on her left side.

The fact he was wearing gloves really got on his nerves for an instant.

"What about you?" Aranea asked.

"I can't believe I missed it." The advisor sighed.

She didn't seem ready to get away from him, and as uncomfortable as the armour felt, he didn't entirely mind. He had her attention now.

"I've been pushing you around a lot. And you're right about evading the present. I've been trying to ignore my fears most of the time, but it's always in the back of my mind, which is why I lash out whenever you ask me about the past 5 years."

"But you'd still protect me like this… without hesitation."

Her throat tightened as she realized what could have happened if he'd kept working on disarming the bomb.

"I don't want you to get hurt. It was already hard enough to see you poisoned the other time."

"I'm… really grateful, Aranea. But how do we work around all… the rest?"

"Maybe we shouldn't try to go around it," she offered, dropping her helmet to the side. "How about going through it? Head on?"

He wasn't sure what she meant, but her legs were now striding his while she cupped his face with one hand, leaning in for a kiss that he couldn't refuse her. It was salty from all their sweating, and as he raised himself on one elbow, he winced, gently pushing her into a sitting position.

"Your armour isn't hug friendly…" Ignis commented sourly.

"I could remove the shoulder pads, but we shouldn't linger here."

They both gave a quick look to their surroundings. The local fauna wasn't exactly known to rush towards explosion, but maybe a dropship would. That was what he'd been hoping to prevent. But the skies looked clear enough.

"Your plan is still a bit unclear to me, commodore. Going head on is one thing…"

He removed one glove to better trace the contour of her face, his fingers tugging gently at a few braids.

"You're going to get your jacket even dirtier if we stay like this."

Ignis raised one brow, letting her know how little he cared about keeping his jacket clean.

"Well, my plan is to not have a plan. I don't do well with plans."

"Does that mean no rules?"

"That means no more talking."

She kissed him more deeply this time, trying to keep a distance between them only to grunt and pull off her shoulder pads, her lips never leaving his. It felt crazy and somehow too intense, but a lot of stress and pent-up emotions needed an outlet through their embrace. When she moved her hips into his, he almost begged for mercy. This was the worst place for amorous activities. But instead, he held her close, decided to enjoy the feel of his Aria being herself. Spontaneous and free, like she was always meant to be. The fact it wouldn't last didn't matter. Nothing ever lasted in life. It made everything that much precious.

To be continued…

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I don't know what to think about the Ignea part. But I think they're on the right path to get back together for good. Prompto definitely needs more screentime. I don't know if there's any mistake with the talk between Iris and Ravus. I'd written this like two weeks ago and the chapter kept changing around it.

Ifrit might not want to cooperate with Ardyn. But will he care to cooperate with someone else?

Next chapter will see the conclusion of Ifrit's first appearance, Prompto and Cindy having a talk, plus some much-needed rest for everyone. We will have NoctLuna, it's almost certain. I think we're halfway through with this gigantic project. I have a lot of stuff planned out, but I don't want to linger on things. A few time skips might come around. As always, reviews are much appreciated and help me write faster.

After the Quezacoatlz mission, what do you think that gang should do?


	41. Blessed fouls

Shorter chapter than usual, but not by much. We have a bit of every pairing except for NoctLuna. Next chapter will correct that, for sure. Have the conclusion of Ifrit's visit to earth. I can already warn you, it won't be the last one.

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Unexpected

Chapter 41 – Blessed fouls

Ignis had called Cor while Aranea tanked up on gas in a station. Noctis had yet to give any news, so did Luna and Gladio. Crowe hadn't answered, surely already on the road to reach their rendezvous point. His interlude with Aranea had been a much-needed reprieve, but he felt slightly bad for having let his own feelings delay him. He was still in the middle of a mission, but his needs seemed ready to overcome his reason. And he didn't like that. He knew he was putting too much pressure on his shoulders, but… He couldn't go backward either.

"The meteor site is currently under imperial raid," the Immortal told him.

His guilty conscience grew heavier at the idea his liege might have been in mortal danger while he was delaying his mission for sentiment.

"I can't contact my men." Cor went on, not expecting a reply. "I'm going there as I speak if this coeurl can cooperate with me."

"We have an airship, we should get there first, just have to pick up Prompto and the others."

"Alright. Give me a signal when you're about to make contact."

"Will do."

Hanging up, he felt Aranea's eyes on him as he turned to face her, his expression grim. She took a step closer instinctively, squeezing the hand that gripped hers.

"What happened?"

"An imperial raid on the disc. We need to get to your ship."

Her throat turned dry and she held back the snarky comment that came to her mind. Noctis was in danger. It meant the whole country was in jeopardy. And caring for someone of such importance had to be rough.

Two calls later, they'd reached Crowe and agreed on a meeting point. If there were enough MTs to call this attack on the meteor site a raid, they didn't have to worry about aerial company until they'd arrived at Cauthess. The motorcycles were carelessly brought inside the ship, Iris wobbly on her feet, but insisting that she didn't need help at the moment. Prompto was a bundle of nerves and Ignis was tempted to sneak sleeping pills in his water canteen, but decided against it. It wouldn't be fair to the gunman and wouldn't make his worry any less when he'd woke up.

"You went through spasms?" Aranea repeated.

"Something strange happened. There were noises in my head. As though someone was whispering in my ears, but I couldn't understand anything it said." Crowe explained.

The dragoon had no snarky answer, her eyes scanning the scenery outside every few minutes. The disc was on the radar now, but it was still two good hours before they'd reach it.

"I don't like the idea of heading right into battles with the state we're in." She voiced, before to turn her attention to the Amicitia. "You were contacted by an Astral, isn't that right?"

Iris nodded, holding the sheets Ignis had wrapped around her shoulders a bit tighter around her.

"I'm sure I'll be fine. We need to know what's going on with them."

"But there's apparently an Astral down there from the talks I heard on the imperial's radio."

"I don't think other Astrals will try talking to me. Let's just focus on the now."

Ignis suggested that they all grabbed some rest, Aranea giving her personal cabin to the ladies. Crowe wanted to check on Iris, but her own episode had taken a toll on her and she fell asleep right as she reached the top bunk bed. The other brunette sat down on her own mat, wondering how she could get herself rid of the fear inside her. Her first reflex was to grab her phone and tap on Ravus' name in her list of contact. He had predicted what had happened to her and she couldn't help but make her own conclusions. She had received something from Bahamut. Crowe had been kept away from it. And her legs were still wobbly as she tucked her knees under her chin, staring at her screen as she typed the first words that came to mind.

 _I- I think I've found an altar. I don't really know what happened to me. I'm not sure the others could understand, if I explained anything and I won't be able to talk with Luna before some time. I don't need an answer right away. I just can't sleep. We're supposed to rest for a few hours._

Much to Iris surprise, her phone buzzed in her hand in a matter of minutes.

 _R- Wat happened?_

 _I- You're still up?_

 _R- Bored. Fess up._

 _I- Easy. I just wanted your impression. There was a weird cave, with walls covered by shards of light. A voice talked in my head. Multiple voices actually. I think I have a fever or something._

 _R- Symptoms?_

 _I- I lost consciousness a few minutes after it happened. I'm dizzy every now and then._

 _R- You cold?_

 _I- Not anymore._

 _R- Okay. Nausea?_

 _I- That passed too. Did it happen to Luna?_

 _R- It was worse. If it granted you powers, it won't be perfectly similar to Luna's. The voices are gone now? You didn't get hallucinations or…_

His answer took a moment, the words coming out in hacked messages. He was most certainly having a hard time typing back.

 _I- I'm all good. No voice, no vision, unless you tell me that's weird?_

 _R- No, that's good. I'm glad you wrote._

A smile lighted her face. Those words seemed too caring for him, which meant how sincere he was. She typed her next message without thinking and thought better, adding a foreword to it before to hit send.

 _I- I don't want this to sound weird, but it's really comforting to have someone writing back. It feels as though the world isn't ending as much._

Minutes passed, the ship moving around Iris, the dizziness from her recent experience mixing with the funny impression of the vessel flying in the sky.

 _R- Your world has changed, not ended. And you're lucky my prosthetic isn't complete yet. Otherwise, I wouldn't always answer so quickly._

 _I- You would still write back, right?_

She almost regretted that question, wondering if it sounded clingy or childish. But Ravus seemed to understand she needed to be comforted at the moment.

 _R- I will. Alw… As long as you keep me interested, that is._

She rolled her eyes, stretching one leg and leaning her head against the headrest as she typed back:

 _I- Why do you make so much effort to be unkind? You didn't even erase your word entirely._

 _R- I just don't think you should rely solely on me. I like our talks, don't get me wrong. But I usually mess up and…_

His two feet planted firmly on the ground, miles and miles away from her, Ravus sighed deeply. The girl wouldn't have been contacted by a god if it hadn't been for his intervention but he couldn't keep apologizing for that. Being unpleasant to keep her away didn't seem to work, but he wasn't sure what being pleasant was like anymore.

 _I- …and what?_

 _R- I can tell you're not saying everything on your mind already. Why can't you talk with Luna yet? I'm stuck here and you know it. If my sister needed help… If you needed help, would you even tell me?_

Waiting for the full answer was torture, but Iris felt her mind clearing up from the foggy feeling her surreal meeting had left her in. The man was worrying about her and doing the only thing he knew to protect himself. Retaliate to the unknown with venom. Her fingers flew on the screen.

 _I- I don't need help and I don't think Luna needs it either. I need to know I'm still sane._

 _R- You sound sane. You might be the sanest girl around this country. You heard voices, as my sister do all the time, it's no big deal._

Jokes. More defences. Her smile was bitter as she decided to trump his game with the cold hard truth.

 _I- I'm scared. There's light running around in my blood now and I don't know if I can use it. I don't want to turn into a hindrance._

 _R- You saved my life without any stupid powers. You stood up against me more times than I can count. Luna didn't know how to use her prayers or the light either. I can't run tests on you via texts, but Iris, those powers will manifest themselves naturally. Luna acted on pure instincts when she first healed someone._

 _I- Okay. You want to know what's going on… Can you promise me you won't move from Hammerhead if I tell you?_

 _R- I already said I was helpless. My stump has healed, but I lack a prosthetic._

 _I- Promise it._

 _R- Cross my heart. Hope to die. Take the one that suits you._

 _I- We're heading for the disc. Imperials are raiding the place. I don't know what's happening yet, we won't be there before another thirty minutes._

She could imagine him cursing out loud.

 _R- You should get some rest and let me know how it turned out._

 _I- I can't sleep. Talk to me some more? Until we get there?_

 _R- I can't do that. I can barely type at a decent speed. Call me when it's done._

She wanted to call him now, but thought better of it. He would be as worried as her. His sister was out there. Out of his reach. Impossible to save, when all he wanted, all he worked for was about saving her. And she wondered if her life could eventually be similar. A single goal. Although she wouldn't stop at saving one person. If she had powers, she'd save everyone she could. It might take away the pain for all the people that died since Insomnia had fallen.

…

They'd rolled more time than they could count and hadn't risen to their feet in the last fifteen minutes. Noctis had broken Ace's nose and made him spit blood, until the Galahdan retorted with a handful of dirt in his eyes. Coughing and blinking, Noctis blocked one hit, rolling on his back despite himself, his arms rising in self-defence. Ace dove for his neck, earning himself a knee in the stomach. This fight was looking far more intimate then it should, but both men had lost a father in this war and wanted some sort of payback for the pain endured.

As he scrapped his adversary's wrists, trying to push him back, Noctis' fingers gripped to a piece of metal. Not a weapon, but somehow, he knew it was the device used against him. The device that made it hard to breathe and impossible to move like he wanted. He wrenched it off, eliciting a gasp from the young man, and the pressure receded. The result was instantaneous. Ace fought harder, twisting his arm and managing to kick the metal casing out of his hold. But Noctis's eyes were still changing colours and he called his swords, pushing Ace backward with a curtain of metal.

"I'm just… taking a short break. I won't cheat." The dark prince whispered through his ragged breaths.

The imperial officer looked incredulous, but was forced to admit Noctis wasn't attacking anyone. He was just standing there, kneeling on the ground, surrounded by blurry weapons, catching his breath. His eyes were filled with murderous intent, but there was something else in there. Under the dark and yellowish bruises, the royal heir felt something different from his raging anger. This was a test. A repetition for a fight he'd been forced to avoid lately. Whether to fight with his powers or just as the man he was beneath it all.

Ace motioned for his MTs to collect the device. Noctis didn't object, his eyes glued to the Drautos.

"So… Your father killed my king. How does that make me your enemy?" He asked, impatience ringing in his hacked voice.

"My father died trying to destroy your family's legacy. I'm just finishing the work."

"Or _trying_ to finish it?"

Noctis let the curtain of weapons fall, his eyes turning back to blue, lunging himself at Ace. The younger man wasn't expecting a full-frontal assault. Or the fact no weapon came, only two angry fists. Their knuckles were smarting from all the hits and the MTs were now fumbling with the crystal magic nullifier, unable to turn it back on.

Meanwhile, Ifrit was listening to Ardyn's plea, which sounded more like a command.

"I've looked for you far and wide," the chancellor commented.

Luna observed the dark stain on the left side of the Astral. His skin looked human, except for the right shoulder, as though his heart had turned black and slowly corrupted his body, the stain running from the middle of his back to his left leg and covering his entire left arm. Somehow, she wondered if this could be the blight. It shouldn't have any effect on a god, but it looked quite familiar, although she'd never seen any painting or representation of Ifrit before.

"I know the blight wasn't your intent."

 _ **Then you know more than normal humans, but I won't command you yet. Cut the pleasantries.**_

Ardyn cleared his throat, Luna catching a glimpse of him and wondering why he was so annoyed. Didn't he realize what he was facing? Had that man no fear at all?

"First I wanted to confirm the legend I'd heard. The one over the twins you left in our realm."

 _ **One taking after my horns and scorn, the other after his human mother.**_

As he spoke, Ifrit seemed to deflate, until he stood as tall as a regular man, shifting to stand between the woman and the man, keeping Luna behind his back. The chancellor had started pacing around.

"Why do you…?" the Oracle started asking, only to be answered by Ardyn:

"He protects the fairer sex. His way of repaying what he couldn't achieve in the past."

Fire burst from the ground, drawing a circle of flames around the daring man.

 _ **So my eyes aren't wrong. You are worse than an aberration.**_

The chancellor's eyes turned to slits.

"No need to take your bitterness out on me…"

"Wait a minute here." Luna jumped in. "Ifrit, if you aim to protect humans, you shouldn't stop with only one half of us."

The god turned towards her, leaning his head to the side. She spoke in his tongue, a tongue he hadn't been graced with in a long while. Ardyn frowned but Luna went on before to be interrupted:

"Women don't need any more protection than men. And if you think you must protect me, you should also protect this man he's keeping captive."

A fiery brow rose, Ifrit looking from over his shoulder to the spot where Gladio was kneeling, still heavily guarded.

"Don't listen to her, you were giving me time to make my case." Ardyn called on him.

 _ **But she's an Oracle. She speaks the divine words of my kind. I'll listen to you first, lady in white.**_

Ardyn barely muffled a groan and Lunafreya took a deep breath. Maybe had it been a mistake to wish for her here. But he doubted the Astral would have shown up without her presence.

"I don't know much about you, but I can tell that something's wrong. That gray skin…"

 _ **You think the blight can hurt me?**_

"I think it did, in more ways than one," she retorted, her voice understanding, her eyes not straying from his.

His pupils flashed with a spark of anger, the fire burning harder around her. Sweat trickled down Luna's back, but there was no threat coming from the Astral.

"An Oracle can't fix an Astral. You think because some of them aligned with you, you suddenly have new powers?" Ardyn snapped.

It wasn't like him at all, but the situation seemed different this time around. As though he was impatient. Losing his cool.

Ifrit clenched his darkening fist, taking notice of the circle of dark stones around them.

 _ **You think that because of the blood running in your veins, you can trap me here?**_

"I think the star's fragments have a better chance to do it. Wasn't how you collected that stain? Trying to take down the source of the star scourge?"

 _ **Someone has done his homework. You should pull out your little army, unless you want them destroyed, aberration.**_

"Would you stop calling me that?!"

 _ **Do you want recognition from me? You think I'll ally myself with someone who accepted corruption as a mean to change this blight-infected world?**_

"I thought you'd give me an ear. Maybe one horn if you prefer it that way."

Lunafreya watched as Ardyn took a step forward, head bare, not caring for the risks he took by messing around with an Astral.

"I thought you'd look past those things, the corruption having taken root in your flesh long before mine. Half of your line still walks this earth. You know what's coming…"

 _ **I'm more curious of how you know. But I've heard enough out of your mouth. Oracle,**_ Ifrit went on, turning his back on the chancellor. _ **Would you dare to take this hand?**_

The following words he spoke rang inside Luna's head and she could tell from the questioning look in Ardyn's eyes that he couldn't access them.

 _ **If you believe in me, you won't get burned.**_

 _You'll protect my friends?_ She asked back.

 _ **I'll need some of your light first. But I can protect every human around this place.**_

The princess took a full minute to rid herself of any doubts about the scourge bringer. There was far more to Ifrit than an angry god. There was pain beneath the rage making his flames flare. She extended her hand, Ardyn blinded by a curtain of flames bursting all over the ring he'd had traced. From where he stood, Gladio wondered if Noctis' fiancée would be fine. Inside the circle, Luna stood, untouched by the fire, holding Ifrit's stained hand. The blight pulsed in his being, stuck to his skin by dark emotions and mental scars. He didn't drain her like the other Astral would. In fact, he barely sustained her touch for a few seconds, Shiva instantly reacting to his proximity.

 _ **The ice queen still hates me for leaving our realm the first time**_ , he chuckled.

His hand flexed, the greyish stain receding up his arm and the flames he'd summoned burned even stronger around them. Ardyn let out a stifled groan, half anger, half pain.

 _ **Your light is amazing. Although I don't think I'll be able to gather any more from you. But you asked for your friends' protection…**_

"Not so fast, almighty Astral." The chancellor cut in, walking through the flames. His clothes were charred, but his skin simply shone with perspiration. "You owe me a thousand answers... and one hat."

 _ **You owe me much, much more.**_

"Then one answer. Why do you hate me, when I've been through the very same life as…?"

 _ **You're still a conceited child. Lost in his own charades and illusions of grandeur. I can see every layer of your soul. And what my fire can't cleanse, it burns.**_

The flames turned a dark blue, swallowing the chancellor entirely, making both Luna and Gladiolus gasp in shock. The Oracle took a step back, her eel hitting one of the meteor fragments. Had she been standing so close to the limit of the circle? One push and the circle broke, Ifrit instantly growing back to his full height, Ardyn roaring in his flames. Gladio decided he'd stay idle long enough, managing to break off the hold of the MTs, swirling his legs around to push them down. An engine purred above their head, as fire licked the ground, running in precise trajectories, reaching the MTs one by one. The ground shook and the Astral vanished as thunder roared above their head.

The magic around them was hectic and Luna didn't know where to look. She still raised her trident, worried that Ardyn might walk out of the flames still burning strongly in the middle of the former circle. Gladiolus walked up to her to give her protection, hoping the thunder wasn't a bad sign. He wanted to find the prince, but couldn't leave the Oracle in the middle of this chaos. Among the daemonic dolls, fully human soldiers stood, Nifs the fire didn't attack.

Up in the air, Aranea was trying to locate the royals while Ignis coordinated everyone's jumps to the ground. The ship was low enough to permit secure landing and Prompto was eager to check on his friends and give them support.

Noctis had just been kicked back by Ace when the fire surged high enough to be noticeable to them too.

"What the heck?!"

"Sir, I think we should…"

A gunshot cut off the soldier, ice bursting from the bullet wound. Prompto almost tumbled as he landed, but still managed to shoot down two more soldiers, soon followed by Iris, Crowe and Ignis. Ace was about to shout an order, when flames surged and burned down his Magiteck soldiers all at once.

"We're retreating!" he decided, not caring anymore for the Chancellor and his crazy plans. He'd had his ass handed to him by a berserk prince and his new gadget had barely given him the edge he wanted to use.

Noctis seemed to ready to rush after him, his eyes turning to red, but Ignis grabbed his arm, Prompto catching the other one, both of his friends pulling him back. Crowe kept one eye on the running soldiers, while Iris took a few steps forward, to get a better look at the young king. Her voice rang over the shuffling of metal feet and the crackling of bones in the multiple fires burning around them.

"What have you done to yourself?!" she asked angrily.

Noctis blinked, coming back to reality as he felt her small hand grabbing what was left of his coat.

"After telling me to be responsible and to look after myself better?!"

"Wait, I…"

"She's right, Noct. I don't have all the pieces of this puzzle, but you've been far too rash in your latest fights." Ignis observed.

"He'd taken away my powers till just a moment ago…"

Prompto had let go of his arm and was giving him a worried look.

"Where's Lunafreya?" his advisor insisted.

"And where's Gladio?" Crowe asked.

Steel clunked in their backs, having them turn around to see dark flames reaching for the sky.

"Two freaking Astrals on the same day," Noctis sighed. "Let's regroup and…"

"Wait." Iris declared, acting on the spur of the moment.

Much to her own surprise, she raised both hands, laying them on Noctis' chest. Light surged from her fingers, diving through his shirt. Unlike Luna's magic, it was a rush of vitality for the prince, as his veins lit up with the light. The pattern was perfectly visible despite his clothes, wounds closing, bruises healing and a few bones mending. Prompto swore out loud and Crowe felt the same ache in the back of her skull. After half a minute, Noctis was fully healed, although a deep fatigue invaded him, as if it was the price to pay for the instantaneous healing.

"What the…?"

"So that's what happened when she went down that trap door." Crowe sighed.

"You can heal people too now?" Ignis marveled.

Noctis looked concerned instead of impressed.

"What did you do? I mean… what happened to you?"

"I want to see my brother first." Iris objected.

Gladiolus was taking out the last human soldiers when the group walked onto the scene. Luna was trying to repel the fire around Ardyn with her ice magic, slowly reducing the flame, her eyes a golden shine. Noctis felt a strange mix of fear and self-loathing at the sight. This was what he looked like when he used his powers. Surely worse, since unlike Luna, he had been furious whenever he called on the armiger lately. The dark flames shifted back to blue, then to red and yellow, lowering till there was nothing but a pile of ashes on the ground. The purple smoke traced weird shapes in the air. Like a human body, warped in places. Talons and fangs. Aranea, who'd been forced to land further up and evade some fire from the fleeing imperial ship made her way across the uneven terrain, standing next to Ignis without a word as Luna parted the smoke with her trident, a dark look on her face.

"You think the chancellor is dead?" Gladiolus asked her.

"No… The way he talked with Ifrit. The words he used… I'm sure this isn't the last we've seen of him."

There were more questions and far more worried looks, but both royals had used up their strength and collapsed, first Noctis, Prompto trying to catch him only for both guys to end up in a mess of tangled limbs on the ground. Luna sighed and as she closed her eyes, the pain finally took over, the Oracle faltering, Gladio stepping in just quickly enough to prevent a full fall.

Ignis took over then, despite his need to punch in something. They'd rushed over and hadn't gotten the chance to help in the fight, merely collecting the pieces. Carrying them back to the ship wasn't a walk in the park, but from the look on Gladiolus' face, Noctis and Luna had been through far much worse. Iris needed rest too, using her powers to fix the prince's wounds taking a toll on her, although she resisted the intense waves of fatigue until they were sitting in Aranea's ship.

The closest resting area saw the eclectic group stopping by. Noctis and Luna slept in separate beds that night, the first moaning and tossing in his slumber, while the Oracle remained motionless, her chest moving up and down the only sign she was still alive. Both missions were reported to the other team, Aranea voicing concerns about the heavy numbers Ardyn had brought in the crater. Crowe tried to have Iris tell her more about her experience down the cave in Duscae, but the younger Amicitia refused to talk unless Lunafreya could hear it. Gladiolus needed to be convinced he hadn't failed his liege and in the end, none of the team managed to sleep.

Prompto and Ignis kept each other company, playing chess or some other games most of the night, while Iris had a serious talk with Gladiolus to convince him she was more grown up than he gave her credit for. Aranea and Crowe exchanged theories about the new powers the brunette had gained, alternating their hypothesis with a few hopeful checks at the imperial radio. They wanted to know if Ardyn was still among the living. The dragoon was tempted to side with Luna's opinion, while the former Glaive wanted to doubt it. They could use one less enemy in this war.

…

"You want to know why he even got in danger?"

Gladiolus sighed in her hair. Iris was sitting with him in a corner of their room, held close, her head in the crook of his neck. A motel was the only acceptable option and the Amicitia siblings needing to reconnect. Hearing she'd gotten healing powers had put him in a brief panic, but he was over it now. She'd shared with him Ravus' theories over the thing and he now thought that as long as his sister was around, alive and happy most of the time, he couldn't complain. Her voice was getting slower and slower as fatigue took over once more.

"I want you to rest, sis. I know we all went overboard. Doubting you is like doubting our dad. Which was always crazy stupid. I think I just… wanted for one thing to remain unchanged. It's not as though you can't be hurt if you're less grown up, it's…"

"He buried dad. Aimed to bury Noctis' father too."

"Hell, I really hate that guy. Now it's going to feel wrong to punch his smug face."

She almost laughed, her head nodding to the side, her small hands falling in her lap.

"Don't you think we have any people to hate as it is?" Iris whispered.

"I don't know what to think. Noctis and Luna can collect god's powers. You just did too, somehow. Even when I tried with everything I've got, I can't keep up."

"It was about time that Noct caught up with you. He overdid it, but if we can… ground him."

A long yawn tickled his neck, and he suggested putting her in bed, to which she objected:

"I missed being around you, Gladdy."

To his own shame, Gladiolus had to admit, he hadn't given as much attention to his sister as he should have. Of course, she was growing and they would go their separate ways and live their separate lives eventually. If they could even live that long. But lately, he'd let her walk away, maybe even made her walk away with his doubts and overbearingness. She'd set him straight and despite the complaints he wanted to address to his self, he didn't want to let go of Iris yet.

"If you sleep like this…" he started, meaning to warn her.

Her gentle snoring answered him, a smile etching on his face. Crowe walked into the room a few minutes later, a sheepish look on her face.

"I just wanted to make sure you two were…"

"What don't you sit down for a bit? I've got another shoulder."

He didn't have to insist. Crowe cozied next to him, careful of not disturbing Iris' sleep.

"How are you holding up?" she asked.

"I don't know. I was a lousy shield today."

"Well, the king is still alive."

"I did drag his ass away from trouble. But we were caught like…"

"Knowing you, you did the best you could."

As much as her words comforted him, they also reminded him that this best was seriously lacking. But he couldn't linger on this. Not now. His mind was too tired.

"I've seen some crazy stuff today. What about you? Anything you can tell me about Iris and her new powers?"

"I… It was as though that altar called out to her. I heard noises in my head while she was down there, but I couldn't do anything to help."

"How are you feeling?"

"Better. You're warm."

"I must stink. We sweat bullets in that crater."

"I haven't taken a shower either yet. I think my nose is just used to it by now."

"Thinking of falling asleep here?"

"If you don't mind." Crowe admitted.

"I don't think I could."

…

"I swear, Prom, he ain't tried anything I couldn't handle. He's been quite obedient since I started working on his arm."

"Good to hear. I still don't like the thought of you stuck around that guy. He seems so unpredictable."

"I was wondering if I shouldn't pull a prank on him. Like a decal with awful colours."

"Oh man, you have to do it! And snatch a picture for me. Pink and green?"

"Shoulda be worried that it's so easy for ya ta think o' lame combination o' colours?"

"Naah, I'm sure I can get you pretty flowers."

"A'd like that. When will I see you next?"

"I'm coming over with Iris and Luna in two days. Noctis will pop by later on... In case he gets too angry and try to rip off something from his future brother-in-law."

"Sounds good. But who's driving for ya all?"

"We're chocobo riding. Noctis will bring the Regalia with him."

"How long are you staying?"

"Depends on how long Ignis and Gladio can convince Noct to take off. We have a mission pending. I tried talking some sense into him. He's just in no state to listen right now."

"Are _ya_ okay, Prom?"

"I guess I'll feel better when I see you."

"I wish ya were already here."

"Give us a couple of hours. You're going to have Luna training our new white mage. If you want to punch Ravus beforehand, it could serve as a good test subject."

"My, my, that's kinda tempting, as nasty as it sounds."

There was a lot more questions Cindy wanted to ask, but she didn't dare. Prompto sounded fragile beneath his jokes. Something was wrong with his best friend. And from all they knew, they might have to let Noctis get even worse for him to save the world. How twisted was that?

To be continued…

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Since I have a lot of school work lately, I decided to cut this chapter a bit shorter than usual. There's a lot of explaining to do with everyone on the separate missions, but I don't want to drag things on. A few flashbacks, Noctis getting a good scolding from his friends and a lot of fluff –and some comedy thanks to Ravus' antics- on the menu for next chapter. It will be the break before the Quezacoatlz mission. A few time skips are coming. Not much, don't worry. I think next chapter might take me more than one week to write. We'll just have to see how things turn out.

Know that you support and reviews are always welcome. Flames aren't, Ardyn certainly played too much with fire. But don't worry about him either. The man is coming back. Haven't had time to reread myself. I'll correct things soon for this chapter and the last one. Hoping you like what's happening so far. ;)


	42. Calm before the storm

This chapter was heavily inspired by Prompto's latest episode. Not as in, it goes over his episode. It's more that the episode brought me back into shape and made it so much easier to write. Although I have to split the fluff over two chapters. We will have some team time, Silvergold fluff and borderline smut (silvergold is my ship name for a pair of blondies), some Crowdio (about time) and Raviris plus sibling Fleuret time. I hope you'll like this! As always, big thanks for the reviews. 😊

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Unexpected

Chapter 42 – Calm before the storm

Noctis woke up from his nth nightmare, fists clenched, eyes lost, and his heart heavy in his chest. He needed to talk with Luna and understand what had happened with Ifrit. He needed answers about the changes happening with Iris. And more than anything, he needed to be told this last encounter with the empire was their victory. Because somehow, it didn't feel as one. The Oracle was lying in a bed on the other side of the room and from the sounds coming from her, she wasn't sleeping well either. Groggy and somehow still sore from his fight with Ace, the prince walked up to her, collecting his fiancée in his arms.

The fact there were more Astrals sided with her than him should have put his mind at ease about the talks of sacrifice his ancestors were throwing at him with all the new royal arms he gathered. But ease and peace were foreign concepts to him now.

"Luna?"

She recoiled next to him, shivering in her sleep and he gently shook her awake.

"No more bad dreams now. Are you okay?"

"Noct… Your clothes are covered with blood." She observed slowly. "But there's no wound…"

His face darkened, but he decided to explain things to her, even though that meant she would rush away from his arm sooner.

"Iris received Bahamut's blessing somehow. She fixed me right as she came down from the airship. I'm going to need you to talk to her. Make sense of this… But first, could you tell me what happened with Ifrit?"

Luna only wanted to hear about his fight with Ace in return and they brought each other up to speed. She looked disappointed as she understood the device halting Noctis' powers was still in imperial hands, but that was nothing compared to his shock at the news over the fallen Astral. The Scourge bringer seemed misunderstood more than anything, and moreover, the god was related to Ardyn. Who'd burn to a crisp apparently.

"That's… anti-climatic for someone like him."

"I'm sure he survived. The ashes might have only been his clothes. The fire didn't seem to reach him before and Ifrit left instead of staying to make a covenant."

"But you asked him to protect the people around you, not to start a covenant…" Noctis pointed out.

That might be the reason why. It was getting harder and harder to understand if there were any common rules between the Astrals. They were as different in personality, powers and antics as human beings. Their fingers were interlaced together, their mind buzzing with all the new information.

"What about the mission to take out the antennas of Quezacoatlz?"

Prompto stepped into the room as if on cue, instantly giving Lunafreya an answer.

"Taken care of. Iggy and Aranea were almost blown up and we have a lot of questions about how Iris and Crowe reacted to the proximity of some… divine shrine? I don't think I can even wrap my head around it. Why would anyone build a house on top of a shrine?"

Noctis' first reaction was to smile, which took away any menace in his following inquiry:

"Were you eavesdropping on us, man?"

"Well, I've been worried sick about you, bro, sorry if that makes me a creep. Iggy wanted to know as soon as you were up, he's coming over with everyone. And breakfast I hope. We've been skipping meals left and right."

Both royal's stomach growled, eliciting a nervous laugh over the trio. It was Luna who read the tension and tried to remove it:

"I think we're okay. Shaken, and overwhelmed, but okay. What happened with Crowe?"

"I'll let her tell it herself." Prompto answered matter-of-factly.

The following breakfast was an occasion to put together all the latest changes. Iris opened up about Ravus' hypothesis, and while Gladio looked angry, Lunafreya quickly understood:

"Anyone I cure from the blight retain a trace of my light. It's a remnant preventing them from being infected again. With the tests run by the empire when I was younger, I know as much. But I didn't think it could also work as a catalyst for Bahamut's blessing. Those shrines would normally resonate with me. Maybe because I healed you both more than once, you are more sensitive to Bahamut's powers. Only women can become Oracle. And my mother always said our power had to awaken early. Maybe is it related to age? I was about Iris' age when I first received the blessing. It was earlier than most of my ancestors…"

"What I don't understand is that… I reacted when Iris healed Noctis too. There was no shrine near the disc, were there?" Crowe asked both healers.

"I would have sensed it, at least, I hope." Luna sighed. "But then again, it could be that you can't have powers from the Lucis crystal and Bahamut at the same time. Noctis has black magic so to speak, while I only use light magic. The ice I create is only thanks to Gen… to Shiva."

They pondered the news for a moment, Gladiolus bringing up the fact the nullifier Ace used seemed to affect him too. Which meant their newly acquired powers might backfire in front of the empire.

"Your brother must know more about this device," Ignis countered to their long faces. "It might not be impossible to find a way to deter its capabilities. Or to shield us from them. As long as the man agrees to cooperate."

"I don't think Ravus would refuse to help." Iris retorted. "He's left the empire for good."

"And we'll persuade him somehow if he refuses." Luna added, exchanging a knowing smile with the brunette.

Noctis didn't exactly like that, but it was his turn to be brought to attention, Ignis commenting on his insistence to pursue Ardyn.

"Your goal was to collect Titan, which was done before the dropships showed up. Once outnumbered, you should have agreed with Gladio's advice."

The prince was surprised to feel shame instead of anger under the disapproving look of his advisor. But he steeled his insecurities and forced himself to stand his ground.

"Yeah… But we need all the freaking intel we can get. I won't push my luck again in similar circumstances. Although I didn't aim for an assault, I was simply trying to spy on their activities."

"You've been really active in everything involving the defence of Lucis, and I won't blame you for being eager to make things right. But you were in no shape to take on the other MTs when we found you. And if something is on your mind…"

Noctis laughed dejectedly at that.

"I don't know what should be on my mind anymore. Just yesterday, Titan mocked me for being unfocused. I don't want to stop. But I think I need a real break. Put things back into perspective."

A collective sigh of relief made the prince blink in surprise as he looked back up at his friends.

"Reasonable words coming out of his mouth. Didn't think I'd ever see the day…" Gladiolus sighed. "Our boy has really grown, huh, Iggy?"

"Indeed." Came the tactician immediate response, which earned him snickers.

"So you're his mom now?" Aranea couldn't help herself.

"What?!"

The talks ended in laughs and from there, they agreed on how long they could take time off before getting inside Quezacoatlz. A call to Monica to ask for a detachment of soldiers to monitor the antennas, another to Cor to make sure things were alright around Cauthess and the team agreed to split up.

Luna wanted to talk with Iris first and to train her if possible, to make sure what the extent of her powers was. Noctis had agreed on a four-day break and Ignis was adamant on helping him find his focus back. Aranea wasn't against hanging in Lestallum for a few days, especially since her ex-boyfriend seemed keen on taking her out on a proper date. Gladiolus wanted to train, angry at himself for how easily the empire had caught him off guard. Or taken his guard from him with some gizmo. Since the man was ready to go camping during their break, Crowe offered to accompany him. She wanted to get rid of her fear of the dark and to keep an eye on him too. Noctis didn't feel ready to confront Ravus again just yet and relented to let Prompto, Iris and Luna set out to meet up with Cindy, on the condition they give him news as often as possible. He offered to secure a phone for Luna, but she decided against it.

"Umbra would certainly like to be the messenger once more. And you won't be far behind, will you? I'm sure Iris would like to spend some time alone with my brother."

"What are you saying, Luna?"

"He was the first person she turned to when she had a minute to realize what had happened to her at that shrine. I think they're good for each other."

"But… he's…"

"If you want a goodbye kiss, you're going to hold that thought and keep any mean words aimed at Ravus to yourself."

Noctis pulled a face, but agreed nevertheless, trying to defend himself instead:

"I've been a lousy friend for Iris lately. But it's really hard to come to terms with what he…"

"Noctis, please. Iris can take on much more than you think. If she doesn't want him around, she'll get him to back off all by herself."

"Okay, okay, I get it. Just… try to stay safe? I love you."

"Me too."

Their kiss was brief, for fear of any teasing from the others who weren't that far nearby. It was the first time Noctis and Luna would be apart in a while and neither was certain they liked it, especially after everything that had taken place, but it wasn't as though they were joined at the hip. It might actually do the prince some good. Refocus and find some sort of balance despite his numerous fears. Iris was saying goodbye to her brother, who was making incredible efforts not to mention Ravus.

"Let me know how things go, right?" he asked after she'd returned his hug.

"You too. Try not to overwork yourself and have some fun with Crowe. Just remember to play it safe and…"

"I'm the big brother here, I don't need advice for that sort of thing."

"Well, maybe you do."

"Keep that up and I'm going to bring you on our camping trip, white mage in-training."

The threat was nothing more than a joke and Iris was amazed at how much laughs she'd head from everyone since the morning. Prompto exchanged a few words with Noctis, Luna, Aranea and Crowe talking between themselves for an instant while Ignis gave a quick check on her, under the guise of reviewing the ingredients she was taking from his stock.

"You won't simply be babysitting Noctis, right, Scientia?" she asked him.

"I don't know what you're trying to imply, Iris. But Noctis should catch up with your group in about 24 hours. And I'm not intending on keeping him in check when he leaves. I've had enough of that garage already."

"Tell me you're going to take Aranea somewhere nice. She looks almost as stiff as you."

Ignis rolled his eyes, knowing without a single glance in the dragoon direction that she was simply on guard. There was nothing stiff about her. Sharp for sure, but mostly soft curves and muscles. He steered his thoughts back to the younger Amicitia, the ghost of a smirk gracing his features. The girl seemed far more comfortable now that she had her own magical powers. It might only be an illusion, something that

"I don't think I have to worry about you. You're an Amicitia through and through. But you know you can ask me for advice outside of the culinary domain."

"Thanks, Iggy."

The chocobos were getting impatient and after another kiss between the royals, the team finished their goodbyes. Crowe and Gladio shared the man's bike and rolled out in the opposite direction of Prompto, Luna and Iris. The prince and his shield had had one serious talk. Gladiolus was thinking of taking the Lucian shield trial and had had the decency to warn Noctis of it. It didn't come as a surprise that the young man opposed his idea.

" _I don't think you've messed your job," Noctis insisted. "You did everything in your power to keep both me and Luna safe. I don't think you risking your life now would help me. That trial is archaic and dangerous. If you want to train, I'm in for it."_

" _It's not… Yesterday was a mess. And we might be stuck in even worse situations in the future."_

" _Which is why I need you alive. We all need a break. Do something to let off some steam. I get the feeling both Ignis and you have been holding off on your own worries since… everything…"_

" _You might be right. But can I really leave you to your own device? Won't you just rush off on your own?"_

" _No. I'm too tired for that. And I can't get through our next mission on my own."_

…

Prompto let Iris and Luna talk together for most of the ride, snapping pictures of the scenery or seldom asking them what the remnant of white magic in Cindy's blood might mean for the young mechanic. He was welcomed by his girlfriend's smile and wrapped her in his arms with abandon, while Luna looked around for her brother.

"The surly prince is back in the scrapyard. I'm almost done with his prosthetic, but I'd rather not get into the details. Ya gals want some drinks?"

"This early?" Iris mused.

"Not alcohol," Cindy teased her. "Takka's stack was depleted by Dave and his hunters the last time they came by. But we have some ebony sodas."

The Oracle was a bit disappointed that her brother didn't even take the time to salute them on their arrival. He was keeping to himself and his lone wolf attitude. Iris seemed preoccupied, while Prompto clearly wanted to have Cindy to himself. But business came first.

Walking into the garage, Luna, Iris and Prompto were granted the chance to see the arm in development. It was a dark shade of green, the lower half still more skeleton then arm. The sheets of steel were perfectly cut and assembled, synthetic muscles woven in delicate metal and electric wires.

"Setting it on him will mean some surgery. I guess it can serve as practice for yar new white mage. Who'd have thunk the princess' healing worked like that… But anyway… I've made a prototype of the clip keeping the arm in place. The way Fleuret is set up right now, he might as well suffer for the rest o' his life. The metal stuck to his bones and nerves is a real mess..."

Prompto and Iris paled a bit and Cindy bit her tongue, wondering how Luna might feel about hearing this. The guy wasn't simply a former enemy commander. It was her brother.

"If ya're feeling uncomfortable, tell me ta stop."

"I think I'll just sit this one out." Prompto sighed. "Except if you want to revise the colour on the plates."

"Why don't we call it a day? Ya all've been riding for most o' the night and I could use a shower myself."

"I'll just go find Ravus." Luna declared, noticing the way Cindy was sending longing glances at Prompto.

"I'll go with you." Iris offered.

"Well, am I glad to have ya around again, yar birthday went by so fast."

Prompto felt a sheepish grin lighting his face as she took three deliberate steps towards him. She was wearing a tight blue shirt under her yellow coat and a full pair of jeans, with holes here and there.

"Are you covering up or…?"

She reached one hand up, toying with his hair as she answered:

"I ain't always wearing bikinis for work clothes! And Ravus has been making crazy theories over a code based on the colours I choose, A was going mad."

"I thought he wasn't bothering you?" the gunman observed, his hands pulling her closer to him, not minding the grease on her clothes.

"Well, duh, o' course he's bothering me. Takka won' look after him and the guy can't stay in one place. He keeps losing balance and falling on his head. Yesterday, he dropped his phone and ordered me ta pick it up for him. Ya should have seen him type on that thing."

"The dude is ordering you around?"

"Royalty. They think they can do abou' everything. Kinda refreshing... With Noctis all skittish and ready ta help at the drop o' a hat and Luna being such a saint."

Prompto chuckled at that, wondering why he didn't feel more nervous about being this close to her. Cindy was absentmindedly following the white lines over his shirt, her nails grazing him through the fabric. And he wanted to cross every line with her.

"You said you wanted to grab a shower?"

"How bold. I like the sound of that."

She guided him back to her room, happy to fool around with him and forget the world for a few hours. They skipped the shower and fumbled around, their kisses almost angry from the passion. Her fingers were warm and his hands too soft, their lips clutching, tongues waltzing a gentle sort of war. It was wet and clumsy and rushed, but they had time apart to make up for. Worries for friends or family that made a little more desperate to feel the other. Skin on skin. He was pale next to her toned complexion. This time around, Prompto was less scared of losing control. It was all about finding either of their limits. Finding the spots where the shivers turned to low moans. He tested a dozen sorts of kisses, some lighter than feathers, like a brief breeze on her skin, some long, making smacking sound when they stopped. Here she was ticklish, here she tensed and sighed and squirmed. Whenever her voice would rise, he'd feel something surging in his chest. And for every caress, Cindy gave him more kisses, massaged his scalp, and tested his own limits.

"Do you really…?"

"No doubt in my arms, Prom. Ya can't rile me up like this and run off to hide."

"Where do you get all that confidence?"

"I just… know what I wan'. At least, I do mos' of the time."

He cornered her in his arms, liking the feel of her skin sticking to his. Who'd think sweating could be comfortable?

"Go on. Tell me what you want."

She rolled her eyes, blushing at the same time. Because the lady could blush. She was adorable and driving him crazy already, but he wondered if he could have the blush grow even more.

"What d'ya want me ta do ta make it clear?"

"Say it. Say you want me."

"I do. I want ya, Prom." Admitting it seemed to release what was left of her restraint, and she went on: "I did back on the first beach. And twice as much on the second one. Maybe since we're not on an actual beach…"

She didn't want another interruption. He could have laughed if his heart wasn't up in his throat from the very trepidation awakened by her words. Right now, he was enough. If only he could stay enough. He needed to chase off that fear.

"Shut up and kiss me."

He could taste the laugh on her lips, but it was a smile and a welcome all at the same time. He belonged here, more than ever.

Little to say, neither Luna nor Iris would see Prompto that night.

…

The ride had been quiet, Gladiolus lost in thought for most of it. Crowe insisted on switching riders on his bike, once every stop, and he wasn't too shocked to see her handle the monstrous bike with ease. It felt weird to be a passenger and hold on to her waist, but it wasn't entirely uncomfortable. Crowe had a lot of things on her mind too, wondering if by receiving the crystal blessing a second time, she'd passed off on a rare occasion. They'd brought a single tent, but two separate sleeping bags, not knowing exactly where they wanted to take things. Setting up camp, they agreed on hanging around the same area.

"I think we should start by going up against each other. Some hand to hand combat."

"I'm not… Don't take this the wrong way, but…"

"You think I can't hold my own against you without a weapon?"

"You're strong, but… I'm still twice your size." He retorted, crossing his arms over his abs, shoulders set a bit more firmly than usual.

"I can handle you, big guy."

The look she gave him was dead serious, but there was a quirk to her voice that made him raise one brow.

"That sounded awfully hot."

Crowe smiled cockily, refusing to let him see how flustered those words made her on the inside.

"Pretty sure I can handle you either way. But I meant training."

Their heater dinged, the cupa noodles being ready and they started by eating dinner. The darkness had settled and as Gladiolus marked down a square for them on the rocks, the former Glaive admitted she wanted to test herself. Daemons would stay away from the campgrounds and neither of them was ready to take the risk to walk off into the night, but she wanted to keep her cool despite the added stress.

"So, how do we do this? Outright wrestling?"

"Yeah. Your shoulders touch the ground for more than five seconds, I win."

Wrestling could turn awkward really fast, but Crowe was adept at hand to hand combat. She moved nimbly and she was terribly fast. Gladiolus didn't hold back, knowing full well she wouldn't stand for it. Grappling and shifting their weight, he managed to break out of her hold over four times, bringing her down to the ground a total of 3 seconds. Then she twisted her hips and did something that barely register to his senses, sending him on his side. They fought for a good fifteen minutes, Gladiolus winning the first round. Crowe won the next one, twisting his arm with her legs. A snap sound made him jump and for a moment he wondered if that was his shoulder popping out of its socket. She was more flexible than he'd given her credit for. Her weight on his chest made it hard to breathe. It seemed she'd regained some weight during the last few weeks.

"How do you even stay like that? Your back's all…"

"You can't break out of it, can you?" Crowe taunted him.

She was panting a bit, from all the inert exertion and he wondered why her defiant tone got to him. He sneaked one hand free, tickling her by mere accident and using her momentous disorientation to turn the tables around. Her back hit the ground with a thudding sound and he immediately immobilized her legs with his own, knowing what to fear most from her. When she squirmed, he weighted heavier on her, holding back her hands.

"That's… too much pressure." She breathed out.

"What?"

"My hip hurts."

It didn't sound like a trick and surely enough, as he kneeled next to her, Crowe didn't retort with an attack of her own, leaning her head back with a sigh.

"I didn't mean…" Gladiolus started.

"Don't apologize. I can handle you, but you know how to defend yourself against someone smaller."

"I trained Noctis."

She motioned to sit up and gasped from the sudden jolt of pain. Gladio's eyes went back to her waist.

"You were in that much pain."

"No… I think it's just a bit loose."

"Lose?"

"My articulations stretch instead of snapping." Crowe explained.

His hands were on her the next second, pulling down the waistband of her pants to better explore the knots of muscles over her left hip. She tried to push him away, to no avail.

"If you wanted to feel me up, you could have asked."

"I've trained in the medical fields too. Strained or stretched muscles were part of my life early on, just try to relax."

She felt like a doll under his touch, but he looked at her with serious eyes. Crowe forced herself to breathe deeply in and out as he palpated her lower back and her bottom.

"I can't believe you're doing this." She insisted.

"Well, like it or not, you've got muscles in that plump…"

"Shut it and fix me already."

He fitted her pelvic bone in his hand, following the muscles all over it, trying to find a knot or some sign of unwanted tension. She'd let out moans of pain if he pressed too hard and after a few more minutes, he sighed.

"It's almost dislocated. Don't know how you managed that, but I can snap it back into place."

"Do it."

The popping sound made him wince, but Crowe finally relaxed as her leg started feeling normal again.

"So you know chiropractic?"

"Some of it. Are you shaking?"

"Let go of my ass."

They laughed at that and Crowe didn't protest when he helped her sit up, until she leaned back on his chest. One of his hands remained on her thigh, massaging it to take away the sores.

"No sex tonight." She whispered.

"Now you're torturing me."

"Wow. I was trying to test the waters and see where we were standing. We're not discreet, I'll give you that, but…"

Gladiolus gave her time to voice her problem, poking her in the side as she remained silent longer than his nerves could tolerate.

"But what?"

"I just wonder… Do you want to keep us a secret from the others for much longer? Iris knows and approves."

His throat felt dry as he pondered her question. She stroked his wrist, sensing the tension in him, reaching for his neck with her free hand. He leaned into her touch instinctively.

"That's… You sure make me at ease. And I don't see any reason to hide, seeing how things are… Camping is a lame excuse for a date though."

"I don't need flowers or chocolate. Although some sweets would be nice."

He breathed into her neck, relishing her shiver as his lips brushed against her skin.

"I might have something you'd like. But you can't push yourself to such a point again."

"Guess my usual targets aren't as big. Next time, I'll use a wind spell."

"Next time?"

"It feels as though I was cheated off my win."

It took them a moment to register the fact the night had fallen, as they fell in easier talk, sitting closer and closer. When they looked up to see a daemon appearing a few feet away from their camp, they were both serene, Crowe perfectly relaxed against his large frame. And he was pretty certain there wouldn't be more tension in her if he wasn't holding her.

"It's dark." He observed.

"We can see the stars."

As their eyes looked up, his chin on the back of her head, they saw countless stars, sparkling all over the firmament. In them, Crowe saw more magic, while Gladiolus thought of falling meteor. And although both of their hearts were at peace, their mind roared for more answers. Some sort of control over their life.

"Can I sleep in your arms tonight?"

She bent her neck to look into his eyes and much to his own surprise, the large man felt his cheeks heating up. He kept having the impression they were jumping back and forth between comrades in arms, friends and flirting acquaintances. He wanted to know so much more about her than the few tales she'd shared so far. He wanted to kiss her until he knew the taste of her smile by heart.

"You're welcome to. But I don't sleep with any sheet," he warned her.

"Are you planning on sleeping in the nude? Is that why you're blushing?"

"Your hair's half undone. And I'm not used to hold such a pretty lady or to have her all to myself for a night. No girl ever wanted to follow me in the wilds on a camping trip."

"Is this a fantasy coming true then?"

"Depends…"

She did blush too right then, but pulled on his hair so he'd leaned down until their lips could meet and he turned her to the side, making it easier for a prolonged embrace. He was really careful about her sore hip as he handled her, which let her know just how much of a gentle giant he was. For an instant, Crowe let herself melt in his arms. Soaking in the love hiding within each gesture. How he wrapped one arm around her frame, letting her into his vital space. He didn't let go of her before a long, long time.

…

Ravus was sitting in the scrapyard, scribbling down on a large piece of cardboard. He had clearly tinkered with a few things before, metal pipes either fused or nailed into one another on his left. He looked strangely common in a pair of jeans and a dark camisole with writing over some rock group. The only thing usual about him were his boots and dog tags. His hair was tied in a loose ponytail and Pryna sat on his right side, looking up as soon as Luna stepped out of the garage.

"What are you up to this time?" she asked without preamble.

"Well, I'm going to need a new weapon pretty soon."

Iris raised one brow, wondering why she felt nervous now that she was standing a few feet away from the man. His eyes met hers for an instant and he looked away first, fidgeting to get back on his feet. Both girls seemed willing to help and he denied them.

"I lack an arm, not a spine."

Luna thought better than to discipline him about his acid retort, wrapping him in a hug as soon as he was standing up.

"I was worried you'd run away before I had the time to get here." She whispered.

That effectively annihilated any sharp-tongued reply he could muster, Ravus hugging her back with his single arm.

"I really wanted to hear what was been happening with either of you," he shot back.

"We met a lot of Astral yesterday." Luna admitted as she stepped out of her brother's arms.

There was a moment of awkward silence, Ravus and Iris not too sure of how they should act around each other. Pryna sat and stared at them, patiently waiting for one to make his or her move.

"I wasn't expecting to get back so quickly, but… You kept your words and waited for news."

The Tenebrae's prince might have gestured to his stump to remind her how little he could have helped if he'd even try to regroup with them in Cauthess, but Iris felt overwhelmed by the words she remembered from him during their last talk. He'd always write back. She erased the space between them, hugging him tight despite how larger than her he was. Ravus gripped on her back for support, taken aback by the sudden attack, before to let any edge he wanted to keep vanishing. His body relaxed and he held her just a bit closer. Now she held powers similar to Luna apparently, but she didn't feel all that different from before. Her small frame fitted just as well next to his. He wanted to study her scent and to stay like this for much longer than necessary. Luna's knowing look made him too self-aware and he let go of Iris first.

As they parted, the girl could have sworn she felt his fingertips brushing over her waist, catching just a hint of skin despite her many layers of clothes. She felt too warm where he'd touched her and linked her arms behind her back as she exchanged a brief look with Luna.

"I'm here to train on mastering… those new powers I'd mention earlier."

"My stump apparently has to go through more butchering before I can have my new arm attached," he declared, looking less weirded out than both women.

"How can you even say stuff like that with a straight face!" Luna snapped at him, taking the words right out of Iris' mouth.

It was quickly agreed between them that any training would wait until morning. Ravus ate with them, Iris sitting across the sibling and getting to chance to actually see them acting like a brother and a sister. Their dynamic was very different from hers and Gladio's. Ravus wouldn't pretend to steal Luna's meat, instead monitoring her eating habits to the point of annoyance.

"It's late, I don't have much of an appetite left," she protested.

"What did she have for lunch?" he asked, turning to the Amicitia.

"I won't participate in this!" Iris shot right back.

"I think Ravus is just worried I'll have him talk of Tenebrae."

"Why would…?"

"I'd like to hear about it. Like where Umbra and Pryna come from, for example."

"That's one really good question." Luna smiled. "Our father had this old dog, I was never good at reminding his name…"

"Mera." Ravus said without thinking. "Umbra and Pryna were her pups. Although I don't remember ever seeing another dog around our domain. More magic I guess. Mera was gigantic. Luna could ride her around when she was a child."

Iris' eyes widened at the sheer idea.

"Do you think either Pryna or Umbra could get big enough for…?"

"They haven't grown in years. Guess it was easier that way for them to move around the country." Lunafreya observed.

"I remember the first time you sneaked me a letter at the training camp. Pryna got shot at by one MT and started to howl strongly enough to make the walls shake. The other recruits were pissing their pants."

"You asked me not to write back again."

"You sent both dogs with an answer the next time."

"Did I? I can't remember what I said though…"

"You send me some flowers. Said you had to make sure I'd remember what they looked like. It was my first winter away from home…"

Iris couldn't help the smile that grew on her face as she saw how comfortable Ravus looked, smiling back at his sister, his food forgotten as he shared more memories with her. They soon stopped though, not wanting to keep Iris out of the conversation.

"As long as you don't make this business, Rave." Luna warned him.

"I'll behave, sis."

Next thing she knew, both Fleuret were asking her about her life back in Insomnia. Luna had been stuck in small towns, rarely visiting cities and Ravus had only seen Insomnia as a dead town.

"Well, I didn't go out much. It was school, training with Gladio…" she tried to dampen their enthusiasm.

"What about the movies?" Luna objected, looking really curious.

"Oh, yeah, we had those. Aren't there any in Nifelheim?"

"Yeah, but as a soldier, I couldn't catch much of them. And Luna was stuck in either our manor or the temples."

"Say, Ravus, I was wondering if there was any spot left intact. There was one park in particular…"

His face darkened at her question, but he listened to the directions she gave, a smile showing on his sharp features.

"I remember that Zanarkand Street. The park was mostly unscathed. The fishes in the pond were still alive last I saw it."

Iris brightened up at the news, and they chatted the night away, going from the legends about the Astrals to the training human soldiers received in the Nifelheim army or the plot of a few movies Iris had seen and that Luna had merely heard about. When the girls retired for the night, Ravus seemed to deflate a bit. The brunette had never heard him talk as much and didn't like the idea of leaving him on his own, even for a few hours. She fought against that feeling, warning herself that whatever was going on between them, it was merely instrumental to him. For the most part, at least. Luna hugged her brother before to step in the RV, Iris hanging back a moment longer than necessary.

"Everything okay with you?" Ravus asked as they stood awkwardly in the parking lot.

"I think so. You?"

"Except for the arm, yeah. I get the feeling you're looking after my sister as much as she looks after you. Thanks for that."

"If you keep being so social and normal, I'll forget how the real Ravus sounds."

"You think you know the real me yet?"

"Down to a few nerves, actually. You're going to have me playing surgeon on you again tomorrow, right?"

"If it was my leg, I'd do it myself." He answered as an apology.

There was something left unsaid, something bothering both of them, but Iris couldn't get her finger on it and Ravus seemed a little less relaxed now that Luna was gone.

"It's pretty interesting to see you in a normal setting." Iris admitted.

"Heh. This doesn't feel normal," he sneered, gesturing at the shirt he was wearing. "Like at all. I don't even know those… _Rock Tonberries_."

Iris laughed at that.

"Well, it's great to see you not bleeding to dead... you know?"

He rolled his eyes, looking back at the RV behind her. Luna might come back out to check on Iris anytime and he was somehow worried about the impression growing in his heart. He didn't want the girl to leave his sight yet. How childish was that? If he could read the brunette's mind, he'd think again.

"If there's something you want to tell me, just say it. I suck at small talk."

"I was wondering… if it was… okay to hug you?"

Taken aback, Ravus blinked and felt contradicting words mixing together in his head.

"Why would you want that?"

Their eyes met and locked together as she mustered the courage to answer him truthfully:

"You made me feel safe with mere texts the other day. And I think you could use a friend who's not your sister."

It cost him to agree, but he did manage to keep his cool until she was too close to see his face. Iris wanted to feel his heart beating next to her again. They'd shared something back in the bunker, something awkward, but that felt a bit more real every day that passed. He felt warmer than before in the night air and he pulled her close, in that starving-for-attention way she was starting to understand.

"Friends. I hope you don't regret it." He told her.

"Don't give me reason to, Rave."

He squeezed her waist, breathing in the smell of her hair. The mix of dust, sweat and sweeter scent that was only Iris, under all the traces of war. She seemed so young. She trembled as she hid against his chest for a few seconds longer than necessary.

"What are you scared about, Iris?"

"What tomorrow will bring."

He'd wanted to ease her fears, but the future was the one thing he'd never control.

"Live in the now. You need to fix me for any of my hugs to feel somewhat normal."

"I can only fix flesh. At least I think so…"

"That's as deep as I'll let you go. Get some sleep now."

As she took a step back, he nearly lost his balance and there was an awkward moment of shifting their hold on each other, his head in the crook of her neck, her hands flat against his torso, trying to push him up.

"Sorry about…"

"Don't… I asked for this."

His face was moving up and away from her but remained close-by. His skin looked clearer. The bruising was gone, the blood had been cleaned off and for the first time, she noticed the different colour for each eye. How mesmerizing that made his stare. Her fingers gripped on his shirt instinctively and for an instant, Ravus didn't see a young girl. His hand was still on her back, he couldn't touch her anywhere else, unless he'd leaned just a bit forward.

 _This? You asked for this?_ He wanted to ask her.

It was as though time had stopped. Iris looked beautiful under the moonlight. Her eyes were big, brown, shining with something that resembled… His head screamed at his heart to revise the various impulses surging forwards. Clearing his throat for countenance, he fully parted from her, although unable to break away from her gaze as she stared at him, hands still held up as though reaching out for him. His throat constricted at the sight. Had he been too open in those messages? She'd said friends and friends didn't hug like that, at least it didn't turn like… whatever this was.

"Have a good night, Iris." He sighed, turning away from her.

"You too," she whispered, wondering what had just happened.

She felt mightily flustered. As she walked into the RV, she felt Luna's gaze on her.

"Everything okay?"

"I don't know. Say, were you… perhaps looking out the window earlier?"

Luna smiled.

"What happens between my brother and you is none of my business. But I can't help being curious," she added sheepishly. "And he does need a friend outside of me. I hope he doesn't turn into a handful for you."

"I guess we'll see about that."

Iris waited until her heart was beating more quietly before to freshen up and switch clothes. As she lied down and prayed for sleep to come swiftly, she couldn't help but remember the look in his eyes. Hesitation. Longing. Doubts. And something else. Something she'd thought would never be addressed to her. She couldn't quite put a word on it, but she'd felt warm and slightly dizzy. Prompto had called it. She might just fall for that awkward prince. And the only thought that came to mind wasn't disgust or self-deprecation. They were already far deeper than flesh. What would happen if they ever came back to the surface?

To be continued…

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Just want to mention… Mera means "pure" in Latin. And yes, Prompto's episode is the main reason Prompto is enjoying some good times. The poor angel. The episode was pretty much already planned into the story, I just need to get to that point. It will come. After a lot more hardships. For everyone.

Next chapter will contain Ignea and Noctluna plus maybe some Free Crown time. Noctis is looking for his focus. After, we get back into the action. Please review to let me know what you think.

I haven't reread myself yet, will do in the next few days. The Crowdio part might sound awkward with the chiropractic stuff. I couldn't have all the guys enjoying the exact same thing. I hope I can bring next chapter around next weekend. Happy Canada's day to my fellow Canadians. And a lovely weekend to all of my readers!


	43. A trip in the sky - Part I

Sorry for the wait for this week's chapter. Been taking some sort of vacation and playing games lately. Also, been working on research scales. Some stuff is complete and I have motivation back for schoolwork! Only need to get more work done. This chapter is mostly Ignea, Noctis finding his bearings and Ravus being… Ravus? We have Noctluna too, although not the extent I wanted. But I'm still satisfied with how things turned out. Know that Ignis and Aranea made their fluff a bit smuttier than usual. Although I guess they're the couple I take further when it comes to borderline smut in this fic. Enjoy the last calm chapter before Operation Quezacoatlz.

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Unexpected

Chapter 43 – A trip in the sky – Part I

"So you are unfocused?" Ignis started.

"That's what Titan said before flipping me off as though I was a bug or a fly…"

Both men were sitting at a café in Lestallum. Aranea had received a call from her friends and former fellow hunters, Biggs and Wedge and was off meeting up with them. Ignis had mixed feelings about that, but knew better than to show too much possessiveness.

"You've never been the type to really focus on one single thing…" the advisor observed with a light smirk.

"Don't tell me that! It's not helping."

"You have a lot on your plate right now, Noct. You've been pushing yourself too much ever since Insomnia fell."

It was sounding more normal to state it as calmly and they were both slightly weirded out by the idea their old life was never coming back.

"I know," the prince grumpily retorted.

Ignis didn't let his impatience faze him in the slightest.

"Name everything on your mind; one at a time. We'll try to bring some sense to your thoughts."

It took some arguing until Noctis agreed to play his part of the exercise. First came Lucis' state. He wanted his people's safety restored.

"If I could keep you guys safe, it would ease my mind, but…"

"Just go on, no buts or maybe."

Collecting the royal arms, going through every covenant and maybe getting a second Astral, since Luna seemed to be doing better than him at this rate. Ignis raised one brow at the "maybe", but let it slide since Noctis was now on a roll:

"I want to free the survivors back in Insomnia. Fill up Free Crown with people, raise the security. Regain the crystal. Make sure the empire isn't a threat anymore. Destroy the Starscourge."

Nodding as he wrote down everything on a sheet of paper, Ignis raised an important question.

"What about your own wants? Saving Lucis is all good, but if you forget yourself in the process, you won't be able to get through more than two things on that list."

"What did Aranea do to you, Ignis?!"

"Don't make that face, I'm being serious here. You might get as strong as gods, but you're still human. You were the one who said he needed a break and I'm glad you did. At the pace at which you've been running our team, there might have been no stopping you until you'd get seriously hurt again. Try to name smaller goals. For the times when you're not saving the world."

It was a funny question, especially coming from a man who always seemed to forget his own needs and desires, but Noctis obeyed. It took him more time to name each new thing, since he was worried he'd sound selfish, but Ignis was smiling a bit more with every new thing he added to the list. Encouraged, he slowly realized how he'd forgotten himself lately.

"Have more time with Luna… Maybe grab a beer with all of you guys, like we used to do… And make a chocobo race with Prompto like I promised when we first found Wiz's ranch. Go fishing for a few hours. Gods, I miss fishing!"

"We could do with a change in our menu too. Now, for yourself to find focus, you need to realize you can't balance all of this in a single month. We are holding on against the empire. All Lucis is, not only you. And no one will resent you for taking time off. You haven't goofed around except for Prompto's birthday, and that barely lasted a full day."

"Goof around? I don't…!"

"My point is… You've matured a lot in the past few weeks. And you've faced more trials and hardships than any man should in such a short amount of time. From what you've just said, you worry too much to focus on a single goal. And that worry will be your downfall if you keep it up. You were enraged after collecting the royal arm in Balouve. And that fight with Drautos…"

Ignis wanted to dig deeper and Noctis felt his throat tightening. They wanted to take his Luna away.

"Can I ask you a personal question, Iggy?"

The advisor blinked, taken aback, but instantly approved with a gesture of the hand.

"What if… and this is hypothetical, I swear I'd never do that… But what if I… ordered you to give up on Aranea?"

Noctis regretted his words as he saw Ignis' shoulders tensing. The unexpected question was like a punch to the guts and although his face barely hardened, his friend was clearly shocked. The sentence that followed sounded forced, and the prince felt increasingly ashamed for putting his advisor through this line of thought.

"By giving up on her, what do you mean?"

Grasping for words, Noctis nervously tapped his thighs with his fists, his voice a bit clipped as he tried to dismiss the question:

"This was wrong to ask. You've already been through enough regarding…"

But as sharp-minded as ever, Ignis couldn't let things go so easily.

"What were you asked to do? Does it concern Lunafreya?"

His eyes were unreadable, but his tone had turned cold, sharp as a razor. And the underlying anger wasn't aimed at Noctis, but at his potential tormentors. The words came out in a jumble then, as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"They said I would have to collect her trident. I can't as long as she's alive, we both know that. Cid said I might be able to create my own royal arm and 13 seems to be the number they're fixed upon, but…"

Ignis was left speechless for the first seconds that followed Noctis' desperate admission.

"You can't tell Luna. Or anyone else on the team."

There was no need for precision, but it gave Ignis the time he needed to find his voice again.

"You've been wondering how to keep her alive all this time?! On top of everything else…"

"The more obstacles we go through, the more my ancestors seem ready to insist."

How could a man focus with such a Damocles' sword hanging over his heart?

"You should have come to me before. I've given up on Aranea once and regretted it dearly. There's no way I'd let you do this sort of mistake."

How Ignis managed to make his declaration sound logical was beyond Noctis, but he felt better at the idea he had his support.

"I want nothing more but to save Luna from that fate. I think I just needed someone else to know."

"Well. I think we just need to refrain from letting you collect any more royal arms for the time being. And no more hiding things of such consequence." He quickly added from the annoyed look on Noctis' face: "I mean it. I can't help you if I lack some pieces of the puzzle."

They talked for a few more hours , Ignis ending up suggesting that the prince took Lunafreya out on a fishing trip in Galdyn Quay for the rest of their break. Despite suddenly growing two more years and finding himself just as old as his advisor, Noctis still felt younger than the man and was thankful for the guidance he provided. They went through some historical facts, Ignis promising to dig up the lore of Lucis to help his liege make sense of the demands his ancestors were making.

"You'd better not try to tackle this alone."

"I read a lot faster than you do. But I won't mind the help once we've secured some texts."

…

Despite his usual detached attitude, Ignis had been deeply shaken by Noctis' first question. While the prince turned himself in early for more rest, the strategist started roaming Lestallum, looking for a certain dragoon lady. He'd texted her so they'd meet up and wasn't surprised to spot her walking out of a pub. Her friends were nowhere in sight, but he preferred things that way.

Just from the way his eyes enveloped her, Aranea knew something was wrong. She still gasped in surprise as he pulled her in his arms, kissing her hard. She didn't even find the impulse to protest, too shocked to do anything else than accept the sudden embrace. He'd never been one for public display of affection and neither was she…

"What… What gives?" she asked, trying to keep her cool as he parted from her.

"I've been losing time and chances until now."

"What happened to you?"

"Can't I just be happy to see you?"

"You can, but that doesn't mean you can assault me in the middle of the street," she teased back.

She still held his hand and let him take the lead as they walked through the city, frowning as he stopped in front of a clothing store. One dress on display caught her attention, not to mention a pair of boots, but she gave him a cautious look.

"Are we trying to repeat our first date?"

"No, otherwise, I would have to let you do some laundry first. I'd… like to see you in a nice dress. Or some other clothes, anything that isn't pointy… or at least something more hug friendly than your armour."

"What are you planning, Ignis Scientia?"

He gave her a dashing smile, despite some inner doubt hiding deep in his eyes as he whispered into her ears:

"Those kisses the other day… Far from sufficient."

"It's always so hard for you to be direct."

"I'd rather wait until we're in a locked room to be blunt about my intentions."

And although there was a nervous bundle of knots in her stomach at the prospect, Aranea found herself intrigued by relearning those sides of him. Unguarded and raw. She'd always thought there was something exclusive about the way he held her. The way he let go of his defences when she opened her arms for him. She'd never wanted to be the romantic sort. But Ignis was a romantic at heart and with him… Everything seemed better.

She tried on a single dress, a bold red with dark laces tracing patterns all over her frame. It was sleeveless with a skirt turning into dark tulle, falling far enough to hide her feet and the legs she couldn't accept to show. It clung to her curves, showing only a bit of her battle scars. Ignis had always loved her back and simply nodded in assent as she walked out of the changing room, swirling on herself deliberately slow. She'd brought her hair up to free her neck and wasn't surprised when a brief walk and dinner later, she felt his lips diving straight for her neck.

The date part had been half torture half fun. They'd brush hands, Aranea sitting by his side instead of across him, testing him a few times by expressing just how delicious the food tasted. Each light whine of relief that escaped her seemed to rile him up a bit more, but Ignis persevered in his gentleman act. It wasn't an act, they both knew it, but she still wanted to see when he'd snap and admit his carnal desires.

He hadn't taken his eyes off her to cook food that'd go to waste. The talk was easy, focused on the here and now, on the streets they'd walked in and how she'd spotted a few homeless kids here and there. She did mention Biggs and Wedge, clearly happy they were both doing well, and Ignis admitted to checking on either of his friends during her absence. Gladio was to the point and Prompto hadn't answered him yet, which surely meant the boy was too busy to check his phone. They didn't try to make plans, instead wondering about the places they could go for the remainder of their time off. He'd helped her up off her chair, proposing her dessert when she'd pulled his hands to her waist, admitting what they were both feeling.

"You're absolutely nice and charming, Iggy, but we have about 48 hours to make up for 5 years apart."

"Only 48 hours?"

"Then the mission, then Shiva knows when we'll have time to ourselves again."

His hands linked over the small of her back, pulling her flush against him. She traced his muscles through his shirt, thankful that he'd given up his jacket already. Fewer barriers between them.

"I'm afraid I might be… too impatient to do this right."

"You think _I_ am not impatient? Or stressed out? You might be the one disappointed when the dress comes off."

"Well, you look fine. You feel… more than fine." He added, letting one hand brush up her ribs, the other one slipping down her backside.

The look in his eyes made her even more desperate for real touch. Aranea undid the buttons of his shirt, her smile a bit fragile as she teased him:

"Lost all your fancy words? Show me some skin."

He raised her in his arms at that, quickly relocating them to the bed before to shrug off his shirt and give her a single mouth to mouth kiss, his lips claiming her neck right afterwards. She felt the dress slipping down her chest as he loomed over her, all caresses and kisses. It was as though all his self-restraint was gone and she relished the rush it brought her.

"Someone missed me."

"I thought that was… apparent."

His nose stroked her belly button, his hands making quick work of the pretty dress, fingers working more shivers into her, his eyes eating her up. She tensed as her legs became exposed, pulling on the waistband of his pants, hoping to distract him from the ugly scars and bumpy skin below her knees.

"Can't I take one good look at you?" Ignis pleaded.

"You don't need to see me when you can feel me."

Seeing the marks of her fall and the nasty sewing done to put her back together was almost enough to break him, but he kept his regrets to himself. More than ever, she needed to know he loved her, no matter what she looked like. The following kisses were almost angry from all the pent-up emotions under the surface. Her nails grazed and burned over his shoulder blades, his sides, the inside of his thighs. They couldn't care for the pain at this point. It only meant they were alive and soon enough, the gestures of the past came back, soothing the aches, filling a few voids.

As he held her close, finally recognizing her, down to her core, Ignis felt any control he'd held over himself vanishing. Aria was back in his life, in his arms, everywhere around him. He'd lost her once and couldn't bear the idea of losing her again. He didn't know how she could find the strength to hold him back, to answer his touch, or even to let him speak her real name. Her eyes were locked on him, their bodies moving as one. Her voice undid him with sounds he'd forgotten, sounds that made every sensation stronger. And when she felt his tears on her neck, she broke down too.

Nothing was mended, it might be impossible to mend, but he was still the same man she'd known and loved. Her hands gently cupped his face, fingers messing his already tousled hair.

"It's really you." Aranea marveled.

His shoulders shook and he wished to never part again from her, no matter how crazy the thought was. Open, raw, real. She made him all of those things he denied himself, while he made her soft, far too soft for this world.

"If you keep crying like this…"

"I can't help myself. It's stupid, but I hadn't thought I could ever…"

 _Ever again._

It was hard to tell which one of them said which words. Not that it mattered. The feelings were shared so strongly, words were superfluous. Hearing each other voice was simply comforting at this point. When the tears stopped, love took over, Aranea taking charges and the charges switching side as the night wore on. She refused his excuses and promises, asking for more of his hands and lips instead. The only promise they made was to make sure that night wouldn't be their last one. They had given up enough in every other part of their lives.

…

"We're almost done with this level and construction has started on three floors. Our infirmary is a full-fledged hospital now. We only lack arms to hasten the work."

Noctis nodded, following Libertus through the metal halls of Free Crown. The underground refuge was starting to look like a real city. From the mining they'd started in countless veins, they'd collected enough goods to receive supplies from all over Lucis. The exchanges were supervised by Monica, secured by the hunters and the construction effort was moving along well. Although most people still lived in common dorms, habitation quarters were developed and the citizens were reacquainting themselves with all the basic comforts they'd be denied in the past months.

"What about the defences?"

"I'm glad you asked. Since Cid arrived, he's been pestering his nurse and Talcott to drag his wheelchair all over the place. And he has crazy plans to help us develop a proper defence system. We already had a few alarm fields, but he's tripled our detection capacity since he's gotten here. Automated cannons have been hidden in rocks all around the perimeter. Cor has been training some animals for us and we're thinking of keeping a pack of behemoths around. We've also gotten a bendersnatch a bit closer to us."

The prince was at a loss for words an instant. This type of preparation seemed over the top. What about the potential danger of housing such strong creature? Only the most patient, prudent hunters had gotten through Bendersnatches.

"Wait until you see how we've corrected the problem of missing the sun."

Light wells had been made in the ceiling, some natural, some fake but feeling like the real deal. There were genius technicians and architects at work and Libertus had found a way to get the best out of every person under his supervision. Noctis realized he didn't have to worry so much about Free Crown. The blunder with Dino had made everyone a lot warier of their current situation, and they were taking the cautious measures they should have taken from the very beginning. Now that they had dealt with the enemies hiding inside, they focused on any external threat.

"How stable will this structure be?" Noctis asked as he noticed a few pillars here and there.

"It's already pretty strong, but we're taking every precaution we can. This thing wouldn't fall if Titan walked over our head."

It wasn't long before Noctis asked to see the crystal Cor had brought for him. The thing was under many layers of protection and Libertus looked curious at the demand.

"I thought you wanted it kept away from you?"

"So you and Cor do talk every now and then… I need to verify something."

Noctis asked to be left alone with the crystal's fragment, glaring at his dark shards. The room was small, well lit, the crystal of Lucis kept inside a metal chest. The thing was supposedly dormant, but Noctis hoped to get some answers from it either way.

The first contact with the crystal didn't give him visions, but a strange feeling instead. It took a few minutes of intense concentration to get an answer.

 _ **Something has changed. The gods have more than one chosen. Or is it that you brush off on the people around you?**_

"What does this even mean?" Noctis asked.

 _ **We'd like to know.**_ The crystal's otherworldly voice answered. _**But it seems your resolve was damaged.**_

"Stop talking in riddle and answer me straight here. I don't want anyone else to pay a price for my task."

Powers shared means a shared toll. What they decided for the Oracle is right. Not definitive, but quite right.

"I already know all that."

 _ **Then what do you need to know?**_

"What will happen when I take you back to the full crystal?"

 _ **Well… I've been apart from myself a long, long time, chosen prince. You have yet to become a king in both name and station for my whole self to accept you. There might be another toll. More years. Maybe will you become dormant within us? I'd rather not. Your memories are far too sweet for our minds.**_

"So you can't tell me what to expect?"

 _ **Except pain. You've only passed a handful of tests and my reunion should be the harshest to come. But be sure to check every box on the list first. Royal arms to prove your strength. Astrals to prove your mental capabilities. The friends and lovers by your side as testament of your heart.**_

"So they must be by my side? Luna too?"

 _ **Being is a notion that we don't see equally, you and I. But her light brings you balance. And balance is the key. At least, that's what my old self would have said.**_

Noctis dropped the crystal back into its metal chest, daring to hope once more. With that thing on his side, there was no way he could fail now.

…

"Healing people takes a slight toll, but it's really brief. Usually, I get dizzy, my head aches. When the wounds are really serious, I cough up blood, at least during the first few months, but there was never any serious damage to myself."

Luna had told Iris so in the morning, to which Iris had felt an impending sense of dread. Ravus' operation was a nasty ordeal that neither girl really wanted to go through, but Cindy has managed to finish the prosthetic at some point during the night and the prince was adamant on getting back to full functionality.

Prompto and Cindy both looked different, somehow too relaxed despite what had happened lately and everyone had a good suspicion as to why they sported similar grease stains on their clothes. It seemed wise enough to pretend as though nothing was different than usual. The surgery was attempted and completed in two short hours. Ravus wouldn't be permitted to try on his new arm before some time, since the healing was proving a bit harder this time around for the brunette. Luna had had the nerves to cut and sew up her own brother, gently directing Iris' efforts at healing the wounds. It was just more serious than some bruises and measly cuts.

"This is the weirdest operation A've ever seen," Cindy declared quite seriously as Iris closed the fresh-cut over the new piece of metal that would serve to attach his prosthetic.

"It better be the last time I see that stump bleeding like this." Iris commented darkly.

Ravus remained silent, not looking as the girls worked on him. He was paler than the white walls and looked about to be sick whenever Luna asked him to move or relax. Pryna was outside with Prompto and it was hard to tell which one started yapping or exclaiming louder as the Regalia finally came in sight on the road.

…

Noctis was eager to corner Lunafreya in his arms and barely let her shower from the operation before to pull her to the side.

"Missed me?" came his first question.

"As a matter of fact, I did. I think I'm getting addicted to have you around me," she answered, her arms linking around his neck.

"Since I can't have that rematch with your brother yet, I was wondering if you'd mind making a small trip with me."

Luna frowned in disapproval of the comment, noticing how he smiled and didn't linger on the subject of her brother. Noctis looked happier than she'd seen him in a long time.

"What sort of trip?"

"I'd always said I'd take you fishing when you'd visit Lucis. And as crazy as it sounds, I'd like to do that during the next few days. Maybe enjoy the beach too."

His hands moved down to her hips and she took a few steps back, until her back was against the shaded wall. She instinctively cooled the air around them, tugging on his shirt to bring him closer to her.

"It's the middle of the day, but the way you're looking at me… I want to do wicked things."

As calm as she looked, Luna had been stressed out by the surgery and the new powers Iris had suddenly gotten. Not to mention how Noctis had gone and been beaten up. She was grateful that all the bruises and cuts were gone. It meant she could hold onto him as fiercely as she wanted. Her fiancé smiled twice as much, soon kissing her as though he was stealing the very air she breathed. Pressing into her, he felt her legs wrapping around his waist, while her fingers slipped beneath the hem of his shirt.

"How wicked?"

She looked around them, confirming that no one could see them, gripping her legs tighter around him.

"Just enough?"

…

Later that day, Iris performed another healing session on the former army commander, not needing Luna's tutelage anymore. It wasn't the sort of training she'd wish for, but healing countless cuts and raw skin to fuse it with metal parts was the best practice she could have to tune up her new powers. They took a stroll around Hammerhead, Ravus needing fresh air after the operation, while Iris was simply happy to chat the afternoon away with him. Prompto had taken Cindy out for some training, and surely more make-out sessions, but neither wanted to think of it. Iris was careful of walking three good steps apart from the man, wondering how she ever managed to help him stand up. The guy was two heads taller than her. She wondered if she could help Gladio walk if she put all her strength to it.

"Pryna seems a lot more sociable than Umbra…" Iris observed.

The white dog was sleeping under the sun, lying on her back in utter abandon, a content expression on her muzzle.

"I don't really know where Umbra is at the moment. But I'm ready to bet he's sleeping too. Those dogs were always mirrors of each other."

"Do they annoy you?"

"Well, maybe a bit. If Pryna's Luna messenger dog and Umbra belongs to Noctis, I don't really get my role. Mera was in our family, but the Lucis' line still gather more attention… And here I am complaining about it."

"You're entitled to. Your shoulder must still hurt."

"It smarts a bit, but I've been through worse. I just wish the sun wasn't as harsh. How do you even live in this heat?"

Iris laughed at that, seeing as he was removing sweat from his brow for the nth time since they'd walked out.

"Insomnia wasn't as hot as Cleigne. We're closer to the sea, so we have more tempered weather. I hope you're not running a fever or something?"

"No, I'd know. I'm just more tired than usual. I ran through this stupid heat with my full uniform on."

She tried to change his mind by asking what his training had been, back when he was simply growing to become Tenebrae's prince. He seemed lost in thought for an instant, seriously pondering her question:

"History. History was first on the list. And a _shitload_ of myths. My mother hated that I called it myth. There were dance lessons, of course. First aid, science…"

"Etiquette?" Iris asked.

She remembered how Noctis hated those classes, while she had to put up with them in silence under Jared's supervision.

"It goes without saying. But all in all, I focused on science and history until I could hold a blade."

They took a turn by the RV, walking a bit outside of Hammerhead's perimeter. Ravus wanted to find some shades and Iris could agree that the ambient air was a bit too humid for comfort.

"Any other fighting style than swordsmanship?"

"I tried myself at most weapons, I had to train recruits at one point. But I prefer swords over the rest. Who trained you?"

"My father and my brother. One hunter gave me some tricks about how to use my bo staff, but…"

A throaty whine interrupted Iris, instantly making Ravus wary of potential danger. The sight they walked on was not threatening, except maybe to their mind. Noctis and Luna were tangled together, clothes undone here and there, the raven prince kissing his Oracle senseless. Luna's hair was a mess of tangles and her eyes were closed shut as Noctis followed the line of her throat, down to one clavicle, giving her a playful bite that had her moan and gasp at the same time.

Iris felt a strange emptiness in the pit of her stomach instead of the jealousy she'd excepted in these circumstances. Her first reaction was to check on Ravus, who seemed between shock and rage. She gripped his arm and pulled him backward, knowing full well that both Luna and Noctis owed some quality time. Although she'd rather not see it again.

The older Fleuret was dragged back and forced to follow unless he wanted to collapse in a pathetic heap and get the couple's attention. As soon as they were out of sight, Iris stopped and turned around.

"I think we should get inside and forget…"

"I'm going to kill him," the older man declared coldly.

Iris didn't doubt his determination to do so. In fact, she feared it.

"She loves him, Ravus, you can't…"

"My sister owes more respect than that. Or at least decency."

"Luna is old enough to know what she wants, isn't she? And I can tell you that Noctis loves her too."

"I think I'm going to be sick," he groaned, looking a bit green.

Iris rolled her eyes and dragged him inside Takka's restaurant. The cool air and a few minutes sitting down seemed to help his spirits, although he covered his eyes when he spotted Luna and Noctis in the parking lot. They were merely holding hands and talking about their little trip to Galdyn Quay, but Ravus was too shocked by the previous scene.

"You're reacting like a child!" Iris teased him.

"Knowing my sister is sexually active and seeing her kissing a guy I can't stand are two very different things! How am I supposed to unsee this?!"

The brunette blushed and was glad for the fact Ravus focused his eyes on his own hands. She didn't want him to know an expression like _sexually active_ made her feel uncomfortable.

"How about giving it time? She's happy."

His agitation seemed to die down at that observation and his shoulders sagged a few inches too low. He winced from the fresh pain in his stump and leaned back in his seat.

"I've… never seen her happy. Not like that. Giddy they call it?" he almost sounded defeated and Iris couldn't believe this was the same guy as before. The one who kept pushing her away on the phone with jerk comments.

"With all the crap she's had to deal with, don't you think…?"

"If anyone deserves peace and happiness, it's my sister. I just can't stand it…"

It made no sense and while Iris wanted to get his point, Ravus seemed to think he'd opened up enough for one day, getting up and stalking off. The girl was right on his heels, tugging on his shirt when he started walking faster.

"What's wrong with you? Why can't you just appreciate the fact that right now, Luna is pretty much the happiest woman alive?"

Iris expected the answer to take time, but with a violent shrug of the shoulder and an angry glance at her, Ravus spelled things out:

"Because he'll hurt her. Over, and over again. And she'll defend him, heck, she's ready to give up her life for the freaking guy."

"What did Noctis ever do to you? He only wants to help as many persons as he can."

"Lots of good his help has done my family."

The thought both men could fight each other again scared Iris. When Ravus held this much hate for Noctis? With this new arm Cindy was tinkering with? She couldn't let the man she'd once loved being talked down like this. It was her prince, her friend.

"Why do you always think you know everything? Noct is a good man. He makes mistakes here and there, but he always gives it his all."

"I don't care what he does. He's following the Astrals' rules, like every bastard from…"

Something in Iris snapped as she saw shadows of the old Ravus in the man standing before her. The Ravus who'd hurt her. The Ravus who'd hurt Noctis and pretended he didn't care an instant for the Lucians he'd killed or infected with the blight.

"Shut up! You have no right to talk of Noctis like that!"

"Why not? Your almighty prince is too good for this world?"

"Because I'd never like a bad guy! And I used to like him… A great deal. If it wasn't for your sister, I might still…"

His anger seemed to grow only stronger at her words. More wood on the stake of the ugly jealousy in his heart. He would never admit to jealousy, not for this, something so trivial, something he'd never permitted himself before.

"Of course, _you_ did. Dark, rich, handsome-ish, has PTSD nightmares and the best half-crown of Eos. With that baby face too. Maybe you should just stay away from me. Clear up your head and remember I wear white, not black."

This time, when he turned his back on her, Iris stayed rooted to her spot, the harsh, warm air of Cleigne hurting her eyes. Why should she care what the Fleuret man said or thought? He was clearly lunatic half of the time. A few hours ago, they'd declared themselves friends. And although she wanted to resent herself for even proposing it, more than anger, Iris felt a dull ache. That guy was unbelievable. With a few steps back, she might have remembered the fact Ravus had just been through a rough, traumatic surgery and was most certainly not himself. At the moment, she could only care about his harsh words for Noctis. Noctis who'd been there way before Insomnia's fall.

 _He doesn't need a friend enough yet…_ she thought bitterly.

It was only a couple of hours later that Cindy noticed the prosthetic arm was missing, and so were Ravus and Pryna. Noctis offered to chase after Luna's brother, but his tracks were clearly headed for Insomnia, the city still under heavy imperial watch. After a dozen texts and calls made through Iris' phone -the girl wasn't angry enough to deny the Oracle a chance to know what her crazy sibling was doing- the team received a single, harsh answer:

 _Collecting payment for the arm. Stop acting as though I'm a part of your little team._

"What the hell is wrong with him?" Noctis groaned while Luna's shoulders sagged.

"I've been careless." Cindy sighed.

"Don't blame yourself. The guy seemed keen on staying around this morning."

"I've shared his number with Noct, so you can check on him later on. The guy is too hard-headed to reason with." Iris observed.

She looked like someone who needed a distraction and despite it feeling unreasonable in the circumstances, Noctis suggested taking them all to Galdyn Quay for some time off the garage and Ravus' antics. The whole group accepted and participated in his fishing trip, although Prompto soon went his own way to snatch a handful of pictures, some suggested by Iris, most ordered by Cindy. The two girls agreed on raiding the few shops around the resort, thus giving some intimacy to the royal pair.

Late in the night, Luna sat in Noctis' lap by the deck, their line cast out for potential fish, their breathing slow and steady. She liked the feel of his arms around her, of his body sheltering her.

"I know we should get back to our room, but I just want to stay like this. The marine air smells so good."

"You smell good." He retorted, nibbling at one ear.

"Hey, you'll scare the fishes."

"Just one kiss, Luna."

She laughed at his whiny tone, liking how natural the situation felt. After all those years apart, after all the heartache and the fears and the awkwardness, they were finally here, easygoing, giving themselves time to simply enjoy each other's presence.

The kiss lingered, the moonlight casting their shadows all the way to the sand. A flash parted them for an instant, looking up at Prompto who had a wide smile plastered on his face.

"Gladio said I couldn't get a pic of you two being lovey-dovey. He owes me 1000 gils!"

"Hey!" Noctis started, only to see his friend raising his hands in self-defence.

"You wanted pictures of your princess. And this was too idyllic for my camera to stay quiet."

"We need a copy for our notebook." Luna declared, sounding genuinely excited at the prospect.

Noctis felt himself smile and any shy thought vanished from him. That kiss had been sweet and would make for a good memory.

"You got your pic, don't turn into a paparazzi." He warned.

"Don't you worry man!"

…

 _I've been stupid. And a jerk. And this might be the worst sort of apology I've made. But if you haven't turned off your phone yet, you'll see what I've done._

The picture was a tombstone, on which the name Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII had been engraved. The earth was freshly turned on it and the queen finally laid next to her husband.

 _I'm not friend material. Sometimes, I wonder if I'm human material. Writing is a lot easier than talking. And I'm still too impulsive when I write. But let's get to the point… My life has changed since we've started arguing through these texts. I might not change myself… I'm a selfish bastard and working towards my goal is the only thing keeping me sane. I think I'm going to need a new goal soon. Except when it comes to refrain from insulting Noctis in front of you. That's going to take a lot of self-discipline. I had time to think as I dug a hole in the ground and hid from the Nifs._

 _For now, I've come to the conclusion I must make amends. I've managed to make you laugh before. So if I'm ever able to put a smile on your face again… I'll make sure it stays there._

"Iris? Everything alright?" Noctis asked her as they sat together over breakfast.

The girl blushed at the knowledge he'd noticed her unease while she read on her phone, but she smiled, blinking to chase away the light mist in her eyes.

"I've got news. Ravus went back to Insomnia. He finished what he'd started…"

Noctis tensed slightly, while Luna looked Iris in the eyes, brows furrowed. Did that mean…?

"He buried your father, Noct." The girl went on, her voice low, but her heart sure the man needed to know.

The prince blinked, his voice gone as the news hit him. Prompto seemed ready to blurt out something and Luna grabbed Noctis' hand, squeezing his palm in encouragement.

Regis was finally resting in peace. Noctis felt some of his left-over fears washing away. Tears refused to come and his voice broke as he sighed:

"If the guy thinks I'm going to go easy on him when he gets back for our fight!"

Lunafreya almost laughed at it, and did fully when Cindy indignantly observed:

"What about the money he owes me?! Didn't he say anything about that?!"

To be continued…

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I swear Ravus won't hijack the story in the next few chapters. He's just as much a part of the fic as everyone else. We will have a few flashbacks between Gladiolus and Crowe through the action, because I get the feeling I had a really good occasion with these three days break for more fluff. Ignea angst is coming. I'm going to have different characters working together than usual for this mission too. Prompto might get some spotlight, but Luna should receive some back story about her life under the empire's rule.

As always, know that your reviews help me stay motivated. I think we'll near Altissia in about 15 chapters or so. This is a rough estimate, because the team will be faced with a lot more action, and hence other breaks in the near future. Also, the bad guys will definitely be back with news. Now, I must get some sleep.


	44. A trip in the sky - Part II

Here is chapter 44, as we're past the 550 reviews. Guys, I can't believe we've gotten this far! The arc named _A trip in the sky_ should last one or two more chapters. Depends on how much I manage to squeeze in each of them. We have some Crowdio fluff, because I needed it, and I hope you'll like it, also the Quezacoatlz fortress makes a major appearance, with hints of Luna's past and a little surprise in the end. Good or bad, I can't really tell yet. Enjoy!

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Unexpected

Chapter 44 – A trip in the sky – Part II

"So now, to prepare for our final approach," Ignis reminded them.

"We'll be cutting off their communications with the outside world and their radar in a matter of minutes. They will be blind for over 140 minutes, which means we have to strike quickly." Crowe pointed out.

Aranea picked up their holographic models of the Quezacoaltz fortress, zooming in on the large carrier. It was a flying platform running on three floors. The centre one comprised of higher command, the lower floor was the main engine and the dropship factory, while the upper floor held the hangars to repair, accommodate and refuel the ships. All in all, the fortress was as large as the Citadel and as soon as they'd set foot on it, they would have to run for miles and miles to get to any strategic spots.

"The Amicitias will take care of the west engines, while Iggy and I deal with the east engines. Emergency motors will slow the descent and prevent a full-on crash, but things will get pretty hectic. We need to stay in contact and time our sabotage carefully." The dragoon went over the first stage of the plan.

"Prompto and I will infiltrate the command floor and take out any MTs resistance." Noctis stated.

"While Crowe and I will take out the top hangar. We've worked on a cocktail of magic that should do enough damage without causing too much turbulence."

"I still think we're stretching our resources a bit thin," Gladiolus observed.

His eyes lingered on Crowe despite himself. They'd gotten a lot closer during their little trip, no matter how much he tried denying it when his friends questioned him as they met up in Lestallum a few hours earlier. Aranea's ship was currently on autopilot, aiming for the flying fortress.

"I'll summon Titan and Shiva. With Crowe's wind, I doubt anyone will be able to reach us." The princess declared, her determination stronger than ever.

Noctis had had a long talk with his fiancée, unsure of this part of the plan. Lunafreya was almost fine with killing daemons, he'd seen so in a few hunts with Prompto, Cindy and Iris. The mechanic had practiced her aim under the close supervision of their gunman, proving to be quite the sharp shooter. They'd unwind afterwards, drinking either beers or iced sodas and Iris fell to a blissful sleep in her room while both couples went on their separate ways. Prompto had needed the full ride back to Lestallum to rest up from all the love-making with his goddess of the gear. Noctis felt a bit worn out as he remained behind the wheel for the whole 7 hours of drive between Hammerhead and the last real city of Lucis, but it was a good sort of fatigue.

His blue eyes were glued to Luna as she spoke and she gave him a soft smile in exchange, mouthing the words _"We'll be okay."_ He had to trust her since she trusted him to get back on the field.

There had been no new sign from Ravus, but the man had surely taken a few hunts of his own to pay his due to Cindy. They'd parted from her with a few laughs and now they were preparing for the largest operation since they'd all joined forces. It seemed crazy not to have brought her out with them, but although she held her own against daemons, Cid's granddaughter was still much more of a civilian and Noctis didn't want to risk her life.

Cor was too busy with fortifying Free Crown and spying on Insomnia to join this fight. The guys had donned their Crownsguard uniforms -except for the pompous overcoats-, recently secured by Monica herself. She was still working on getting uniform fitted for the ladies on the team. Aranea wore her armour while Iris, Crowe and Luna had dark clothes that offered little protection, but freedom of movement aplenty.

"Our com lines might not hold when we go on different floors. The altitude is already screwing with the signal. So be sure to sneak in. Luna and Crowe are handling the bigger commotion. As soon as you're done with the engines, regroup with them." Noctis ordered.

"We're landing in ten minutes. That covert flight mode Cindy developed better work." Aranea commented.

Otherwise, sneaking in would prove simply impossible.

…

 _Gladiolus dropped his coat to the camp ground, thankful for the shades he could sit in after the last four hours of intensive training they'd put themselves through._ Crowe's hands leaned on his shoulders and he felt her weight on him for an instant. He almost wanted to fold under her touch and bring her down in his lap, to kiss the sweat off her brow and whisper nonsense in her ears. In their last two days of camping, the budding couple had messed around, exchanging kisses and caresses at every of their break, although their clothes stayed on. This was a training trip, not a honeymoon and they were both trying to get better acquainted with their partner.

Born around July, the date wasn't precise since she was a paperless orphan, she liked warm colours and to challenge herself. She'd taken on a flock of Cockatrices on her own, proving victorious thanks to her magic, despite a bite to the ankle. He'd dressed the wound and joked about how she kept getting hurt to prevent any sort of real intimacy between them, to which she'd retorted with kisses that left him weak in the knees. There was such a fire under her skin, Gladiolus wondered if he wouldn't get burned. He felt like he already had been and bent his neck back to look into her brown eyes as her fingers followed the tattooed feathers on his shoulder blades. The calluses on her palms made him shiver, but he refrained from any sudden move. His arms ached from swinging his blade too many times.

"How long did it take?" she asked him, kneeling behind him.

Her hands slipped over the tattoo, fingertips to soft, nails grazing in places. He looked down to his feet, rolling his shoulders to ease the worse of the sore. Her hands never left him and there was a knot in his throat as her inspection turned into a massage.

"Over 12 hours. My father looked like he wanted to skin me alive when I showed it to Iris."

"You sound like such a rascal."

"I was a straight arrow if there ever was one, though I might not look it. What about you?"

"Quite the tomboy. I would drive Libertus crazy. The guy picked me up from the street and said he never regretted it, but I'm sure his mother did."

Her voice seemed sad and he turned to her side, pulling on her hands to have her kneeling on his lap. Sometimes she followed the tugs, sometimes she fought back in the playful way that would make them both relax. The fight was more of tumble and toss and when it stopped they were lying side by side on the warming stone, one of his arms around her waist, their breathing mingling as Crowe relented from resisting, smiling into his eyes.

"I'm too hot." She breathed out, cheeks flushing.

It could have sounded lame and Gladio wanted to point out she didn't need excuses if she was uncomfortable, but instead, he swallowed and suggested taking off a layer of clothes.

"In the middle of the day?"

"You didn't seem to mind back in that infirmary…"

"Okay, but I get a story about you then."

"A story?"

"I want to hear about your first crush."

In his books, no woman wanted to know who or how many ladies had preceded her in the arms of their current boyfriend. But Crowe was already working on taking off her top, which clung in places, drenched in sweat. Her sport bra was just as wet and she didn't waste a minute, raising his chin so that his eyes would come back to her face as his right hand followed her ribs and the line of her spine in turns.

"It can be the second crush if you feel the first one is too tame."

How could she make him blush this easily?

"If I talk, you need to give me a story of your own."

"I'll think about it." She retorted, lying on her side, raising herself on one elbow.

He wanted nothing more than to pull her into an embrace, but this was some sort of test. To see if he cared enough to keep talking although he could see more skin than usual. And they were both uncomfortably warm at the moment. He lied on his back, collecting his thoughts.

"She was a maid in the Citadel. Red hair, lots of freckles, a bit too round according to my father. We went out for about a year and a half."

"How old were you?" Crowe asked him.

"15 when it ended. We had little time to spend together, except from stolen glances when she was in attendance of the prince while I guarded him. Her family had been serving the Lucis line for generations, I think she was a small cousin of Cor. She snuck out food from the kitchen that she'd give out to street kids on her days off. I tried to stop her, but she insisted on it."

"Did something happen to her?"

With a self-derision smile, Gladiolus shook his head, turning on his side to stare into her eyes once more.

"Something happened to me first. Noctis got attacked and I barely managed to defend him. I broke one leg and when Lisbel came to see me in the hospital, she was angry with me for making her worry. I don't know why neither of us saw it coming. The prince growing up meant my job _would_ get more dangerous. She said I put too much at stake for the prince. You can bet what followed. I got mad and we started throwing harsh words at each other. Being Noctis' shield isn't something I can quit. It took me some time to realize my father had warned her of the future I might share with her."

"He interfered?"

"More like scared her away. And then scolded me for being unfocused. This is starting to sound like a really lame story…" he sighed.

"Isn't it the root of your fear of commitment?"

"Ha! How perspicacious!"

"There's something else to this story, isn't it?" Crowe insisted.

Rolling his eyes, Gladio sit up, surprised to feel most of the anger and helplessness he felt back in those days coming back to the surface.

"Lisbel got engaged to a city guard. I haven't seen her since she got married. What more could there be to this story?"

"What did your father warn her about?"

His face darkened and Crowe shivered despite the heat surrounding them.

"That she'd always be second place to my duty and my king. Like my mother was to him. Like… you could be to me…"

Crowe sat up and crossed her legs together, looking very calm, almost understanding. She understood duty more than anyone else. She'd almost died trying to carry her last mission. And she never changed sides.

"Is it the reason why you'd rather… keep us a secret from the other?"

"Not really. Lisbel was my most serious relationship and I was still a mere kid back then… You make things easy for us, but I don't want to simply fool around with you, Crowe. I swore an oath and I almost…" The words eluded him.

She blinked once, clearly taken aback by the genuine look in his eyes. He was staring again, enveloping her with his gaze and for an instant, it was as though every layer were gone under the intensity of his stare. She wanted to hide in his arms, to feel his muscles tensing against her, to know what fooling around was in his opinion. And she also wanted to know what he was leaving to her guess. But for once, the words seemed stuck in her throat. She'd grown more than attached. And it was to a man ready to lay out his life for his country. Why did she have a type? Why was it the protector and hero type that could steal her heart and scorch it with a single smile?

"Don't leave me hanging like that." He asked, trying to sound playful.

"Sorry… I owe you a story, now, right?"

The change in subject wasn't subtle and Gladiolus wondered why for an instant. The brunette jumped to her feet and walked around him, her hands pushing down on his shoulders as soon as he made a move to stand.

"I want us to be serious, Gladio. I want there to be an us in years to come, but there are things you must know about me first. If you try to hold me through any of this, I don't think I can reach the end without breaking down."

He tensed at the notion, worry and anger welling up inside. Of course, she'd been hurt in the past, and he wouldn't have been able to do anything to help her then. That didn't mean he liked the idea of her being sad. He had been raised to care and protect. It was in his blood, in his character, in every part of his being. As soon as the muscles hardened, her fingers trailed down his neck, trying to ease the worst of the tension.

"Just listen to me," she pleaded with him.

She sat with her back flush against his. He reached one hand behind, their fingers intertwining as she started her own story:

"I grew up in a run-down town of Galhad. We had little food and no hospital, but each family had its home. Daemons came far too close to the borders when it wasn't MTs and the hunter barely held them back. I trained to join the militia with Nyx and Libertus as soon as I was old enough. There weren't many girls among the ranks."

She didn't have to paint him a picture. Military life wasn't easy and women were often victims of twice as much harassment as the men.

"I don't mean to push you around, but I'm starting to imagine what you could have to tell me next," the worry rang in his voice.

Crowe leaned her head back against his spine.

"I felt… out of place as I grew up. I didn't want to care, but I had a lot of questions. Where did my parents go? Were they dead? Was I only a burden to them? If so, I most certainly was to everyone around me. I wanted somewhere to belong and met a guy... Turned out he was a dick, caring more about the number of conquests he gathered than the colour of my eyes. He upped and left right after sex and I felt a little more inadequate. Took me a while to realize I wasn't the one with the problem in that case, as inexperienced as I'd been." Her voice didn't crack, she didn't even give time for Gladio to express disgust for the guy, going on with her confiding:

"I tried to lose myself in the training. To dull my senses if an officer tried something. It was rare, but it happened, either in small gestures or words. It stopped when I fell under Drautos' command. It wasn't long afterwards that Galhad collapsed from the inside. Before I even knew it, we were fighting for Lucis and using magic from the pact with the crystal. Most of the guys among the Glaives tried a pass at me. I was convenient and reminded them of home… I needed the comfort too, but it was a lot of empty nights. If we cared too much, it would mean losing another chip in our armour."

She paused and for a few seconds, her fingers laid dully in his palm. As though the fire was gone from her heart. And as he tried to remember her back in those days, all he could see was the dauntless black mage, untamed, refusing to go down even when it was only training.

"We were fighting someone's else losing battle. And I was starting to think I'd always been fighting someone's else battle. At least, my battle cloak was somewhere I belonged. I had Libertus, and Nyx. Lucche and…"

This time her voice broke down and for the nth time, Gladiolus wished she'd be whispering her story against his chest instead of on the other side of his back. He wanted nothing more but to hold her close.

"They tried to shoot me down my bike. Chased after me in the fields, the woods. Even after our magic died down. One of them had been a former lover, someone I believed a friend at the very least. And if they wanted me dead, who could I still trust? Was Libertus a traitor too, like they claimed as I tried to talk sense into them?"

"Crowe…"

"You saw me, covered in dirt, blood and… Hell, this had to be the worst first impression I ever made! ," she tried to laugh. "I was like a wild animal by then. Hurting and hiding, whimpering, losing my mind. When I heard your voice booming right next to me, I shuddered in fear. I tried to claw at the ground, to crawl away, but I was too weak. In my mind, I could hear the threats from the men I used to call brothers."

He tugged on her arm, as gently as she could and she shook as she went back to that moment. Her breathing had picked up and getting a clearer idea of the weeks of horror she spent out in the wilds only made him wish they'd gotten to Lestallum faster.

"As you held me, it was as though I could suddenly belong. Your pain was the same as mine. I was safe and you kept me safe."

A sob escaped her and he refused to stand by anymore, turning around and pulling her into his arms, refusing any protest on her part. She belonged next to him. Right where she could stay safe. Where the void in his soul vanished, as though finally completed. Gladio's heart thundered in his chest as he remembered how he'd wished to save her back on that day.

"I don't want to be this mess anymore!"

"Why are you a mess? You can face nightfall again. You can beat me at almost everything."

"Sometimes I fear I might mess this up and lose all I have again. I don't want to be convenient. I don't want to be a last resort. But if that's what you want from me…"

She sounded almost desperate and it hurt as much as the sobs that ran through her, while only a few tears rolled down her face.

"Whoa, whoa there! I get the trust issues, it's entirely normal with what you've been through. And I get that hearing you might come second because of Noctis is not…"

She laughed at that, understanding he might have as many insecurities as she did. The trembling in her frame receded as she sniffled and scooted backwards, self-consciously wiping her eyes.

"I'm really not good at opening up," Crowe sighed.

"I hope you're kidding now. I have like a dozen more confidences to do if we're going to make this fair."

He traced the tears' streaks on her cheeks, amazed at the butterflies in his stomach when she held his hand to her face, kissing his calloused palm. She was slowly perking up and her voice sounded a lot firmer as she took up his offer:

"You want this to be fair? Answer my next two questions. Do you like me?"

He was surprised to feel her fingers fluttering above his heart. She had to sense how quickly it was beating.

"I love you, Crowe. Not in tears, mind you, but if you can still smile with me after…"

"How long can I make it last?" she cut him off.

That one was harder, but Gladiolus didn't stagger. She'd been betrayed too many times. She'd warned him to tread carefully with her heart. And he knew how vulnerable she made him. Heck, he'd cried on her shoulder the first day they'd met.

"Long enough you won't have to ask the question again?"

A genuine smile, although small.

"I want to be serious about us. And so do you. There will be no running, no backstabbing. We'll keep each other safe."

"You shield me and I shield you?" she offered.

He kissed her in answer, her lips salty from the tears. His throat felt too tight and as the embrace deepened, he didn't need to wonder why her hands felt so good. She'd been lost so early in her life. Purposeless when he had too many purposes he didn't get to choose. When Crowe was given the choice, she protected her fellow citizens and friends. It was her instinct, to sustain pain in the place of others. Just like him. Being together was risking each other and although it was worth it, it didn't take away the fear. Who could you protect when you gave yourself up?

She pushed him back down, soon straddling his lap, kissing him back slowly, taking her time, hands blazing trails of goosebumps and shiver over his chest. She soon leaned more weight on one side than another, her hip still sore.

"Why are you so damn big?" she laughed as his fingers tried to untie the knots in her muscles.

"Where?" came his cocky retort.

Men and their stupid pride. Crowe pretended to ponder his question.

"From what I can tell at the moment, everywhere."

The kiss was even more heated than its predecessors. The sun had moved in the sky and their shadows were getting longer, melting together. Balancing his weight on one arm, he moved her hips closer, both of their gasps sounding too loud on the silent breeze. It had been way too long since either of them had been allowed any sort of release.

"I'd rather do this in a bed." She told him when he tugged down her shorts.

"I'm the one lying on the rocks."

"Aren't we sweaty enough as it is?"

"Crowe, if you want us to wait, say so but don't…gods, don't move like that."

"But I like that look on your face," Crowe whispered.

She totally knew what she was doing. Something stirred deep inside him as he realized how much control he'd given up. How little he cared about being in control, or out in the open. He'd been brazened before, but this was different. The need was almost painful and Gladiolus rolled them around, like he'd done on the beach, slipping his arms under her frame, cushioning her head with one hand as he toyed with her bra. The torture had to be fair if the confidences were. And he loved the feel of her arms around his head as he trailed kisses down her neck, tracing a path to her navel with a dozen detours. Her first whimper nearly broke him. There was a hint of pain in her voice, but she refused to let him move away. Every sensation seemed heightened by the feelings involved.

When the rain started, they stayed locked together, one leg tentatively wrapping around his him, the man groaning as she tightened her hold on him. The rain was cool on their feverish skin. It quickly turned into a downpour, saturating their hair. But Crowe didn't seem to care for the rain, tugging on his hair for one more kiss. And another kiss, her nails in his back, down his sides, fingers slipping further south. The thunder roared above their head and they agreed to crawl back into the tent for a minimum of protection.

 _They might not be able to go all the way during this little camping trip, but it didn't mean they couldn't enjoy some sort of pleasure._

…

The flying fortress was a metal beast, its shadow covering the sea north of Lucis. Usually, a constant stream of ships would fly up to it, but since they'd cut off their communications, the ship couldn't locate the Quezacoatlz anymore. The cloaking device developed by Cid worked perfectly, disrupting the imperial's radars. They docked to the third floor, quickly separating to get after their respective objective after testing their com links. It was clearly hard for Gladiolus and Ignis to let Noctis out of their sight, but the prince had insisted on running this mission with Prompto. When it came to sneaking, the gunman was just as good as Iggy.

Luna and Crowe went up the emergency ladders, the brunette going first. There wasn't any MT patrolling, since it barely made sense to keep watch this far up in the air, but they were still met with some resistance. Aranea had almost argued she should have joined them, since she was good at wreaking havoc, but Crowe insisted she'd be enough to protect Lunafreya. After all, it was the mission she'd never gotten to fulfill in the past.

As Oracle, destroying and killing was almost blasphemous. But as a human being, pushed around and forced to see far too much suffering caused by the very ships and soldiers they met, Luna was fighting more against her own beliefs than any MTs rushing to her. She used more magic than her trident, tripping her enemies before to let Shiva work her magic. The top structure of the fortress was open air hangars with a few barracks for stocking. Fences served to ease most of the wind hurling around them at this altitude and made it a lot easier for the ladies to push forward. The MTs couldn't face them more than two at a time and were discarded one by one, either stabbed or frozen to the floor.

It was a maze-like series of fences though and Crowe soon suggested taking a more direct route to the larger hangar in site. Fire burst from her hands, and Luna added some of her light magic to it, as fuel. The metal fences bent down and melted, letting them through.

"You really think you can summon Titan up here?"

"We'll…"

"What in tarnation?! It's only two women!" a high-perched voice cut her off.

"Sir, we can…"

"And it's Lady Lunafreya too? Bearing claws after all these years spent as a good girl?"

Luna froze as she recognized the snarky voice. If Ardyn had looked after her too closely when she was a teenager, there had been a man to remind her of her place in Tenebrae. Back when she was a mere child.

Caligo Ulldor, the emperor's left hand, one of the only noble of Nifelheim to reside in Tenebrae to keep an eye on her studies. That eye involved a vicious hand, sometimes even two. He'd made her kneel and bleed, chipping away at her fate with his constant reminders. She was no princess. No savior.

" _There's no light strong enough to shield you from the empire, little flower. And I'll have to punish you as long as you nurture that arrogance."_

Her heart stammered as she felt his gaze on her. Noctis had erased most of the memories, she'd felt free and clean again in his arms… A single look in his eyes was enough to awake her darkest fears.

"Luna." Crowe started, one dagger raised, fire burning in her other hand.

"Keep the Galhadan out of this." Ulldor ordered.

He wore an armour that fitted more for a parade than a battlefield as he walked up to them, his sword unsheathed. Sunken eyes and falling cheeks, age claiming him. There was something dark in his eyes, as dark as the first night she'd tried to run and he'd come after her. He'd beaten her for running, finding new ways to hurt her whenever Gentiana was away. Luna remembered the feel of his hands and the awful words he'd whisper in her ears. He'd stood so close at times, she'd felt his warmth and hated him for even exuding some. She'd tried not to hate people. She'd desperately tried and might have managed if it hadn't been for him. He was full of himself even now, ready to spit out more hateful words, to manipulate her into submission.

"We'd been hoping to get you back, my lady."

 _Don't call me that. Don't call me yours._

She couldn't speak. The trident in her hand felt almost too heavy. Behind him, a MA-X Prima stood, guns pointed at Crowe. Too far to reach even with her fire magic.

"Drop the weapons, Galhadan bitch. And you remember your place, little flower." Ulldor added for her.

Those two words had meant pain and humiliation when she was a 12-year-old girl, but Luna unfroze as she felt Shiva's anger raging with hers. There was no reason to let this man hold any power over her. Her mind considered their surroundings, her usual prayers vanishing. First the Prima needed to be taken care of. Her free hand turned into a fist, nails digging into her palm. Caligo seemed to sense the change in the air and ordered his soldiers to shoot.

The light was faster than the bullets, a giant materializing on the back of the airship, crystal protruding from one eye, voice booming so strongly, it turned the wind around. The bullets merely touched Titan as the large vessel started to lean to the side. Luna couldn't keep him here for too long, but she still asked for his help. Titan swatted at the MTs and Prima, throwing all of them off Quezacoatlz, crushing four hangars and ripping some of the floor in a single move. Then he slowly faded, letting the ship right itself.

"Take them out, Crowe!" Luna asked as they both regained their footing, focusing on the pale Ulldor who looked ready to retreat after this display of power.

She didn't feel quite like herself, but the fears and the nightmares demanded that she took care of the man once and for all. There was no saving him or forgiving, not when the taste of bile filled her mouth at the very thoughts he'd revived with only a few words.

Her trident was still heavy in her hand, but she strode up to him, eyes angry. Ulldor backed away, sword still raised, knowing full well he was at a disadvantage.

"Did you grow balls as you run from Nifelheim? The healer would be a killer?"

"I'm doing the world a favour." She retorted, believing every word.

His sword attempted a parry, but his arm was weak, or maybe was it the rage and the light she let course in her veins that made it so easy to disarm him. He blinked as her eyes shone like golden flames, blinded, horrified. With a twist of the trident's pole, she forced him to the ground and spun her weapon for momentum. He inched for his blade, cowered in fear, but Luna wasn't just a wrathful woman looking for vengeance at this point. Her feet moved too quickly, as though she skidded on air. Steel flashed under the sun, Crowe turning on herself after taking out the last of the five MTs Titan had left behind.

The pikes drove deep into his flesh, spilling his guts and blood. One thrust, two thrusts, too many of them as his gurgles were hidden by Luna desperate scream. She could have killed him years ago, as soon as Bahamut blessed her with her powers. The trident had answered and she'd learned to use it, training a few times with Ravus, but mostly with servants loyal to her family.

Crowe ran up to her, unable to feel fear at the sorry sight. There was a dark history linking those two, a dark past that still hindered and hurt the young princess.

"Luna, you can stop! Luna!" she called her name.

But the man was still in her head, she'd see his face if she closed her eyes and she wanted him gone, she wanted his power over her nullified and maybe more blood would… Her stomach heaved as she realized what she'd just done. Tossing people into the sky, skewering a man because he'd once hurt her.

The trident clattered to the floor while she breathed in rapid, raspy breath. There was no time to process her actions. Their mission wasn't done yet. People cried and an alarm pounded in her ears. How long had it been blaring?

"He's not worth regrets," Crowe told her, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Looking at her, Luna was met with nothing but understanding. It pained as much as it mended, because it meant how rotten the world was. She pulled herself together, thinking of Noctis, and the future they were slowly building together. Not only for themselves, but for everyone walking among Eos.

"Let's burn the place down." She sighed, forcing a savage smile.

Crowe nodded in answer and pulled her to the side when the first wave of fire started. A curtain of ice shielded them, Luna's powers far from having reached their limits. There were more daemons to kill, maybe more wearing the faces of men. She'd resent herself later for it.

…

"Did you hear that?" Iris asked her brother.

The pain and the rage had seemed so strong, they'd both stopped dead in their tracks to listen up. It had stopped almost as soon as it had started.

"Guys," Prompto asked in their com links. "Everything okay?"

"Yes," came Aranea's response. Static filled the words and they kept their answer short.

"Still in the clear," Gladiolus declared.

"Luna? Luna, was that…?" Noctis sounded far too worried.

"We're fine." Crowe retorted.

"Define fine." The prince insisted.

"We are _fine_ , Noct. Just took care of some officer." Luna stated.

Her voice sounded different. Distant and hacked through. Gunshots could be heard in the background and Crowe added that they didn't have time to chat before to cut off the conversation.

"This is why we don't bring loved ones into war," Gladio sighed.

"Who are you more worried about? Your girl?" Iris asked, wishing for a light smile that would give her courage to face the next battles.

"Everyone. But she made me promise to trust her on this, so I can't worry that much. Now sis, you are my shadow."

She nodded and ran after him in the hallways, staying so close on his heels, it seemed impossible they'd never bump in each other. They'd managed to evade any fight so far but were getting closer to the west engine room. This mission was their first real test. Gladiolus didn't want to think of the multiple ways things could go wrong. He knew things would go wrong. He phased his head through a wall as Iris covered his back, managing to spot potential enemies without getting seen.

The people he dubbed as enemies were either MTs, engineers or human soldiers. There was something quite harder about this mission in the fact they would cause a lot more human casualties than they usually did. Fighting beasts and daemons was one thing. Killing an engineer siding with the wrong people felt wrong on a dozen different levels. Gladio had killed humans before and he knew Iris had gotten close to it. Luna might say that a life was a life, no matter the form it took. And still, she'd taken care of some officer, which meant a human. The empire hadn't started putting MTs in power positions yet. They were too unstable, too barbaric.

That made him wonder if they couldn't change, evolve eventually. Focusing on the metal floor beneath his feet, on the shuffling of their silent steps, barely perceivable, Gladiolus noticed that the buzzing of machines was growing stronger as they advanced. The west motors were near. And so was danger.

As they took a turn at the end of the corridor, four MTs raised their green face, eyes red, empty smile engraved on their metal masks. Those were daemons in the Shield's eyes, although under the suit of armour and the consuming blight, they might have been another Prompto or even Aranea. Iris thought it, a dark premonition taking root in her heart. She didn't fear for herself. But she wished they hadn't split into teams. They could have faced this ordeal as a united front. Raising her bo staff, she supported Gladio in his battle, breaking metal and limbs as she darted her weapon past her brother. He moved with sharpness and precision, amazed at how well they could combine their fighting style. Clanking boots on the floor warned them of more MTs to come and he warped forward, going right through the two dolls still standing to block the new soldiers. Iris defeated the one in his back, falling back in his shadow, one hand on his back as she peeked around his waist to get a look at the situation.

More cracks could be heard, while the brother slashed through their ranks and the sister broke them down with precise hits. An alarm roared above their head.

"Attack on the first floor! Intruders on the third. Attack on the first floor! Intruders…"

It seemed they hadn't noticed Noctis and Prompto yet. Which meant everything was going as planned. At least, so far.

…

"Verstael, I need orders. The chancellor has fallen and someone has cut free the human fuel."

"Do I really have to send my elite to you, Drautos? I already have my hands full holding up the capital with the state Iedolas is in."

At his feet, a scaly beast, all wings and fangs was listening, snarling as it ate bones. White hair on his head and the yellow taint of its eyes seemed to be the last remnants of their emperor.

"Isn't there a treatment that could give him some wits back? That darn Caelum is growing stronger by the day. He merely toyed around with me." Ace insisted.

As he spoke, a drone was working on him, fusing metal to his flesh, digging in his shoulder blade. He'd put his engineers on the task of perfecting Ravus' device. The prince wouldn't use his magic around him again. The pain was intolerable, but the losses they'd taken so far felt far worse. He wasn't going to switch sides now. He had a father to avenge and a kingdom to see crumbling.

"Caelum?" the daemon snarled, raising his eyes to the camera.

His muzzle was parched skin, as though his flesh had melted as he'd turned. Ace didn't flinch and Verstael merely smiled at the agitation. He was standing in his lab, his work waiting to start again. Large tubes lined against the walls shone with blue liquids. There was the same face on every of the man sleeping inside.

"The princeling of Lucis, your eminence. He still lives," the scientist explained.

"We can't…" His left eye twitched and Ace noticed black tar falling down the thing's face. "I might need to take care of the man myself. The blight gave me back my old strength. Where… can I find him?"

His voice was a guttural gargle and Ace gasped at the prospect of the emperor turned daemon out in the wilds.

"We don't…"

A movement on his left caught his attention and he raised one hand to indulge patience from his liege. A new officer had met up with him in Insomnia, the first prototype of the _elite_ Verstael had mentioned. It was a new type of MT. Perfectly human looking. Otto-1. Icy blue eyes under blond hair. Skin too pale, but reflexes like a daemon.

"Sir," Otto-1 saluted him curtly. His eyes ignored the screen and he carefully stood out of the camera's range, entirely aware of the pair of eyes and ears listening in. "Quezacoaltz is under assault by the Lucian. There's no doubt about the outcome. The fortress will fall."

"Then it's a good thing I grew wings. I'll handle the Caelum." The daemon back in Nifelheim grumbled, rising up to its full height, standing four heads taller than Verstael. "Drautos, we need results. You'll round up every Lucians you can and fly the shipment here yourself."

He flew off without another word, Verstael forced to skid out of the way to evade his snapping tail. Ace stared at the screen, dumbfounded. He hadn't expected Aldercapt to be so articulated.

"What's the plan?" he asked as the scientist looked at him once more.

"The expansion must take place. The nights grow ever longer on our side of the world. The warding I created won't hold forever."

The Scourge was growing stronger. And since Ardyn was gone, Ace was able to see things in a new light. The Oracle and her chosen king wouldn't save them. Prophecies had never done a man any good. The Nifelheim's science could create all sorts of life, so there was no reason it couldn't save them, as long as they gathered the right ingredients.

"We'll find the cure," he declared solemnly, before to turn off the conversation. Otto-1 seemed to relax as the screen turned dark. "What's your deal? You don't like your own maker?"

"Do you like your gods?" the blond man retorted. He sounded annoyed.

Ace wasn't sure if he liked MTs that could answer back, but shook his head the negative as the drone finished its work on his back.

"Thought so. Status report on my _brethren_ 's work, sir?" A nod of the hand and he went on, voice cool, monotone: "The ships are almost fixed. Security was raised and we're in full control of the Citadel perimeter. The fuel collection is underway."

"How long before the first shipment?"

"If we're less greedy… about four days."

As Ace frowned, unable to believe those numbers, Otto-1 retorted with a dark smile.

"You've yet to see us work, sir. We might look human. But looks can be deceiving."

Ace was starting to wonder why he couldn't have a normal underling, like that fool Loqi or the men working with Caligo. But he'd made the best out of things. There was no other choice.

To be continued…

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Otto-1 is the surprise I mentioned. He's going to bring so much more angst to this story. And it helps make a lot of things I had planned fall into place. I'd like to hear your opinion on whom he and his brethren might be… Next chapter will focus solely on the Quezactoatlz mission. Ignea and angst, Noctis and Prompto facing quite a challenge before a certain daemon emperor shows up, and the rest of the Amicitia's mission.

On a side note, I must say thank you to my latest anon readers. Thank you for reading so long a story that has turned so "horrible". Thank you for reviewing and thus steadily rising my review counts, which might get other people interested in this fic. This thing might have gone off the tracks in your opinion. But these are my tracks and my story. It involves fluff, multiple shipping and a good dose of angst. If you think I might stop writing this after 44 chapters and over 6 months of work, you're wrong. There would be only one person left reading and I'd keep at it. I write Unexpected for myself first, in the hopes others might like it too. You don't have to like it, you don't have to read it and you don't have to review any chapter. This fic is only my retelling of FFXV as I would have wanted it to be. No reason why people couldn't write their own version.

Constructive reviews do make me happy and more motivated to write. I'd like to thank a ton of people for their constant support as I've advanced in this fic. You know who you are. And I'm grateful for your support. This fic has over 100 000 views, more than 550 reviews, almost 300 000 words and we're in for more heartbreak, action and fluff. Can I say Ravatogh's rock will soon come into play? I won't say more for now. Until next chapter!


	45. A trip in the sky - Part III

Thanks for all the lovely reviews, they really psyched me up and I managed to write this chapter in a single day. Thanks to TheFlash15 for betareading this! 😊

There's a lot of angst coming. It will all be made good again, but bear with me, because this mission isn't over yet. Although this chapter is the last in the Trip in the sky arc. As for what you can expect today, we have Ignea and a few revelations. Plus some heavy action on Noctis' front. Although I should say on everyone's front. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!

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Unexpected

Chapter 45 – A trip in the sky – Part III

 _30 minutes before the bombing._

Sneaking had been easy. Too easy was what Noctis wanted to call it. Prompto had his silencer on and proved he had a few tricks up his sleeve. While Noctis could warp-kill an unsuspecting MT in perfect silence, the gunman knew how to break neck and left more than a few corpses behind. They were supposed to hit fast and be out in a matter of minutes, so they didn't bother to hide them too well.

"When did you learn to do that?"

"I… I think it was one of Gladio's training lessons of hell." Prompto answered, looking a bit awkward.

He clearly didn't like killing off the MTs, but he'd set his priorities straight. He seemed a lot more grounded since his relationship with Cindy had turned official. Noctis was almost certain he knew who the blond man thought of as he tried to justify his actions.

They easily reached the command room, going through corridors, avoiding most of the soldiers rushing out to face Luna and Crowe, taking out only the slowest of them.

"I feel like the others are doing all the works." Noctis sighed.

Then the ship leaned to the side, a strong bang echoing all over. Luna had summoned Titan. Both guys grabbed on the nearest doorknob to keep their footing, Prompto slipping down a few notches before catching himself.

"What the hell?"

As the ship righted itself, a long, awful scream pierced their ears. And the prince knew instinctively the source. The brief talk on their earpiece barely made up for their silent fears and both men exchanged a weary look.

"Crowe is looking after her," Prompto reminded him. "And Lady Luna wouldn't say things are fine if they weren't…"

They both knew how to interpret things, but Noctis was grateful for the words of encouragement. It was then that they entered the largest room of the second floor. The operation deck. It was incredibly empty, except for a single silhouette, almost larger than it was tall, sitting in front of the main computer, sausage-like fingers deftly handling functions. It was wearing a helmet that reminded them of the MTs' garb. The rest of his armour consisted of metal plates directly attached to his clothes. The man was almost obese, rolls of fat moving as he turned, his neck counting over five creases of lumpy skin. Double and triple chins came past his blue mask, the eyes a harsh blue.

"Are you really a MT?" Prompto asked.

There was no use to pretend they weren't here. It was their goal after all.

"An elite," the fat man retorted, cocking his head to the side, one hand still on the keyboard of his computer. "Although I'm a broken model. See I can talk. And I keep expanding like crazy. V doesn't like that."

Noctis cursed inwardly. They'd never met a talking MT before. It made the mask move awkwardly over its face, the words sounding somehow muffled. The man stood up with a grunt.

"V? Who's…?"

Prompto had an awful suspicion. He didn't want it to be true, but it couldn't help the question from coming out. And as though they were old acquaintances, the MT answered matter-of-factly.

" _You_ should know. Did I fail a test again? Ulldor asked me to guard the bridge. I was guarding the bridge. It's a boring job. Can I stop?"

Noctis observed how the MT wouldn't look away from Prompto. He barely gave a look to the prince, focusing entirely on his friend. And it sounded as though they should have known each other. But, how could they even…?

The gunman gulped nervously, trying to keep a straight face. Could this even work in their advantage?

"Why not?" he offered.

The MT shuffled forward, unleashing a pole arm which had been previously retracted and held in his chubby palm.

"Why are you so nice with 4? Are you a new model? Or is this a new test? I _hate_ tests."

Prompto paled, finding himself thrown back in time. The tests. The numbers. V had to mean his biological father. He should have opted to be on one of the bomb teams. Noctis stood to his side, taking over before the panic had time to settle in:

"This doesn't have to turn ugly."

The large MT chuckled.

"Wow, I totally didn't recognize you with that beard on, little lord. It must scratch an awful lot. But that means it's no test. I get my final exam ahead of all the others!"

He planted his pole arm into the floor, the weapon emitting a buzzing sound as its tip melted, before to fuse with the floor surface. With a heave, he pulled it back up, the floor following in a perfectly cut rectangle of steel. The sharp edges glint with green energy that seeped right out of the masked man's body.

"What the heck are you talking about?!" Prompto insisted.

"You're more broken than 4 if you don't know where you should stand, brethren. Guess that means I can tear off every of your scrawny limbs."

He threw his makeshift hammer at them, the thing pulsing with green light and electricity as it turned on itself, gaining incredible speed. Noctis grabbed Prompto by the collar and warped strike to the side.

"Don't talk to it anymore." He ordered his best friend. "Just fight back."

It was plain to see the mental damage the so-called elite MT had already done. But pushing aside the horrible things he imagined and remembered, Prompto forced himself to focus on the here and now. He sprung to life, his guns aiming for weakness among the plates of armour. 4 moved faster than they would have expected given his shape. His hands were covered by intricate metal gloves, like a frame of bones. He punched the air, tearing the fabric of Noctis' clothes, missing him by a mere inch. Prompto's bullets ripped through the metal plates.

"You can only hit the fat, blondie!" 4 laughed as blood came out of the wounds.

But Prompto wasn't done yet. Those were magic rounds and he just needed to…

"Careful!" Noctis warned.

The hammer-like pole arm was coming back. The gunman fell to the floor and felt the mass passing right above his shoulders. The MT caught his weapon, grip firm, blue eyes shimmering. Noctis called out his armiger to attack back. 4 moved too quickly, swinging for the prince's head. The royal arms whirled into a shield of sparkling steel. Two swords were sent back by the violent hit, while Prompto scrambled to his feet, shooting four more rounds and activating them right after they'd hit. Fire burst and ice bloomed, sending the Magiteck soldier to his knees.

"That's a really neat function." He spitted out, hammer sweeping on the floor.

Metal whined and crunched, shards of blaze rising. Prompto raised one arm defensively as debris flew all around, growing a bit larger as 4 turned on himself once, twice…

The gunman didn't hesitate to shoot with his free hand, unsure if he was firing out of fear or anger. He was no test subject. He was no preprogramed soldier and he'd rather die than hear any of his skills called a function.

Noctis warped straight for the fat man, his sword hitting the pole arm, breaking it down in its momentum. 4 retorted with punches and kicks, a bullet ricocheting on his helmet and another getting right beneath the mask. Noctis had kept his attention on him, royal arms flying around, and nearly struck the MT, just to make sure.

But the damage was fatal and the broken elite fell with a loud thud, a pile of burned flesh and metal plates. Both men permitted themselves a second to breathe, armiger and guns still raised. Noctis noticed a cut on his chest and Prompto groaned as he realized his crownsguard suit was torn in the back. His neck had been grazed by the green light and he could smell the stench of burnt skin. Too close to be from the MT.

"Man, am I glad this is over!" he sighed.

Lying next to its possessor, the top of the hammer buzzed even more, the green light lifting. Was there a sudden surge of power now that its user was dead? Green threads of energy fluctuated, closing upon themselves before to expand and close again. Sometimes, a droplet of energy would jump out. It was so volatile, each drop dug holes in the floor.

"Never speak too soon." Noctis huffed, extending his blades forward to shield them both.

The explosion hurled them backward, into the lesser consoles of the main bridge. It was enough to send the ship to the side, leaning for a good two minutes, during which Noctis and Prompto were left gasping for air.

"Heck. I hope they haven't made too many elite soldiers like that one," Noctis grumbled.

His swords vanished, his mind instinctively calling for an ether. Prompto just sighed and leaned back against the console. He had a pretty good idea this was only their first encounter with elite magiteck soldiers.

…

 _18 minutes before the bombing._

The East engine was exposed to the elements, a prowess of modern technology as Cid would say, and quite a hassle if you were to ask Aranea. She was leading the way, having already been around the fortress, Ignis covering her rear as they met MTs after MTs. The platforms were linked by suspended bridges, all made of strong metal, but the wind was still hitting them hard, proving to be a strength to reckon with. Reaching the engine had proved quite easy. Aranea made jumps over the bridges, Ignis forced to dart in her tracks and doing his best not to look at her as she threw herself in the air over and over. The adrenaline was keeping her going, but he was far too close to relive his worst nightmare to appreciate their efficiency.

He cut through another MT, having already lost count of today's victims. He'd spotted a blue mask instead of the usual green and wanted to inquire on that observation but couldn't waste an instant. The blue-faced soldier had faltered like the others, although he'd slowed the strategist more than any other daemon soldiers. Instead of taking a peek under the armour, Ignis pushed forward, zigzagging after Aranea. A few officers would observe that she was a traitor and lose precious time to yell at her as they raised her weapons. The crew was overwhelmed by the assault. While the MTs seemed to be fully armed at all time, some soldier came after them, their armour badly attached together.

It was a good sign, but Ignis couldn't help but worry. The empire couldn't have taken over Lucis with this sort of organization. Sheer power wasn't enough to win a war. It was as though the big players had taken a step back, letting things unfold. Unless this whole imperial conquest was a game. In which case… One easy victory wouldn't mean anything. He mentally chided himself for analyzing the situation even at this point. His boots were thudding against the metal bridges. The railways seemed too fragile, the sky too close. The wind was a turmoil of gusts and clouds. He could hear the motor from here. It was a massive piece of machinery, two rotors turning at a tremendous speed to pump the giant fortress with energy. The rotors had a diameter of 200 feet and the wind was even more unforgiving around here. Aranea wasn't jumping around anymore, instead carefully walking toward the restricted zone surrounding the engine's main frame.

Metal tubes surrounded security panels reporting the state of the fortress. The couple regrouped and took half a minute to determine the best emplacement for their bomb.

 _16 minutes before the bombing._

"When this thing crash…"

"It will be the biggest fireworks we've seen in awhile. We're over deserted land, already burned out by the previous wars."

Centuries old fallen cities, unexplored no man's land, radiated territory. Aranea held back a shiver at the idea they could end up there too. Anything but that. Ignis took it upon himself to plant the bomb while she kept an eye out for potential MTs. The alarms had started blaring, but it seemed as though most of the soldiers were on the top floor, where Luna and Crowe were casting spell after spell. Every now and then, they would see a disgruntled magiteck falling on the side of the fortress, members flailing helplessly.

It was a disheartening sight, but they focused on the task at hand. Deep inside, Aranea felt old fears surging, mirroring the mental state of Ignis. One misstep and they would be killed by the end of a never-ending fall.

"How high to you think we are?"

Why did she even ask him that question? Knowing wouldn't comfort her in any way.

"Too high. Let's take drugs next time."

They exchanged an incredulous look at his quip. What sort of joke was that?

"You're really bad at wordplay."

"It was the first thing that came to my mind." He retorted as an apology.

Aranea refused to tell him how reassured she felt since he'd said that. Ignis had never been one to suffer from vertigo, but being this high up in the sky frightened him just as much as her. And despite herself, she remembered that time when she'd pulled him after her…

" _Come on! Stop being so stiffed up about their rules. You must see it first."_

 _She'd bullied him into coming to the edge of the city. Past the last walls. Half as high as the citadel, the rocky cliffs gave a view of the Lucis continent. The stream of sea water running by._ _The desert running for miles, all around Insomnia. Nothing but a dry horizon, while the sea expanded on their right. Adventure and endless possibilities for a girl who'd had nothing but forbidden dreams. She'd put on a tank top and tight jeans, her hair falling around her head, freshly cleaned in his shower._

" _You shouldn't stand that close to the…"_

" _I know, father, I know! Iggy, let up a little."_

 _She was giddy from the harsh trek up there, giddy from the feel of his finger firmly laced between hers. When she rose on her tiptoes, he'd oblige in a dozen, light kisses. The wind seemed to push them closer together. Until a flock of birds came by and…_

"Let's hurry back inside the complex." She sighed, forcing the memories away.

 _Don't focus on the bad_ , she told herself. _Not when the good is here for the taking._

But it was hard to focus this high. Hard to raise her spear and throw down more MTs as they followed the suspended bridges. When they fell, they'd turned into small dots, until they vanished completely from her sight. She didn't like that idea. Breathing didn't feel right and her blood pumped a little too quickly through her.

The fortress leaned to the side, like it had done a moment before. Lunafreya was most certainly summoning one of her Astrals again. They were just crossing a bridge and Aranea jumped into motion, a sheer reaction from the harsh training back in Nifelheim. She'd been thrown into all sorts of training rooms, with hidden traps, expanding floor, holes of wind and emptiness, stupid tiny platforms.

The Quezacoatlz nearly quivered as a mass far too imposing tore through its upper structure. The suspended bridges shivered and a ripple of energy rang through the air. Aranea's feet missed the metal floor. Her leg hit a security railing. And since Ignis was here with her, suddenly, she was the small Aria all over again. Flailing as she fell. Her lance dug into metal, tearing off the hanging rails. The thin bridges wouldn't hold if she thrust the spear into them. The wind was filling her ears, eyes welling up from the harsh wind blowing dust under her eyelids.

His voice called her name on top of it, but she couldn't see him, could only reach out. It happened so fast, an instant she was up, standing, ready to jump out of the way to give him the space he needed to adapt to the sudden lean of the fortress. The next instant, there was no ground, no safe line to keep…

A sudden warp and a gloved hand closed on her wrist, the fall halting into a violent stop, pain rippling through her arm as her entire weight pulled her down. One look up, her helmet fell and his face was there, older but as distraught as in her memories.

" _I got you."_

Not again, not again…

"How dare you do this to me?!" she answered, unsure if he had really said those words or if it was the traumatic memories replaying in her head. Her heart was up in her throat, unable to adapt to the sudden fall and he strained to pull her back up.

The fortress was leaning at a 45 degrees angle, the platforms squeaking from the pressure as the bridges were balloted by the wind. Ignis was kneeling above, a dagger planted in the metal the only thing keeping him steady.

"Don't panic yet. I'm not… letting you go."

She hung limply in the air, her breathing already beyond panic, holding on to his eyes. They weren't cold, but she knew he was calculating a thousand things as he tugged her back up. The strength of the wind, any hint of movement from MTs or the fortress itself. How much energy was left in his shaking hand.

 _The daggerquills would come. They always…_

He raised her high enough that she could let go of her lance, gripping to the ledge of the platform with her free hand. Inch by inch, he pulled her up, helping her to pass beneath the railing. Back up with him. Her mind was still tumbling down the sky. _Hitting rocks, breaking bones, clothes ripping, flesh.._. They stared at each other, out of breath.

His voice nearly broke as he declared:

"Not this time."

Beneath the fear and the relief, Aranea felt anger. Anger for putting both of them through this again. Anger for needing him, anger for even feeling angry. She pushed him back, rising to her feet, trying to wrestle down the worst of it.

"We should get back," she stated. Her voice was white, almost dry.

A loud metal whine and the fortress righted itself, the pair instinctively reaching for the other.

"I…" she started, hoping to find the right words to explain how she felt.

But his eyes moved to the left and she spun around, kicking her spear into her hand and angrily throwing away the approaching soldiers. Her free hand was gripping to his uniform.

"Would you leave us alone for two minutes!" she bellowed, addressing her words to no one in peculiar.

"Aria…"

"How long do we have before the…?"

"A little more than 11 minutes."

"Come with me. Quick."

She ran back to the complex, not feeling up for a jump. Ignis was right on her heels and it didn't take her long to find a safe room. She pulled him inside the closet-wide space, locking the door behind them, thankful for the four walls surrounding her.

"What are you…?"

Ignis was under as much shock as her. They both didn't know how to deal with this. The wound had been too fresh, yet too open and suddenly he'd righted the dark picture. Proving he could save her. She wanted to think it was dumb luck, wanted to push the rationalizations away.

"We have two minutes," she declared, undoing the clasps of her armour.

"What?!"

"The lock is time sensitive. We can get back to my ship in three minutes, four tops. And I can't think straight right now."

Ignis had no words, he was simply trying to focus on the fact she was still here, right next to him, still alive despite all logic. This time, she hadn't fallen out of reach. Or at least, so he hoped. He wanted to touch her, to check for her pulse, to confirm she was really here and not a figment of his imagination. She seemed in the same mindset, pushing him against the wall.

"Hold me." Aranea asked him.

She didn't have to beg. His arms wrapped tightly around her, bringing her frame flush against his. Her hands latched on his shirt, face buried in the crook of his neck.

"I won't apologize for saving you," Ignis told her.

There was no way she could have survived from such a fall. A strangled sob escaped her throat and she let the shivers take over, trying to count the seconds in her head. She could hear his heart beating. Faster than the wind. A storm of emotions ready to burst.

"I want to thank you, but I can't touch the ground yet."

"You're not falling. Not anymore. You're not alone."

 _Never again._ His words mended the fear. She only had to fight against the ghost of her pain now. His hands stroked her hair, drew relaxing motions over her back. Squeezed her waist. 30 seconds before unlocking the door.

"I should put the armour back."

"I'll help."

Somewhere in between the shoulder pads and the reinforced gloves, he stole a kiss from her. A peck on the lips, butterfly kiss. How could someone's heart still flutter when they were so afraid to fall?

The door opened in a swooshing sound and they were out, weapons ready, eyes alight with a fire neither of them had seen before. The cliff had broken their love, leaving a void behind, filled with self-doubts, guilt, resentment and shame. And though the wound gaped open once more, they felt a new strength as their arms brushed during their run. The cliff had been a mistake, a chance to grow when they were stuck in a dream. Reality was harsh, but it had brought them back together, testing them over and over. Trying their resolve.

"You didn't have to prove me anything, you know?" she shot over her shoulder.

"But I think I had. Although you could have forgone the falling." He pointed out.

"As if I did it on purpose! Next time around, I'll do the saving…"

MTs fell.

"No next time this high." He warned.

He could only face this sort of ordeal so often. Noctis' voice came in, almost buried beneath static:

"Guys? How are… bombs coming?"

"East is ready," Ignis answered.

"West…s almost done," Iris whispered through the static.

"An… nee…d …or reinfor..ments?" Noctis insisted.

"Wait, I think No… offered this too fast." Prompto cut in.

A screeching and a snarl ended the conversation, leaving Ignis with a dreadful feeling. Aranea cleared her throat, snapping him back to the present, as they went back up a hallway.

"They'll be fine. Your prince can do more than just warp."

"Are you trying to offend me?"

"No Iggy. I'm trying to get you to safety. Preferably in one piece."

They had agreed not to veer from the original plans if things went wrong. And as much as Ignis wanted to check on Noctis, he knew none of them would make it if they didn't have a functioning ship in their control to get back to the ground. He also couldn't see him leaving Aranea to her own devices after coming so close to losing her again.

"Let's follow the plan for now. See how things develop."

…

 _13:30 minutes before the bombing_

The engine was right around the corner. It was only a matter of…

The world shifted, sending Iris flying. Gladiolus didn't even have to think and caught her by the waist, following the movement of the ship. A 45-degree angle made it hard stand on the floor. The man had one foot on the actual floor, one on the wall as he tried to push forward.

"Put me down!"

"Anyone coming from behind?" He retorted, tossing her on his shoulder with ease.

"Gladdy, just… Oh no…"

The world was shifting again. And three MTs which had been awkwardly running in their direction were losing their footing, and their weapons as everything moved. The motors were furiously groaning to compensate for the unbalance in the flight. Iris raised her staff and stopped a sword that might have slashed through her brother's leg if she hadn't been there, tensed up against his shoulder. Gladio tried to right himself as the floor was back in its place, but he'd hit the wall a bit faster than he'd expected. Was it the height playing tricks on his mind? Or the control panel which had dug into his skull at the impact? Surely that one. Blood fell on Iris' hand.

"Put me down right now!"

"What the hell happened to being furtive?!" he snapped.

"Stop right where you are!" A lower officer commanded.

The engine room was right on his left. Gladiolus broke down the door in one try, Iris gripping to his arm as they barged inside. He set her down, raising his broadsword.

"Plant the bomb."

"But you're…"

Noctis called somewhere around this point. The words barely came in and Iris focused on setting the bomb securely next to the turbines. They were gigantic and the ambient noise made any word hard to recognize. She still perceived perfectly well the crashing sound, and the way the mic suddenly went dead.

"Noctis?! Prompto? Someone answer me!"

"What's happening?" Crowe asked in the com link.

"The fact is we don't know," Aranea grumbled. "Iggy and I are getting back to the ship. If we circle around, we might get a better view on the bridge."

"We'll be right there," Luna declared. "Iris, what about you two?"

The brunette had just turned around to see her brother collapsing on one knee, holding his head. He'd killed over four MTs and the officer. She rushed up to his side, her healing powers activating in pure reflex. He winced as her fingers brushed the back of his head.

"When did you hit your head?"

"That tumbling around… How long before the countdown ends?"

"Don't move," she retorted angrily.

Gladiolus felt the ringing in his ears subside. The dizziness slowly vanished and Iris leaned heavily on him. The healing toll hadn't hit her as quickly the previous time, but she'd never been in this sort of stressful situation to do it before. She kept glancing at the hallway, expecting another MT to show. Or was it the anxiousness at what could be happening to Noctis and Prompto?

"I think it was a slight concussion." She diagnosed.

"You sound like you had enough excitement for one day."

"You heard them, right?"

He could tell what was on her mind right away and rose to his feet, wrapping one arm around her. It was weird to be out on the field with his own sister. But she fought well and he was grateful for her healing powers. His head was clear again. And his priorities were set.

"Our prince should be on the command bridge. I think we still have time to reach them before the bombs go off."

It had to be said the countdown wasn't absolute. They could have delayed it. But in the case of any complication, they risked having done all this work for nothing. They couldn't let that happen. The fortress was going down.

"Guys, west gifts in position." Gladiolus stated through the com link. "We're closer to the bridge."

"Careful, Amicitias." Crowe asked.

"I'll keep him safe," Iris answered.

"You want to walk on your own?" her brother offered.

"Well, if you promise not to hit your head again, you could carry me for a bit."

The fact she admitted she could use help comforted him. She wasn't going to grow into a careless, daunting fighter yet.

…

 _11 minutes before the bombing_

They should have upped and left after confirming no one else was waiting for them in the bridge area. The top officer of the ship was Caligo Ulldor, and from the reports on 4's computers, the man had been running inspections among the hangars.

"We should have hacked their computers…" Noctis complained.

"You know it would have taken too much…"

Prompto's sudden gasp made the prince look around to his friend. The gunman had pulled off the mask covering 4's face. Blood had trickled from the holes in his triple chins, but the face, although cadaver pale, was covered with light freckles. Blond hair hid under the helmet and Noctis was shocked to see Prompto pulling an eyelid open, confirming the blue eyes on the MT.

"He's not…" the prince started, wondering why a MT wouldn't be infused with the blight like the others. Did Verstael finally realized his daemon army was flawed?

"He looks like me." Prompto countered.

"What?! How?"

"You heard him too. He thought we knew each other. And if we have the same face…"

"He's nothing like you." Noctis stated.

"Why, huh? Because he's a jumbo size of me? I could have looked like that… I was well on my way there the first time we met."

As he said the words, Prompto's hand went to his wristband. He was more on edge than ever.

"Man, the whole thing was… weird. But you're nothing like him. You would never make the threats he made."

"But he said he wasn't the only one. If there's more…"

"Prompto," Noctis cut him off warningly. "I've no idea what you must be feeling right now, but I don't care what he looks like or what you look like. You're my friend. You're my crownsguard. That's never going to change. We should check on the others."

The call was a formality, but as Noctis focused on his earpiece, Prompto heard a loud crash behind them. The glass at the end of the bridge had been charged through by a large, scaly beast. He heard Ignis' question and hurriedly answered, pointing his guns up as daemon Aldercapt raised to his full height, standing ten feet away from them.

"Wait, I think Noct offered this too fast!"

A snarl shook the air and the wyvern rushed forward. His claws tore through Prompto's left arm, Noctis barely calling forth his engine blade before to get hit by the beast's charged. All the air left his lungs at the shock, his back hitting the floor, his vision clouded by flashes, the earpiece falling out.

"Here you are, Lucian heir." The beast marveled. "So small. So delicate."

"You really think so?!" Noctis roared, his eyes turning red as he called his armiger. His magic power was in full shape, but he had new cuts on his arms and chest and felt the sting of them. They weren't too deep at least. Maybe was the adrenaline wronging his senses. The talking monster flew back as a bunch of swords slashed at his skin, axe and shuriken ablaze.

"I only have normal rounds this time." Prompto warned as he reloaded his gun with only one hand.

"Just shoot him down!"

"Not before I take a bite or two!" the wyvern roared.

"What the hell is going on?!"

"I've come for my due!"

For an instant, over the beastly traits, a face seemed to form, remnants of a man. It was a twisted vision and Prompto emptied his charger on it, unsure how much more crazy he could take in the same day. But Noctis was now certain of this new adversary's identity.

"Aldercapt…"

A furious roar answered the name, proving him right and the beast swatted away the swords, sending them to the floor in a disharmony of clunks. Talons and fangs out, it was barely bleeding from Prompto's fire. The blood where Noctis' steel had pierced the skin was dark, almost fuming.

"I have turned as I waited for a salvation that wouldn't come. And I'll be damned if I don't turn you too!"

Noctis warped away from the new charge, his armiger fully deployed, rushing back to protect him. A talon grazed his right leg. He warped again, head turning as the daemon emperor rushed after him, fast enough to be right on his heels at every new warp. Specks of blood flew left and right, burning whenever they touched his skin. Aldercapt seemed willing to focus on him. From the corner of his eyes, Noctis saw how Prompto's arm was hanging at his side. And still, he reloaded his gun, firing away, his shots hitting the wyvern in its back, digging holes through his wings.

 _5 minutes before the bombing. We can't keep this up._

Running out of magic, Noctis rolled on himself, darting behind consoles that Aldercapt slashed through without an afterthought. The beast was destroying his own ship, raving mad from the transformation he'd gone through. More swords tore at his hide, the royal axe hitting him right in the face. And still Iedolas persisted.

Gladiolus and Iris walked in, to the sight of Noctis in close combat with a winged daemon. Prompto managed a good shot, his bullet lodging itself in the monster's head, right between two scales. Enraged, the daemon shot up, temporarily letting go of the prince. He didn't lose an instant, breaking an ether in his hand to gather his energy, all weapons driving into the emperor as he electrified it with his most potent thunder spell.

"Grab Prompto and go!" he ordered to his friends.

"What?!"

"It's not a suggestion!"

Aranea's ship came into view, right by the bridge's broken windows, its camouflage given up. Crowe and Luna had taken out every artillery that could threaten them and the fortress was quite low on personal with every MT they'd taken down. The hatch opened on the ship, Luna holding to the safety railing, Crowe looking ready to jump into the fray despite a few cuts and some large bruises.

"Get us closer," Luna asked.

Aldercapt turned his head toward the new voice, eyes turning into slits, anger and pain forgotten at the occasion in front of him. Noctis instantly understood what the thing might be thinking and warp-strike him into the nearest wall, calling forth more spells, freezing down his legs.

"Let me see my Oracle!" the daemon emperor angrily snarled.

The scene made little sense to Iris, Gladiolus and Crowe, while Prompto was starting to suffer from too much blood loss to feel clear-minded enough to make sense out of this nth fight.

"Just get out of here!" Noctis demanded. "I swear I'll catch up."

Luna felt like summoning Shiva once more, but her magic reserves were almost spent despite the ether she'd just swallowed. The bitterness on her tongue was nothing compared to the feeling in her heart as she saw how hurt everyone was. She didn't want to leave Noctis behind, but Prompto needed medical attention if he still wanted to use his arm.

"Get in the ship, all of you!" she called them.

 _1 minute before the bombing._

Both Noctis and Ignis glimpsed at the timer on their wrist. They both had a remote control and either could have set off the charges. Gladiolus helped Prompto onto the ship, Luna dragging Iris inside while Crowe pulled the older brother in. Aranea was busy keeping them afloat. They were all under various degrees of shock for a dozen different reasons. And for an instant, the princess' eyes met her prince's.

It was as though she could hear his voice in her head:

 _We all did our part. Stay safe till I catch up to you._

Panic rose in her heart. Not because she doubted him. But he might get hurt. He was already bleeding, clothes turned to rags.

 _L: I could help you._

 _N: You already did._

 _L: Don't push me away._

 _N: But I want you safe._

 _L: So do I, Noct._

 _N: I can't be if you hurt._

It had lasted only a few seconds, but the thoughts were all there, in that single look they'd shared. She wanted to insist, but next thing she knew, the Quezacoatlz was shaking. Daemon Aldercapt howled as he realized the blow this would deal to the empire. Noctis was thrown back against the opposite wall, the remote in his hand falling down, already activated, the west bomb going off. The main engines were burning, cutting off, falling to pieces. And it didn't take long for the fortress to start falling. Aranea shivered as she pulled the controls away, the word echoing in her head.

Falling, falling, falling.

The explosions echoed as her ship pulled off. The team gripped to the security straps lining the walls, leaving the door open in the hopes of seeing Noctis coming back. Getting away from the Quezacoatlz wasn't easy. The winds were perturbing their flight.

"Close the hatch!"

"But Noctis!" Iris protested.

"Close it or we're going to cra…!"

A large debris hit their flank. The largest ship seemed to be yelling: "If I can't fly, no one can."

Aranea saw it taunting her in the rear view. Too close, but already lower in the sky. Wounded everywhere, countless lines of smoke birthed by their hard work.

The main goal was attained. All that was left to know was… Had it been worth it?

To be continued…

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Cliffhanger alert! Don't hurt me guys. Noctis will be back in next chapter and he's going to be fine too. Well, physically at least.

I have to admit, that scene between Ignis and Aranea was in my head ever since Aranea got introduced to the story. So it's been about 30 chapters until I could finally experience the euphoric feeling of writing it down. I try to never write a scene in advance. It usually kills my story (or the specific plotline related to the scene). So I waited. And waited and despaired every now and then of ever getting there. I don't know if I'm entirely happy with it. It's often what happens to me in such a situation. I think it was long enough, but not too much, and I was happy to focus on Aranea's side a bit more. Ignis will get the focus when a certain accident happens to him. Poor dear… So much more angst to come.

I do hope I won't bring up more trauma for our characters. It's been quite a hard mission for Luna, Prompto, Ignis and Aranea as of now.

Next chapter will see the end of the mission, one or two royal arms, some heavy Noctluna fluff -we freaking need it, don't we?- and maybe more. I'm going to keep my idea to myself, in case I can't fit it all in one single chapter.

And guys, guys, we're at 45 chapters! We've made it this far and I'll try to bring out chapter 46 quickly, although I really ought to focus on school for real. I'll write down my results first, so I can write some serious fluff to repair some of the hurt that took place in the last two chapters. Know that you all motivate me to write more a great, great deal. Thank you for being awesome!


	46. Crash and burn

Can't write much. This chapter was written in pain to be honest. I pulled muscles in both arms and need to take it easy for the next few days. Bit more info after the LONG chapter. I hope you'll enjoy your read!

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Unexpected

Chapter 46 – Crash and burn

As the ship was tossed out of his trajectory, the regrouped team tumbled around like a bunch of broken dolls. Iris gripped to Ignis' arm as he hanged to the hand hold. Crow's straps snapped and she held on to Luna as the remnant of the cargo lumbered around, cases jumping and falling. Prompto thought he was going to get squished against the wall, before to feel Gladiolus turning in over and cushioning the hit with his own frame.

"Aranea!" Ignis called out.

"Busy!" she shot back.

"We can't…"

Luna's hand was slipping and her sore muscles could barely sustain the tension from Crow added weight. Another shock hit them, most certainly a debris of the Quezacoatlz colliding into them. Metal shifted and they dropped a few feet, getting the sick feeling from an elevator ride that would be horribly wrong. They were all pushed into the ceiling from the sudden fall. Iris yelped, Prompto's consciousness almost faded and Gladio hit the ceiling, groaning as the dizziness set back.

"Grab onto something'', Crowe told him, worry clear in her voice.

"You all grab onto something! This landing won't be my best." Aranea warned them.

She was the only one with a good idea of their current situation, the only one with a view of the carnage they'd caused. The controls were barely answering at this point, but she cut out half the engines, instinctively diving toward the ground, nose first. She followed a diagonal, meaning to distance the flying fortress. Their salute resided in getting far enough from that thing to evade any more debris. They gained speed at an alarming rate and she made a silent prayer to the 6, for the thrusters to hold and give her the kickback she needed.

The following ten minutes seemed like the shortest and the longest of their lives. Hurled around, ship swerving and whining as its whole craft shivered throughout the turbulence, they all hold on for dear life. Crowe slipped down at one point, Prompto yelled with the others, unsure if he was still a 21-year-old guy or not back in one of Verstael's experiment.

There was no up or down, no sense of quiet, no stillness possible in this loop. Maybe this was an infernal spiral of tosses and turns that wouldn't end unless their thoughts stopped. Closing their eyes didn't help settle the dizzy feeling. Their stomachs were turning and blood rushed to their brain. Hands clammy, fingers white from gripping too hard to a railing or someone, they cried out and whimpered, divided and united by the spins and sharp inclines the ship drifted through.

"Arane…"

"Hang on! We're landing!"

Luna had been on airships on her numerous travels around Tenebrae and the empire and had jumped down a few functioning ships back in Insomnia. She knew what landing felt like. This was no landing!

The thruster kicked back to life and whined in protest as they tried to slow their descent. After being pushed against the ceiling or the wall, they were suddenly thrust forward, and it was only the first shock. A dozen more followed, all ringing down to their bones. Forehead cut open, more bruises on their knees, wrists and fingers sore, they barely realized the ship had come to a screeching halt when Aranea wobbled out of her piloting seat.

"Everyone still here?"

"I think…" Gladio answered.

Iris was still firmly holding to Ignis and he pried her off him, as gently as possible, his glasses askew on his face, clothes rumpled where they weren't torn. Aranea exchanged a brief look with him. Silently asking if they could hold on a bit longer. They wanted to collapse into a hug and their hands brushed as the advisor tried to focus his thoughts on their situation. No use worrying about Noctis right now. He was out of reach.

"Let's get out of here. Catch some air and get a look at what's going on." Gladiolus declared.

He kept an arm around Prompto to keep him on his feet. The gunman's left arm was a bloody mess and he looked too pale to still be conscious. Their first steps out made it clear they weren't out of trouble yet. Their ship had crashed on top of Ravatogh's rock. The area surrounding them was too warm for comfort, but no beasts seemed to inhabit the places and as they all stepped off the ship, Luna quickly ascertain the damages.

"Let's fix what we can for now. Sit him down." She asked the prince's shield, walking up to Prompto. "Iris, can you help me?"

"Sure…"

Crowe stood back, catching her breath, while Ignis and Aranea agreed to secure a perimeter. The strategist's eyes kept going to the sky. Dark smoke tarnished the horizon, a beacon to the Quezacoatlz remains. Nothing seemed to fly around it and the fortress had in a straight line, crashing against barren grounds. If Noctis had to walk through that, it might take him days to ever reach them. No car could navigate in there, regrouping with him seemed far-fetched at best.

 _Be safe, Noct._

Luna repeated the same words in her mind, while focusing her powers on Prompto's arm. The young man had started shivering and was mumbling to himself about the number 4 and Verstael.

"Don't go into shock, Prompto. Stay with us!" Iris called him, pinching his cheek when her words didn't seem to register.

The cuts on his arm were slowly closing, muscles and flesh sewn back together. When Luna's hands shivered, Iris took over the healing process, apologizing for not being able to take out the scars.

"Scars are manly, right? As long as I can use the arm, I don't really care…"

As his voice slowed, his eyes drifted to the wristband that had been slightly damaged by Aldercapt's attack. The fresh scars ran over his bicep, angry red on his pale skin. They went well past the crease of his elbow, but none reached the barcode engraved to him. Empty disappointment ate him up at the thought the taint was still clear as day. Some part of him still belonged to the empire, no matter how hard he fought against it.

"Prompto…"

"I'm just tired. And worried. You can go look after the others." He offered.

But Iris had noticed the burns on the back of his neck and set up to cover it with elixirs. Gladiolus turned his attention to Crowe, grimacing at the size of the bruises she sported. She gingerly held her sides, a few broken ribs here and there.

"What did this to you?"

"There was this blue-masked MT among their ranks. He walked right through my spells."

Luna hurried to her side to heal what she could. In the previous rush, she hadn't been able to fix the brunette, but she wouldn't let her suffer a moment longer. Fixing as many people as she could reduce the fear she felt for Noctis who was still fighting somewhere out there, most certainly hurting.

"I saw one too." Ignis commented. "He seemed stronger than the others."

"Is that blood coming out of your nose?" Aranea asked.

Her voice wasn't tough anymore and the tall man obeyed when she asked him to sit down.

"Surely the pressure from the crash…"

"I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay," Ignis cut her off.

No one among them felt okay. But they were all alive. Their eyes kept going back to the smoke rising through the air. The sign of their destruction.

…

"How dare you ruin my plans?!" Aldercapt roared.

"How dare you have my father killed?!"

 _And what my people? What about my home!?_

Noctis zipped back and forth, a savage beast against an even more savage beast. They stood on the walls, walked on the ceiling, flew and crashed as the ship surrounding them gained speed and was taken over by gravity's pull. Red and dark blood mixed on the metal. The armiger barely contained Noctis' anger. This man had sat before his father, had signed down the false peace treaty, had lied and festered on the demise of an entire city. Now it was only the shadow of a man, but with strong, daemonized muscles, rippling beneath scales and talons. Another warp, another spin, Noctis nearly hit his head against a flying console.

 _I need to get out of here_ , he realized.

More ether, almost one half of the bottle's content hitting the floor as he tried to get ahold of his powers. The royal arms were flashing around him. Lightning made metal. Daemon Aldercapt sneered and slashed, breaking down the ice the prince had called, freeing himself for the nth time. His wings seemed too damaged to fly, but he still rushed forward, grappling the raven-haired man, not caring for the swords cutting through him.

In his rage, the emperor didn't realize he was actually helping Noctis by dragging him outside of the falling fortress. His wings batted angrily and his talons dug into the young man's skin. The yells of pain that followed could barely be heard over the cacophony of Quezacoatlz falling. But through the smoke, the flying debris and the weird sensation of half flying, half falling, Noctis noticed how dark the sky had turned. His eyes were crimson red and his mind had instinctively turned to Ramuh. Thunder roared and lightning struck. The talons left him, the sky warping around his tired body. He didn't watch the daemon as he fell down the sky. His feet hit his spear and he delved deep inside of him. For more powers and the strength to hold up.

He'd flown before. He remembered when his father had elevated him in the air as a child. High above Insomnia. On top of the world. He missed Regis. The once invincible man who now laid in a grave, next to his mother. Dust stuck to his eyelids and his skin burned, feeling too thin over his fatigued body. He needed a thought to hold him up, a track to follow.

"Luna."

She needed him. And when his eyes would flicker back to blue, he was going to need her. Her hands, her magic, her smile. A thought in the back of his head warned him. She might not smile right away. He had yet to learn what she'd been through.

The armiger helped him fly. Through the smoke and the clouds and over the devastated lands. There was a glint coming from Ravatogh's peak, metallic, a patch of silver with some red insignia.

 _I'm coming…_

…

 _So. It seems we survived this flying fortress mission._

The words came out as a reflex to Iris, as she took her phone out, sighed at the cracked screen, but still opened her texting app and typed down the short message. Ravus' contact was always at the top of her list. She needed a sense of normalcy as they waited for Noctis to give them a sign. They hadn't tried calling him yet, knowing too well he was most certainly fighting for his life. The thought wasn't comforting. Gladiolus chided himself for not just throwing everyone in the ship and rushing to his liege's side. Ignis regretted ever agreeing to leave a detonator with the prince.

Luna was trying to coax Prompto into sleep, the man already laid down with his head on her lap and her hands toying with his blond hair. It had started with shouts and shivers and both the gunman and the Oracle has seemed ready to burst in tears at one point, before that he'd give up the argument and nearly buried himself in her arms. Luna was remembering the confession he'd made in Lestallum's back alley. He seemed just as shaken, possibly even more.

"It's over." She told him.

"No, it's not. I don't know what I was thinking, but it won't ever…"

"Hush now, Prom, please. You're hurting yourself."

"I'm still wrong. I'm still…"

It was a painful sight, but Lunafreya didn't falter an instant. Focusing on someone else's pain really helped hold on. Stroke by stroke, she lulled him to sleep, while Crowe and Gladio took over the safety perimeter duty. They would have a safe area in which to sleep by the time night would fall. Aranea and Ignis had given up any restraint despite the public attention, the dragoon's armour given up for them to sit close, cuddling and whispering to each other every now and then. Gladio had checked on Iris, but the girl stated she had a headache and needed some air. She sat in the middle of their makeshift camp, her back against a rock, thankful for the freshness Luna had summoned through Shiva's powers. Her phone buzzed and next thing she knew, a familiar gruff voice answered her timid "yes".

"How bad is it?"

"You didn't have to call me right back." Iris observed.

"I wanted to hear how your voice sounded. And maybe talk to my sister too."

A very thin smile grew on her face and she noticed the worried look from her brother. He didn't try to halt the call, which seemed like a good sign at the very least.

"Where are you?" The girl asked.

"Insomnia, collecting the results from my lab. What about you?"

"We… crashed on Ravatogh's rock. Except for a few bruises and some of us under shock, we got out okay…"

She tried to keep her voice down and even, but Ignis and Aranea were pretty much lost in their own little world and Luna's eyes were glued to the sky. The only noise nearby was the wind rushing around the peak, Prompto's few whimpers in his sleep and a distant conversation Gladiolus and Crowe were having. Iris focused on her brother's back, noticing how close he walked to the former Glaive. How his hands were brushing the side of her hip or the small of her back at every little excuse he could find. Their eyes locking together every so often. He was a nervous wreck right now, knowing Noctis was out of sight and out of his protection, but the proximity of Crowe seemed to ease his worry. To give him a purpose outside of the prince. Iris blinked as she realized Ravus was repeating his question:

"What aren't you telling me, Iris? Are you even listening? Are you still angry with me?"

"I had forgotten I was… Ravus, I… Noctis is still in the fortress. He said he'll catch up, but we couldn't help him, we barely ran for our lives."

Her eyes scanned their camp, halting on Ignis and Aranea. The silver-haired woman was sitting between his legs, her own legs parted on each of his sides so she could sit as close as possible, holding on to him as they spoke. He held her face with one hand, their forehead touching for a few seconds. Iris' heart ached for arms to hold her safe. Not as a friend or family. And all she had right now was his voice.

"That Lucian prince is going to be fine." Ravus stated.

"How do you know that?"

"If he loves my sister like you said he does, he can't die yet."

"That's a lovely thought coming from you," Iris whispered.

She felt a bit lighter even though it was a foolish reason to be comforted.

"I hate how desperate you sound. Are you hurt?"

"No, only tired. I fixed a lot of cuts and burns. Did you ever meet blue-masked MTs?"

"I can't say I have. Although Verstael did mention an elite program. Are you safe on that rock?"

"My brother almost finish setting our camp. We're as safe as can be. How's the arm working?"

She needed a change of subject.

"Great. No bleeding, barely any ache. I get you don't want to speak of what just happened…"

Something told her he wasn't ready to let her go just yet but had no idea what to tell her. She'd rarely let their conversation fall flat in the past, having a lot of repartee, but she just wanted to close her eyes and for Noctis to be back already. Too many people had been lost. She held back her sigh.

"Want to talk with Luna?"

"You think it'd help her?"

"I don't think it can hurt."

Luna seemed shock to hear Ravus' voice and nearly broke down right there. She didn't give him any detail, chiding him instead for running away like a child when they were still in Hammerhead. He didn't give her any excuse. Ravus rarely justified his actions, even to his own sister.

"Did you treat your own wounds?"

"I'm barely wounded." Luna retorted. "And you're one to talk. Are you still running all over the country on foot?"

"And chocobos. I'm turning out to be quite the rider."

That got her to smile. Ravus used to hate riding.

"I should be thanking you for burying the king. Noctis was really moved."

"I bet he still wants to kill my ass." The man stated, not sounding the least worried about it.

"Not in those terms, but you've grown to know him well."

"You should try to get some rest while you wait on him."

"I won't be sleeping tonight. I don't think I can."

Her voice trembled and Ravus could picture the look on her face. Forcing a peaceful front to hide the pain.

"Who was on that damn ship?"

Luna scoffed, a sound she never produced in normal circumstances. He'd heard it twice before, in horrible, horrible situations he'd worked hard on forgetting.

"Luna, seriously!"

"I think I see him!" Iris exclaimed.

Luna nearly leaped to her feet as everyone else yelled, but was careful of Prompto, who'd stirred awake but was still somehow groggy.

"Rav, I'm sorry, but I think he's getting back, I…"

"Okay. Just go. Stay safe."

Iris' phone turned off, leaving Ravus to the silence of the dead capital.

Noctis had followed the flickering light he'd first spotted, nearly lacking power on the way. He didn't raise a hand in salute. He mostly tried to control his speed and not break something as he touched down. Luna was the first next to him. Eyes red, surrounded by worry lines, she looked whiter than a sheet.

"What happened to you?" she asked.

"That's my line."

"You're bleeding all over."

"Most of it isn't mine…" Noctis tried to comfort her.

"Let me fix it."

"Give him some air!" Gladiolus teased her.

One look at the prince was enough to know he'd be alright. He was most certainly as shaken as every of them, but he'd live. He intervention reminded Noctis that a whole team made out of his best friends had risked their life with him, not only the woman he loved.

"Everyone alright?"

"More or less. I think you two needs some time alone. If you could just lend us the spare tents you keep in your infinite pockets, I'd set us up nice and cozy." Gladio offered.

"And I'll get lunch and dinner started." Ignis added.

Noctis noticed the look on their faces. They seemed overjoyed with relief at seeing him. They'd never parted in such a dangerous situation to leave each other to their own devices. Gladiolus would rather have a collection of scars then leave Noctis alone with potential enemies. They were all curious to know how he'd gotten out of this predicament, but Luna had been holding on so far and was reaching her limit. They could all see it.

Luna had already healed half of his cuts and pulled off his torn coat and shirt to get a better view of her work. He was too tired to feel embarrassed and wrapped one arm around Luna before she could strip him down and ushered everyone of them in a half hug.

"What happened to that daemon?" Aranea asked him, hanging by Ignis' arm.

"Couldn't fly right. Prompto did quite a number on his wings."

"Are you for real?" the gunman retorted.

"I'm so glad…" Iris sighed, echoing everyone's thought.

Their own hug was brief and a bit awkward, but they were all too tired to care. The worst of that mission was finally over. Luna took another ether, tired of their taste and Noctis followed her to their own tent, the first Gladio had set up from what they'd saved from Aranea's ship.

As he sat down, all his strengths left him, leaving him the shell of a man, exhausted and on the very brink. His mind was still reeling at the idea he'd just faced the man who'd possibly doomed his entire nation. Luna kneeled next to him, trying to stay collected and calm.

"How did it go?" she asked.

"I… isn't it crazy that I can just answer I flew out of there? My balance has gotten better in the last few weeks."

She tried to laugh, but her chuckle sounded fake and Noctis pulled her closer, until her hands fell on his sides, skimming his ribs, her eyes looking down to his chest.

"Luna…"

"I can't…" Her voice cracked and her shoulders shuddered under the first sob. "You don't need this right now and I know it, but I can't…"

Noctis wanted nothing more but to calm her down.

"Luna, it's okay. Tell me what happened. I'm sure I heard you scream earlier and…"

"Please, I can't…"

"What's wrong? We're all alive, we took out their main dropships factory…"

She sniffled, sobbed and gasped when he tried to hold her closer.

"I killed a man," she stammered. "I stabbed him with my trident over four times. Maybe more…"

Frowning, he stroked her hair, gentler than ever.

"I've killed countless people myself, Luna."

She didn't need the reminder, but he could tell she'd never hold this fact against him. Deaths were almost unavoidable when you were a member of royalty.

"But I'm supposed to be…" her voice broke and her lips quivered. She felt more tense than she ever did next to him.

It was almost as if she was torn up between her need for comfort and some inner repulsion for contact. Suddenly, everything seemed clear to Noctis.

"What did he do to you?!" he asked, unable to keep the anger down.

Luna whimpered, shaking her head, trembling even more.

"The memories were all gone," she said. "And a single look from him was nearly enough to…"

 _Tip me over. When I'd held on and never broke in the past_ , she thought bitterly.

"I'm sorry I wasn't with you."

"Oh, I'm glad you didn't see me like that," came her instant response.

"But... I would have killed him for you."

She grew silent, the trembling calming a bit and her eyes were hard when she scooted back, hands slipping to his upper arms.

"You see, that's the problem Noctis. I don't think I'd want anyone else killing him. He'd hurt _me_. Chased me down as a child if I ever tried to run away. Spied on me at… By the Six, I can't even say it out loud!" Luna nearly snapped.

Noctis bit his lips as his imagination ran wild, taking over the bits of information. All the things that man could have done to her. All the hurt she'd gone through and kept secret for his sake.

"I don't regret… killing him." That was the core of her pain at the moment. "He was an arrogant monster. I nearly regret how quick he died. Or waiting so long for finally standing up to him."

Before, there had been her people, also his prisoners, there had been all the threats against her brother. Her teenage years had been the worst point of her life. Her fight had resided in silent resistance, in fixing every tiny chip chided off on the wall she'd build around her mind. Noctis felt stunned. Hearing so much hatred coming from Lunafreya was new. Terrifying, but also good in a way.

"You're only human. You have a right to hate the people who hurt you. I only wish I'd been there."

On the airship. And in Tenebrae all those years ago. She could tell as much from the apologizing look in his eyes. A strangled sob escaped her sore throat.

"I can still feel his eyes on me."

This time, she didn't resist his embrace. She hid between his arms, letting the tears she'd barely permitted herself in the past fall. He tried to calm her, to find the light humming sounds that might soothe her and soon accepted he couldn't do more than hold her up. Unless those sobs racked her chest, she'd keep this burden and let it grow even stronger with every passing month.

"I wanted… wanted to ask you how things went… on your side…" She tried to ask.

"Later. Just let it out. All out."

It seemed like enough pain to swallow him whole. He rocked her back and forth in his arms. Was careful of not using nicknames as she'd let glimpses of Ulldor's manipulation's tactics out. It really wasn't fair that his princess suffered as much. But he refused her excuses and kissed her sorry's silent. It was bitter and salty, but she didn't yelp in fear or backed off from his contact. If anything, she relished it.

He'd help her contain the bad memories and learn that flesh and skin didn't only rhyme with sin. When the last sob died down, she laid in his arms, cozied close to him.

"You're too supportive of me," she muttered.

"I don't think I could ever be. I love you Luna. I don't care what you have to do to stay alive. I just need you in my life."

"Even though I'm… damaged goods?"

His eyes turned harsh.

"Don't ever call yourself like that again. You're my lifeline. My whole world."

Her heart melted a little.

"You're my one in a billion, Noct. And you don't know how much your letters helped me staying sane when things got bad."

They were each other's lifeline. And so much more yet.

…

They found the isolate construction right as they got out of their camp. Noctis knew he had better collect the new Royal arm instead of slacking. They'd taken the first day off, eating food, relaxing and enjoying time together. Ignis and Aranea barely let go of each other, and not even Gladio's comment on them behind suddenly cemented by the hip or something could bring them apart. They were still shocked and working through it in their own way. Iris texted some more with Ravus, when she didn't enjoy the anecdotes everyone shared over the times back in Insomnia, Tenebrae or even Galhad. They'd also rejoiced about the fact things would get back to normal with the dropships soon entirely out of commission. Reality came back too fast, but their food supply wasn't as infinite as the prince's pocket.

Finding a royal tomb high up here wasn't so shocking, but Luna was worried to see her prince so eager to get back in the fray. Since they were already on top of the old volcano, they might as well visit his ancestor's tomb, but she was apprehending the voices he might hear once more.

"Are you sure it's such a good idea to run toward more problems already?" Prompto asked.

"It's not a problem. It doesn't have to be a problem. Could you all just stop fretting? I'm not going to snap every time I collect a new royal arm."

"You can't blame us for worrying. You nearly died a day ago." Ignis observed.

"And if my ship was working, we wouldn't be taking the way down this mountain, we'd be flying to the closest resting spot." Aranea added.

She was wearing her armour once more, the helmet lost in the wreckage, her hair standing up on ends from a few braids. They all needed a good source of water and maybe two showers each instead of one. Noctis had offered them all a change of clothes, always carrying extra supplies with him. Most of their stuff was still at the Leville in Lestallum, since this was supposed to be an in and out mission.

This time around, he accepted to be followed inside the tomb, mostly because the air around Ravatogh's held a strange feeling to it. As though they were being watched. He'd rather have his friends with him than standing back in that threatening place. Every step seemed precarious and every beast was out to get them. They weren't used to humans coming that far up.

The mace of the Fierce awaited, lying on one faceless effigy.

 _This ended with him,_ he reminded himself.

As his fingers touched the stone, Noctis felt a strange presence in his mind. It wasn't invasive like the crystal. But it wasn't welcome either, like the ghostly feeling Carbuncle left in him after a dream.

 _ **You've come a long way already, Lucian heir. But we can all sense doubt in your mind.**_

 _Why wouldn't I have a few doubts about what you told me the last time._

 _ **13 is not a random number. You are going to face the lord of all daemons to defeat the scourge once and for all.**_

 _What is it that you know and are not telling me?_

 _ **There are many things we yet don't know and that you'll be the first of our line to face, chosen king. Should we really call him that? Has he earned that title yet? But the crystal chose him. After centuries of waiting from the veil…**_

Then a new voice rung, stronger than the others, sounding closer too.

 _ **What must my son do to prove himself? He felled the flying fortress and helped build up a new city out of Insomnia's ashes.**_

Noctis' heart missed a beat. That sounded so much like Regis, although the familiar voice boomed and echoed. Did that mean his father was already watching over him? He knew everything he did? How?!

"Father!"

 _ **We can't speak one by one like that, old king. It's against the rules. Getting recognized can perturb the pilgrim king.**_

 _I'm not perturbed!_ Noctis tried to object. Anything to hear more from Regis. To get a real chance of exchanging final words with him.

 _ **You should be. You've used your powers a great deal, against lesser enemies. The Scourge might be too strong for you if you wait any longer.**_

 _I can't hit it just yet, but we'll strike the empire…_

 _ **So small-minded. He's too young. The crystal should take more years from him yet.**_

Small-minded?

 _ **The empire isn't the real target, boy. And you've yet to gather more Astrals to your side. As it is, the 13**_ _ **th**_ _ **bearer of our weapons has achieved more.**_

Noctis clenched his teeth and felt Luna's hand on his shoulder. She could read the turmoil in him. He already sensed her magic, trying to take away the pain.

 _ **It's untrue. But we are concerned, chosen king. Your duty isn't to a single country. It's to the entirety of Eo.**_

 _Enough. Why can't you let my dad speak?!_

 _ **It is not his place to do so. And you shouldn't think of him as your father anymore. He's one of the great kings of old now.**_

The voices stopped altogether.

"How dare they…?!"

"What was it this time?" Gladiolus asked.

"I heard my father… But they wouldn't let him talk more than once."

Luna stepped closer and his right arm wrapped around her, the mace gone, the pain of its blue mass entering his body barely registered. He felt a very different pain instead. And time wasn't healing it well enough.

…

It was unreal. Noctis knew that had to be unreal. His father couldn't be alive. But he was standing before him. Eyes open. Beard still greyer than white. He still seemed somehow different. Was it the crown that sparkled with a red gleam? The mad look in his eyes.

"There are many, many things I left unspoken son."

"How can…?"

"Don't interrupt. We don't have much time."

Noctis tried to walk up to him, to reach out, but his limbs were heavy and his movements seemed to extend forever.

"This is a dream?"

"More like a vision. You fell unconscious. I don't know if your soul is still one with your body, but we'll fix that in a moment."

Regis looked at him as though he was analyzing a particularly complex problem. And it felt so foreign, so unlike the stares his king will usually give.

"Father?"

"Enough. You can be as unfocused as you want in the outside world, but this stolen time is mine and I don't want more interruptions. Or hugs. Or tears. You've grown. You've walked tall. At least you've tried so far."

 _Tried?!_ He held his tongue, but the next words drove the truth home. This wasn't Regis. It looked like him, it talked like him, but it couldn't be…

"I failed to raise you, chosen king. You look at the world and all you see are your friends, your loved ones, your citizens. You're still young. And the Oracle is a nice woman, I can't blame you for getting delayed or choosing her over your duty half the time."

The former king took a few steps, crossing his arms in his back. His bad leg held firm and strong and the cast was gone. He started passing, and Noctis blinked to make sure if he'd seen right or wasn't imagining something. There was a trickle of red falling down his face. Blood seeping from the crown.

"Splitting the Astrals is not a problem. Neither is taking detours. The crystal doesn't care how many humans you'll save when you defeat the Scourge. All it expects from you is your protection and that you do defeat the Scourge."

The crystal's will. That was a subject Regis never breeched.

"I thought both the Astrals and the crystal…" Noctis started.

Regis shook an impervious finger.

"Now, don't mix it all up. The Astrals live in realms so different from ours. Our planet could be gone and they wouldn't mind. They'd go on and create new creatures to watch suffer and wither out. They fear the Scourge, since it can corrupt even their beings. How do you think one can face something of this magnitude?"

While Noctis' lips parted to let an answer out, Regis raised one hand, commanding his silence.

"You gather all the light, and all the powers you can. And let those serving as your shield… shield you, for the lack of a better word."

Regis paused in his pacing, fully facing Noctis. His eyes were yellowish, skin tainted and the crown was growing, like it did in the previous nightmares he'd had before. Not a crown but a horn. Chest closing up over his beating heart, Noctis shook his head, his eyes refusing to close, his legs refusing to turn away. This wasn't his father. This couldn't be…!

"Wake up!"

Gasping, Noctis sat up to the faces of his worried friends. Luna was kneeling next to him, hands alight with magic.

"When?"

"You just told us you'd heard your father and then you collapsed man!" Prompto explained.

"It was quite unsettling. Have you eaten enough?" Ignis inquired.

"I have. I don't understand. It felt like a… a nightmare, but how could it just…."

"I think we should all take a longer break than what we've been having so far…" Ignis cut him off.

And as much as that break would feel better at the base of that mountain, Noctis could only agree. He'd eaten enough, he was well hydrated with the current heat and his ancestors had just forced on him a terrifying vision. Especially since he knew where daemons came from.

He held back Luna's hand on the rest of their walk, complying to stop for the afternoon and the night by the natural camping ground they found. Prompto had accepted to talk a bit and shared a few worries over the MT named 4. He'd also stated that the blue masked MTs needed to be checked if they ever meet another on.

"They might look like me. There was a bunch of other kids in that breeding facility. I can't remember their face, but we would all be around the same age if they'd survived."

"That guy called himself an elite," Noctis sighed.

"The one I defeated was definitely more resistant than our usual MTs. But why wait this long to let them out?" Crowe asked.

"You don't start right away with your ace." Aranea declared. "I never saw one of the breeding facilities. My family was too poor to keep their house, so my parents accepted to have me mark as a future MT to pay for the rent. They had a change of heart and ran to Lucis afterwards, but no one outside of the labs knew what was going on in there."

Prompto looked disheartened. His past was too far and quite repressed, making it difficult to piece things together. Luna couldn't help but watch over him, sensing how worried all the guys were about him. He'd insist on telling them the truth, even though Noctis denied it. That the fat elite soldier they'd defeated before Aldercapt looked exactly like him, with 200 more pounds.

Her eyes would then trail back to Noctis. He looked denser than before, shoulders too low. His father had spoken to him. And the news wasn't good. She almost wanted it to be only lies, but he'd refused to tell them more. Maybe she'd manage to have a tent to themselves tonight too and have a heart to heart talk with him. After all the comfort he'd given her, she owed him as much.

…

It was ridiculously early in the morning. A patch of smoke drifted around, like an undersized cloud. Up and round and up and square and…! The puff shivered as though coming to a sudden realization. Wyverns watched it zipping by at a tremendous speed, skidding over the rocks of Ravatogh, watching over the small campsite on the way, coming to a halt in front of a particularly shiny stone.

 _Is there still beauty in this world? Have I grown senile yet?_

Drifting thoughts followed the smoky apparition, delving in a cave-like crater, finding a vein of water amidst the vapour and heat. The smoke warped over itself, growing darker, a whirlwind of poisonous tread. Purple bolts ran out from its core as the air turned solid, as the fume became bones. A layer of muscles to hold himself up. The organs he'd grown to appreciate, with a few ones perfected. Eyes shone in the dark. Not his yet, he rather liked to start from the lower half when he created perfection.

His feet were tainted with ashes, but the skin rippled up, covering the bloody mess of man and daemon. The process nearly hurt, but what was it compared to his hundred lifetimes?

 _Pain. None of those people understand pain. Am I such a bad teacher?_

Fingers twitching, shoulders flexing, hair growing on his head, the man tested his vocal chords in a low hum. The cave echoed in answer. Standing up, he studied his arms. The hairs were still growing. Something shivered beneath his skin, as though a daemon was hoping to come out.

"Not yet, darling."

He kneeled on the fuming rocks, swallowing the stench of death, relishing the burns on the sole of his feet. His brain was still in pain. His eyes shone in the trickle of water. Yellow and dark.

"Need to fix that." The chancellor sighed, scratching at his stubble. When he stood up, he noticed how bare he was and grumbled. "As pretty as I look, this might seem undignified. Gramps didn't have to burn my clothes too."

But his disappointment was as fake as the skin he wore. He missed his old body, his first body, the real Ardyn Lucis Caelum. Some of the memories were fading, but sometimes they'd come back in a flash of clarity. The ghost of his first wife. A toddler babbling and cooing joyfully. The gratitude from someone he'd healed. All the simplest rights a man could ask for, denied, only because his solution was too drastic to everyone's taste.

"I wonder, if the empire is of any use to me at this point… Since he reunited with his princess, the prince went from one challenge to the next. And he's winning. Winning, but not ready to give up yet."

He needed Noctis to accept his fate. He needed the young man to fess up with reality and become the chosen king. Messing around with humans was fine and the only gratification he felt nowadays. Although Noctis was on the right track, he still had hope. The one thing that would prevent him from making the ultimate sacrifice.

"He needs to understand how toxic I am for this world. For the people he cares about. He doesn't loathe me just yet…"

Talking to himself was a bad habit. Ardyn was highly conscious of it. But being immortal had its perks. You could let your adversary in on nearly all your secrets. They still couldn't win.

He'd played that game over and over during the last centuries. Testing men's limits. Taking away pieces of their heart. Literally sometimes. Although he was much more of a metaphor man.

He had a plan for every last one of them.

Make the sun bleed out. Destroy the guardian. Corrupt the friend. Ruin the innocent. Kill any traitor. Break down the guide's will. Leave some untouched to collect the damage. But first on his list now was to get the chosen king to see his true heritage.

"The truth will set you free, won't it?"

He snapped his fingers, materializing his fedora hat. As he stepped out, the wind made him wonder if he should hold the hat in front of his bareness or keep it on his head. He could have summoned more clothes, but it seemed like too much effort when he still hadn't regained his full strength. He saw himself in a polished stone, muscles toned, purplish-red hairs running down his torso.

"Kinky." He commented, raising one thumb in mocked pride. "Let's see why my guts told me to restart on top of this mountain instead of a road."

A whiff of roast being cooked answered him. He'd instinctively wanted to be closer to his target.

"Well, well, well. Let's get the next act underway boys."

To be continued….

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It isn't a cliffhanger. Or is it? Ardyn won't strike right away, rest assured. But time skips are going to start. I hope you liked this chapter.

On a side note, I hurt my wrists -badly enough for the pain to run up my elbows- from writing too much in too little time (over 40 pages on school and last chapter plus some of this one) and all the writing I can get done must focus on school at the moment. I'm trying to rest up to get better because I don't want it to become a serious problem. So I'm in splints and trying to relax somehow. Next chapter might take more time to come because of this and I'm deeply sorry about it, but I can't focus like I want to with this muscle pain, so it's better for the story too.

I didn't have enough NoctLuna, but more will come, plus another royal arm and the first serious time skip in the fic.

As always, reviews make me quite happy. 😊


	47. Blade of fire

I have to warn you that the Noctluna part of this chapter is quite close to smut. If not outright smut. I didn't have the heart to tamper myself with this one. I hope you won't mind, but I have an inkling most of you won't mind, at least not too much. If I'm wrong, be sure to let me know, I'll make the necessary changes. 😉

On another note, my arms are doing better, enough to write for longer periods of times, and I've decided to grant myself a week of vacation, since my birthday is this week. Hope to catch up on some fic, but mostly this one.

I'm really, really grateful for the reviews and the good wishes. You guys are awesome! Have some SilverGold, Noctluna, bad guys, another royal arm (two more things I won't name in the name of suspense) and the time skip I keep promising. Enjoy!

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Unexpected

Chapter 47 – Blade of fire

"How did everything go baby?"

"We're all alive and the fortress is down."

"Ya don't sound too good though. Ya know wa can speak ta me straight, right Prom?"

"It was bad, GG," the gunman stated.

He sounded exhausted.

"Define bad," Cindy insisted.

"Worse than everything I could have imagined. There's a new line of MTs."

"I'm really starting to wonder how that empire of theirs even work. With that many human soldiers, you'd think they don't have that many citizens left…"

He tried to laugh, but it came out as a sad, broken sound and Cindy sighed on her end of the phone.

"Wan' me ta meet ya up in Lestallum, city boy?"

"I don't want you to miss works or Cid's return to the garage…"

"Paw paw's stuck in Free Crown for a bit longer. That Ostium guy is finding all sorts of projects for him ta tinker on. And the job has been pretty low lately. My only reason ta stick around is ta get Mr. Obnoxious' payment on my latest work."

Prompto ran one hand through his hair.

"I'd like to see you, but I don't want you on the road. Those new MTs… It's only a suspicion I have as of now, but they…"

Saying it how loud might jinx him and made things real when they were just a figment of his imagination.

"Spill it Prom."

"I think they're… like me. Like… copies… or clones. I can't remember the faces of the other kids back in that breeding centre, but the one we fought with Noctis…"

"So what if some MTs has the same face as ya? I swear, don't get me wrong, Prom, A have no idea how that can make ya feel to see yar own face in them, but it doesn't change who _you_ are!"

Her accent wearing off for that very word meant so much more than any sweet words.

"You really think so?!"

"Ya're on our side. Ya wan' ta be on Noctis' side from deep within yar guts. Ya've been keeping a smile on everyone's face even when you didn't feel like smiling. And that's the man I fell in love with. So… No matter what ya must face, don't go doubting yourself. Ya value won't change. Not for ol' me."

"Okay… You're killing me here. I think something in my chest melted."

She let out a shy giggle, something he'd never get used to coming from her. But that pep talk had been a lot more unexpected. Somehow, it seemed that she knew just the right words.

"How did I ever deserve you?"

"Well, I'd hoped ya 'ould perk up enough ta take my mind o' things."

"What things?"

"Don't be counter-active about it. Off things, Prom. I had ya in my bed for only a short while. And I've been missing ya."

The smile settled on his face and he wasn't sure if he could wipe it off as he pushed all bad thoughts away and focused on her. It was a good thing he'd isolate himself before dialling her number and he wasn't angry that the others were too focused on their couple or their own cellphone to wonder what he was up to.

His naughty and/or sweet words were only for that girl.

…

Noctis lied on their makeshift bed on his back, arms crossed under his head, with one leg bent. He was lost in thought and Luna knew where those thoughts might lead him. He'd heard his father today. She never had a chance to really meet her own father and had grown to love Regis in a matter of days. The man was gentle, caring and genuine despite being of royal lineage. Seeing him die had torn up her heart and the very thought of it was enough to make her hands tremble in shame and held-back pain. But for Noctis, the pain was worse. He had only glimpses and bits to imagine what had happened in the capital. His father and he had had a rocky relationship during the last few years and if the young man was looking for someone's approval, it had been Regis.

And now the man had appeared to him as a spectre, voicing concerns and warnings that had nothing to do with his father.

"Noct…"

His blue eyes took their time shifting from the fabric of the tent to her. The worry etched on her face made him feel more guilt and it was getting hard to swallow it back down. What could he complain about? The other kings seemed fine with him keeping Luna alive. He'd won against daemon Aldercapt and took down the fortress in the most daring mission his team had pulled off yet. There were no casualties on their side, at least, none that should leave permanent damage.

"I'm…"

The word _okay_ remained in the back of his throat and he sensed all his defences falling under her gaze. She cared. Unlike the spectre of his father who seemed to believe he was running away or taking too much time to go through every task that would take him closer to purifying their world from the scourge.

Luna crawled to sit next to him, their hands instinctively reaching for each other. Fingers entwining, his eyes hesitant, the pain and doubts sipping through every of his features.

"I don't how Luna… Every time I take another swing at the empire, those voices chide me for taking detours."

"There was no chosen king before you, Noct. None of your ancestors know exactly what it is you must do. Only the Astrals and the crystal…"

But they didn't seem to agree and as she brushed his face with one hand, her fingertips soft on his warm skin, the prince wondered how much more weight his shoulders could take. He could freaking fly and defeat abominations all on his own. He could shield himself from missiles and bullets, while words could still undo him.

"He said the Astrals don't care. Not about us."

His voice shivered, but his eyes were dry, as though he was too tired to cry. Luna ruffled his hair and he sighed and pulled her closer to him, sitting in his lap, breathing in her scent. They both needed a real shower, but the air around Ravatogh's rough was too heated to waste their reserve of water on such trivial things.

"I always knew we were mere tools to them. But they still accept to serve as tooll for us in return for our help," Luna stated.

"Ain't that a blasphemy coming out of your mouth?"

"It's the honest truth. I don't know what else you heard…"

"I don't know what he meant… But it wasn't my father. And it wasn't my ancestors either. I'm sick of those visions."

She held him closer, hoping her arms around him could convey just how well she understood what he was going through. They held on each other for many minutes, Noctis looking for reprieve in the sound of her breathing, in the dance of her fingers in his hair or on his skin. When she ghosted a path down his neck, he let out an unintended moan. He felt more open than usual. And with a mere look, Lunafreya let him know she was willing to protect whatever vulnerable sides he'd let out.

"Would you like a change in scenery?"

"Wha…?"

His voice died down as her lips kissed the pulse on his neck, her hands splaying underneath his shirt. She was straddling him already and raised herself up against him, her mouth nuzzling a weak spot just below one ear. A mix of pleasure and guilt rose within his heart. Wasn't this the so-called distraction his fake father had reprimanded him for? Wasn't she still shaken from her meeting with her past abuser on the Quezacoatlz?

"Luna…" he started nervously.

"You need it as much as I do."

She gently bit his earlobe, pulling his shirt up to his shoulders, her breath on his skin giving him goosebumps. He had half a mind to tackle her to the floor and kiss her senseless, but the harsh words were too fresh. _The Oracle is a nice woman… I can't blame you for choosing her over your duty half the time._

Could there be someone spying on them? Not the ghost of Regis, but someone else… Something else?! The idea made him tense up and Luna halted her ministrations, biting down her lower lip as she looked into his eyes.

"What's wrong?"

Sharing his crazy doubts would only hurt her. She'd been spied upon and degraded enough as it is. It felt like a miracle that she could still muster the courage to love him and shower him in love like she did.

"I…"

"Are you worried about the others hearing us?"

That hadn't crossed his mind but he had to admit, either of the guys or even Iris getting to hear them was the last thing he wanted. Forget being spied upon! Her smile eased most of his worries on that front and he still raised his arms to let her get him out of his shirt. His chest was already damp with perspiration.

"I really want to focus solely on you, Luna."

"Then focus on me," she whispered back, quickly adding in a breathy voice: "And keep your voice down."

She gently pushed his shoulders down to the mattress, undoing his belt buckle and pulling any remaining clothes off him. When Noctis gestured to take the initiative, she gripped his hips hard, nails digging into his skin. She wanted free reigns over their night. He saw a hint of fear in her eyes and held his breath as she disrobed herself. Any guilt was gone. The only light inside the tent was the moon rays piercing the fabric, drawing shadows on her skin. There were scars marring her flesh, scars that might not be from the battles he'd pictured once. His heart clenched at the thought. And still, she laid down a dozen kisses on him, accepting his hands and shuddered breathes and the eyes that couldn't look at something other than her.

Chosen king or not, he was human and owed some reprieve after everything he'd done. So did the woman he loved.

"You don't have to force yourself for my sake, Luna."

"Same goes for you. And still you force a smile. You have a right to hurt. To ache. And as much of a healer I am, I don't know how to fix this unless I divert your heart."

He had no words to let her know what she did to him as they merged and mixed, sweat, shivers and tension giving place to bliss. He feared his voice might betray them both as she arched and ruled their pace, slowing whenever he was ready to burst inside her. She nearly stopped at one point, Noctis raising himself on one arm to pull her chest flush against his. She didn't push him back down, but her eyes were nearly blurred by all the sensations coursing through her. A low whimper came out of her lips and he met her with a frenzied kiss, more tongue than lips, breath mingling, her hands gripping to his lower back side.

Their names seemed like the only words their brain could process at this point.

"Luna…"

Her mouth tugged on his lower lip, their kisses going from sloppy to frantic. She felt more alive than she'd done in a long time, as out of control as him when he'd let every of his powers out.

"Shh, Noctis. They'll hear…"

He held her closer, hips thrusting and trashing. She met him, a mess of pent-up emotions, quivering and shaking as release took over. They stayed locked in their embrace for as long as possible, Luna's face in the crook of his neck, Noctis clumsily kissing her shoulder, her hair, refusing to part from her warmth yet. Their skin stuck together and the shivers seemed even worse than before, their bodies oversensitive.

"I love you."

"And I you, Noct. Tell me how you feel."

Spent, sated, electrified.

"Like I'm right where I should be."

"You mean ins…"

He kissed her words silent, laying them down on their thin bed, relishing the way she clung to him.

"Not wrong," she whispered as she traced lazy circles on his chest. "Never wrong."

Her words hurt and mended him at the same time. There was nothing wrong with him loving her. Nothing wrong with him fighting the empire and protecting Lucis while working towards the unattainable goal of purging the Scourge from this world. Nothing that could make his father disappointed of him.

"Next time, I want to hear your voice."

She moaned into his ears, nearly driving him crazy all over again.

In the morning, they were met by knowing gazes from both the older members of the group, while Iris remained unaware of the reasons why either Noctis or Luna was blushing when Aranea pulled a face at them, before to whisper the words:

"We were almost jealous. Weren't we Iggy?"

The strategist scoffed in answer, not quite comfortable to be put on the spot in such a discussion. It was Prompto warning them Cindy would try to meet up with them down the road that had them hurrying to breakfast. They lacked a car and all needed to be reunited with civilization.

…

Verstael was typing away on one computer, doing his best to keep his mind off the latest news. The Quezacoatlz, one of his most incredible creation, had crumbled down the sky. A skeleton of metal in barren lands. His elite soldiers had rounded up the situation in Insomnia. Otto-5's latest update wasn't good. Someone was still ruining their ships, helping refugees escape. It was a lone wolf's work and the scientist had a mind of calling Ravus Nox Fleuret if only to verify if the deserter would have the nerve to answer. Without his prosthetic arm, the fallen prince was untraceable even to him.

"They all ask for the impossible…" he grumbled in his stinging beard.

He hadn't taken a shower in days and the blight had started to show through his blond white hairs. Dark stains of doom. His latest vaccine was slowing it down, he had decided he'd rather test the new concoction on himself than any poor creature around. As it was, Nefeilheim was holding on his shoulders only and no one else. As comfortable as Aldercapt's throne actually was, he hated casting orders left and right to incompetent. Otto-10 was the only capable man around. And it wasn't even a man for real.

A violent crash made him jump and miss a key in his line of code. Swearing under his breath, Versteal looked up from his work station. Daemon Aldercapt was back, having just torn up his favourite lab's wall to get in, standing on his hinder legs, tail and horns lowered like a sad dog. All that the scientist could think was: _those horns are flexible?_

"That prince is too strong… Those claws and fangs weren't enough to rip him to shreds."

"You rushed out too soon, my lord. And you were never a fighter, unless you've forgotten."

"Is this how you would speak to your emperor? You were supposed to fix me!"

Verstael clenched his fists until his knuckles cracked. He really ought to move a little more. Taking a deep breath, he mustered more patience.

"You're past the stage of fixing, daemon lord. But if you can muster patience, I might be able to reinforce your wits, so that you stay more in control of yourself."

"Why would I need…?!

"Your wings are in pieces and I saw the fight with that wretched Noctis Lucis Caelum. You were more beast than man as you fought. You need your head clear. Lay down on the table and let us start with the wings."

Verstael wasn't afraid of the monster standing before him. He'd worked with monsters his entire life and had created enough of them to know fear never made a man safer around these things. Iedolas' mind was nearly broken and he knew the scientist was the only person left to look after him in his awful state.

"Will I fly again?" he asked as he took one tentative step toward the table.

"Better yet. You'll soar."

Verstael's eyes were dark and a speck of madness lurk deep inside. What nature corrupted, science could magnify. And he loved nothing more than to create new beings. He had three elite soldiers to replace after all.

The codes on his screen remained forgotten. A twisted genome he wanted fixed. The only boy ever taken from the facility, by the very donor of life he'd kept in a golden cage.

…

It was early in the afternoon when Noctis remembered Cid's advice on the royal arms. They were nearing the last slope of Ravatogh's and wouldn't see the lava rocks after a few more steps, which had him summoning his engine blade out of the blue and hurry back on their steps.

"What are you doing?" Iris asked, voicing everyone's question.

"I need to try something with this sword," he retorted. "How about you guys take a break?"

Luna followed him with a light frown, Ignis staying close, having a good idea what this was about. Noctis couldn't collect 13 royal arms unless he took Luna's trident and he couldn't do it without her dying. He recruited Aranea into diverting Luna's attention, to which Aranea decided Iris' help was needed.

The king's shield offered to check on Noctis, but the prince insisted he'd rather be alone to get done with his task and promised to be careful. Iris wasn't too keen on letting Noctis be on his own after having him around for so little time since the Quezacoatlz ordeal, but she did have questions for Luna about her recently gained powers. Except from fatigue, she hadn't experienced any of the symptoms Luna had described to her. And she was starting to worry if that meant anything.

Crowe wasn't angry to sit down. Her legs were begging for mercy and when she mentioned so, Gladio couldn't help himself and offered her a massage.

"Now don't get me wrong, it's a really tempting offer, but do you really want to massage my legs out in the open."

"I think the guys already know we're together. And I only have therapeutic goals."

Crowe eyed him with suspicion written all over her face, but let him sit next to her and get to work on her knotted muscles. It was quite clear the man didn't mind touching her and had been looking for an excuse since their little escapade alone, but he did know what he was doing and eased most of the tension in her. Aranea called them on favoritism, to which Prompto suggested a session of massage for everyone, which caused them to argue about property, how clean -or unclean- Gladio's hands were and some other silly stuff that managed to keep Luna's attention away from Noctis.

The prince in question had summoned four of his royal arms, focusing his attention on the blades, looking for gravures or symbol that would ornate most if not every of them. That house of Lucis had one symbol, a winged skull that had always left Noctis wondering why any of his ancestors would ever decide on such a picture as their representation through the ages.

That thing didn't show up on any royal arm. But the wing was always there somewhere. Like his father's sword. A wing. That was what his engine blade lacked. A portion of his powers. He quickly recalled the royal arms, laying his engine blade at his feet and gathering lava from the stones nearby. He'd never played with that element, but as hot as it felt, it was close enough to fire for Noctis to adapt. His eyes burned red as he cut off the silver piece of metal making up the sword's guard, remodeling it into a wing that followed every detail of the one on the other royal arms. The work was a lot easier than he'd expected it, the magic reacting to him, the fusion of the wing back on the sword going smoothly.

It was when he got to the point where he had to imbue his powers in it. He'd done it on sodas and juices before, turning them into potions or elixirs like his father had taught him. He'd warped water into ether to refill their stock the other week. But the engine blade hadn't been made into a flying, warping weapon at first. He tried to focus on the wild energy he usually dove in when he would let the blue light cover him. His eyes were redder than the flames burning on the mountain.

Blue ribbons of energy swept through the air, wrapping around the blade. Noctis willed it to turn around him, as his royal arms usually shielded him. The flight of the weapon seemed erratic at first, but with a few spins, it turned straighter and more precise. Noctis poured all the magic he dared into it, until he didn't have to focus on the sword anymore for it to move like any other royal arm. Then he summoned all of them. Ten weapons, fluttering, swishing around him. An impenetrable shield. His red eyes shone in the passing curtain of steel. And a single voice rang in his ears:

 _ **Well done, son. Don't let anyone's magic dictate your way. Keep walking tall.**_

And something told him this was the true Regis speaking. Somewhere out there, his father was looking out for him. And approving his hard work. He let the royal arms dive into the ground around him, each and every of them sending stone shards around. The swords. Axe, halberd, shuriken. His powers were theirs and theirs were his. No crystal or ancestors pestering him.

 _I'll gather them all. Just you wait and see._

When he rejoined with his friends, discovering that Prompto was demanding his own massage at Gladio's hands, Noctis couldn't help but call forward the engine blade to answer Luna's questioning look.

"Cid had told me I might be able to forge a royal arm if I came here. And this blade has been with him for such a long time… Only three more to go."

"How are you feeling?" Ignis asked.

"No new hallucination?" Luna quickly added.

He shook his head.

"I'm on the right track. We dealt a serious blow to the empire. I think we should spend the next month in Lestallum, regroup with Cor and take things easy for a change."

They cheered, Gladiolus giving him a congratulatory slap on the shoulder while Prompto nearly hugged him in his excitement.

…

Cindy had brought their motorcycles in her truck, refusing to tow the Regalia on such a long way. The car was waiting for them back in Lestallum, but they agreed to take a few breaks on the way, if only to enjoy rest in a real bed and the comfort of a hot shower.

They reached Lestallum on Iris' birthday and Gladiolus insisted on throwing her a real feast, which Ignis, Crowe and Luna cooked while Prompto and Noctis went gift shopping. Gladiolus bought his sister a new phone, in which she immediately entered a certain blond-haired prince's contact number. The guys gave Iris a new bo staff, a full crownsguard uniform -which actually made her cry- and a stuffed moogle kit, plus tickets for the Chocobo-Moogle festival in Altissia.

"It's in six months, but I bet you we'll be there by spring," Noctis declared.

He had bought tickets for every member of their party, plus a few extra ones, in case Cindy, Cor, Talcott or his future brother-in-law wanted to tag along. He really didn't see Ravus as a festival guy, but he was still impatient to meet with him again and get back his father's sword.

Aranea was given money for her help, to wish she turned all business and argued with Noctis about her rates and all the extra work she'd done. The discussion died down when Gladiolus suggested they let Ignis pay her the extra work with sexual services, to which both Iris and Ignis looked scandalized.

"Brother!"

"Can't you guys take a joke?"

Cindy and Prompto cuddled a lot in their own corners, despite joining in on the fun as much as possible. They all danced, played games, visited an arcade, brought Iris to a club despite Gladiolus' protest, merely danced at the club, refusing to let the girl drink anything that wasn't water or club sodas. By the time they got back to the Leville, Iris was too tired to tell them good-night and slipped into her own room. Cindy and Prompto shared a room, while Ignis, Noctis and Gladio decided to hang together, both men wanting to have a talk with their prince about his attitude on the ship. Luna, Aranea and Crowe had agreed to pull an all-nighter in women's talks and Iris would have been welcomed to join them. Except she was tired. And she also wanted to talk to someone in private.

She texted him on her old phone, warning him about the new number, before insisting with her new phone about having a call if possible.

 _What's going on?_ Came Ravus' answer.

 _I just want some news._ Iris typed back. _Unless this is a bad time._

She answered right as her phone rang:

"Everything okay?"

"Whoa, what has gotten into you?" Ravus asked.

He sounded surprised and Iris recalled the last time they'd talked was right after the Quezacoatlz.

"I might be a little hyper, but I just had one of the best day of my life."

He chuckled. Hearing her so happy was quite refreshing and also comforting considering how dreary his environment looked.

"How come?"

She felt a little embarrassed to admit it out loud, but he had no way to know her birth date. It wasn't one of the details he'd asked when he'd interrogated her over her health.

"I turned 16 today," she declared in one breath.

Ravus gulped down at the reminder of her youth. A sixteen-year-old girl. Not even close to majority yet. His mind warned him there was no reason to fret, but his heart spoke otherwise and he was careful of controlling his voice as he declared in a serious tone:

"Happy birthday then."

She laughed, surprised to feel even more nervous to hear those words coming from him.

"Thanks. Today felt normal, my first normal day since… everything. We just got in Lestallum and Noctis decided we'd take a break for the next few weeks."

A sigh of relief greeted her blabbering.

"Luna could use a break. And so do you. You need real sleep if you want to grow taller."

It sounded clumsy even to him, but he hadn't meant anything by it. It was what a big brother would say, wasn't it? Some harmless teasing and no wishful thinking on his part. Why would he partake in any sort of wishful thinking?

"What?! I'm not…! Oh, I won't get angry with you today, I want to keep this happy mood. Tell me what you've been up to." Iris declared.

"Well… The usual… Running tests, keeping clear of the imperials, helping a few civilians here and there."

"For real?!"

"What do you mean _for real_? I can help people sometimes. I didn't even blight them or turn them into lab rats."

She laughed as his indignation and could bet a light smile was tugging at the corner of his lips. She was getting to know him pretty well.

"Will you get out of the capital eventually? I can tell Luna's been worried about you during the last few days…"

"I'm close to a breakthrough. I think I need a few more days…"

"And Cindy seriously think you're going to ditch on your payments for that arm." Iris cut him off.

He grumbled a few choice words before to add:

"She'll get paid, don't worry. I've killed enough beasts on my way and collected my fees on the imperials I met lately. I just need to get through one of their blue masked MT."

"I think you'd better avoid them."

"I don't fear the elite. You guys were able to defeat some of them too, weren't you? I just need to corner one…"

"Ravus, I'd rather not think of you killing people before going to sleep."

"Well, save your trouble and don't think of me at all," he shot back.

There was no hard feeling hidden beneath his words. His voice sounded firm, almost playful, but Iris didn't like how he kept trying to pull away from her.

"I wanted to give you news sooner, but my old phone's battery had nearly died. I broke it during the mission, it wouldn't charge anymore."

He remained silent, unsure of the way he should answer. Was she trying to ascertain whether or not he'd been worried about her? They usually talked every two days or so…

"I had surmised you usually took time away from the group to talk with me. Getting stuck on a volcano isn't the best spot for privacy."

"I guess not. But you know how our talks put me at ease," she wondered if she should really drift to this subject and steered back a little: "You know, I don't think our last conversation was really fair to you. Luna hung up as soon as she saw Noctis…"

"I wouldn't blame her. She'd been worried sick about the man her whole life."

"So what's happening in the capital? How are you doing?"

"I'm… I'm good."

"Not even a little lonely?"

"Get off my case, Amicitia. I'm eating three meals a day and even socializing a bit."

"Does socializing mean taking down an MT in your language?"

He blew a whistle.

"Colour me impress. You're starting to know me too well. You should get to bed. It's getting quite late."

"I'm already in bed, but I'm too excited to sleep."

She sounded like a little girl, but he couldn't help the smile growing on his face. She had a right to act young and carefree. Heck, she should remain carefree for a couple more years if possible.

"So I'm supposed to bore you to death with science facts or something?"

"Are you offering entertainment?" Iris asked.

"Are you asking for entertainment?"

"This game could get old real fast. How about that breakthrough?"

He wondered why he even went along with her. He didn't know how to act with a friend, he barely knew how to act around his own sister. But it was her birthday and as much as he'd deny it, he missed her. Might as well give her something, even if it was a lousy gift."

"Well, I transferred my lab in an observatory to look for the dark moon among the satellites in the sky. Around this time of year, it's in closer orbit than ever."

"How would seeing it help you?"

She sounded genuinely intrigued and Ravus felt a wave of gratitude at the attention she was giving him. Sharing his discoveries with someone was still new and really rewarding.

"That satellite has always eluded astrologists. It creates enough clouds of ashes to hide itself, even when its orbit brings it closer to the surface."

"But where are the ashes falling?"

"They're sticking to the clouds, mixing in with the rain. You don't have to worry about the blight. You're immune to it now. At the moment, the moon isn't shedding any ashes. There's only previous debris remaining to hide it and the sky is getting pretty clear this week. I think the fact both you and Luna have light powers might have hindered the star."

She sat straighter in her bed, unable to believe how hopeful that made her. To think she might help lessen the blight only with the powers she'd recently gained…

"Does that mean that fewer people should be getting sick?"

"It's only a hypothesis and I don't want you doing anything reckless because I shared it with you."

"There's something I could do to hinder it even more?!"

Ravus raised his eyes to the ceiling, keeping his nerves in check not to slap himself in the face.

"Iris, I don't want you doing anything reckless, not for any reason, blight, king, friends, nothing."

"Don't scold me, I was just being curious. And you're not well placed to talk."

With a deep sigh, he agreed with her.

"Just stay safe."

"I will. You'd better stay safe too, Ravus."

Her voice had slowed and as he checked the time, he realized it was nearly 3 in the morning.

"Get some sleep, Iris."

"Goodnight, Rave…"

The nickname surprised him, but he bid her good-night and waited until the dial tone died down to admit to himself he felt somehow… flustered.

 _It's not even the first time she calls you that,_ he thought to himself.

But it had sounded a lot sweeter than any other time. And it got to him, despite how much he wanted to remain unfazed by the young, hard-headed, surprisingly strong Iris Amicitia. Luna had already shown a few doubts. And he was starting to wonder if this might be such a bad thing.

"Except she's 16 and you're nearly 29."

That was wrong whichever way he turned it in his head. Being friends was the least he could do, but whatever their awkward hug had meant, he would have to fight it.

…

On the following night, the sleeping arrangement were changed. Everyone had enjoyed a day around the town, Aranea dressing up in casual clothes for the first time since the beach. She'd dragged Ignis to the side after dinner, impatient to have him to herself between four walls. It hadn't happened since their two minutes in a closet on the Quezacoaltz. They'd talk a lot whenever they could be alone together, although Aranea had declared they'd forego any talks about the future. She'd been reminded how easily her life could be turned upside down or snatched away and wanted to focus on the present.

"I really want to ravish you right here and now, but I think we had better talk about what happened on that fortress," Ignis told her.

Aranea was wearing a pair of jeans and snickers, plus a delicate blouse that made her look far too feminine for his heart. The look of astonishment on the other guys' faces had been worth it, not to mention how Ignis had been unable to focus on the tactical discussion during dinner, his eyes always veering back to her, as though pulled by a magnetic force.

"I've pushed it back enough, haven't I? You know I wasn't really angry with you when you caught me. Only your prince could survive a fall from that height."

"You've told me so before. It's not your first reaction I'm concerned about. I can't help but worry that you could… turn back to your defences once the shock fades."

They'd clung to each other to remain sane during their whole stay around Ravatogh's rock. But since they'd regained contact with the civilization, Aranea had kept her distances, as though she needed to regain her bearing. It was a normal reaction and Ignis was patient enough, but the fear of losing her had grown close to an obsession.

"I'm sick of pushing you away," she declared, looking him straight in the eyes, her hands gripping his.

Ignis couldn't help but remember how quickly she'd disengaged from his hold once she was back on her feet. How she'd reached for him as the ship shook. How she'd held back sobs in that metal closet, sobs that might have raked through her years ago, when he'd failed her. And as much as he was glad for the chance he'd had to make things right, he couldn't help but think the very fact she'd experienced such an experience twice around him meant he'd failed her twice.

"So are we good now?"

He sounded like a little boy and Aranea bit her lips at the sight. It made her heart squeeze in a tight ball in her chest. She cupped his face with both hands, stroking his jawline, his exquisite cheekbones.

"We were good before I fell. It just brought back… a lot of feelings I had stashed away for good, or so I thought. I thought MTs or daggerquills would come and make you lose your hold on me."

After she started, the words refused to stop flowing out, as though she'd opened a valve kept closed for too long.

"I thought I had made a very bad use of our time together since we were reunited. You know how when you almost fall or trip, you'll stay with a scare for a few seconds? I was left with that scare for… weeks when I first fell. After the reeducation, it took Biggs and Wedge calling me names to have me crossing a five-foot-tall bridge. And then the empire snatched me up and I was stuck in the life I had run from. I wasn't exactly a MT, so I guess it was different, but despite getting called a mercenary, I wasn't… free."

And her freedom was all Aria ever had.

"I don't know how you did half the things you did. Going through those operations…"

She grimaced, but decided he owed the full story.

"Do you want to see them?"

He didn't blink in question, instantly knowing she meant her lower legs. Her feet. Her scars. His throat felt too tight.

"Only if you want…"

"Okay, but… I don't want this to turn into a Niobe's number. Give me a minute."

Ignis wasn't sure what she could have in mind, but barely manage to keep his mouth shut when she walked out of the bathroom an instant later, stark naked, only wearing boots that stopped above her knees.

"You know, you're beautiful enough to bring a man to tears, so I doubt…"

"None of your jokes, Ignis."

She looked too pale, almost frail despite the defined muscles in her arms and the gracious curves his eyes followed with a new hunger. He walked up to her, pulling her up in his arms to sit her on their bed, his lips instinctively stealing a kiss from her.

"No groping before you've taken the boots off," she warned.

The room seemed to cold and he wanted to cover her with his body, but he knelt in front of her instead, working on the clasps of the left boot. His breath reached her knees and his thumb brushed the inside of her thigh, hoping a caress would ease her apprehension. He undid the clasps on the other boot before to ease her leg out of it. The curve of her calf was jagged, red and dark-brown scars and sewing points' marks running through more scars. Her left foot sported similar scars, one toe askew compared to the others. One was missing on her right foot, which looked otherwise unscathed. He grazed the sole of her feet, trying to keep a straight face. She shivered under his touch and tried to pull her feet away, her trembling turning into a slight laugh.

Raising one brow, he looked up at her.

"Ticklish?"

"I was always… The scars are more sensitive. Newer skin."

A smile graced his lips, filled with sorrow, but also a teensy bit of hope. He looked back down to her legs and raised one of her feet to his lips.

"What are you…?"

"I don't care if you have scars, or a missing toe or metal bones, Aria. I love…"

He kissed the sole of her foot.

"…every…"

Planted a kiss on the crisscrossing scars that branded one ankle.

"…inch…"

Kissed both of her knees in turn.

"…of you."

He rested her legs on either of his shoulders, clearly inspired by her absence of clothing and she had to steady herself with both elbows as he motioned forward, their eyes locking.

"Iggy," she breathed out.

Tears rolled down her face and his chest heaved as he tried to tamper down the emotions he'd bottled up for years.

"We can't end up in tears every time we have sex."

"Unless you tell me they're tears of joy."

She nodded, almost too quickly, sniffing and shivering before to cup his face, demanding for a kiss before anything else.

"Can you ever forgive me for letting you go through this?" he asked her despite knowing better.

"At this point, you should forgive yourself, Ignis. It wasn't your fault. Not then and not…"

His lips claimed hers then as he wrapped his arms around her frame, making love to her the only way he knew how. Heart open, glasses tossed carelessly aside, her hands in his hair, tracing love scars that would fade over his back, down his thighs, all over him.

He wasn't gentle, knowing she wouldn't break. He'd be gentler in the next few rounds. Her first whisper died down into his second moan. She pleaded and commanded in turns. Fire and ice. Colliding together, letting out the despair, pursuing another whine, another groan, a whimper and the trembling of her hips against his. They scarcely slept that night and didn't show up around the others during the following day, allowing themselves to reconnect without fear. Baring everything, from the flesh to the feelings, to the crazy dreams they might still have.

Raw and real, down to the last imperfection…

…

Over the next four weeks, Noctis exchanged news with Cor and Monica, visited Free Crown a dozen times and trained with his friends. They planned to visit Fociaugh Hollow since Monica had heard there was a temple in that foreign place. Luna was hoping to give prayers to Bahamut in exchange for more powers.

Gladiolus and Crowe went on a few dates, while Iris kept exchanging texts with Ravus when they didn't talk on the phone for hours. They would argue nearly every time, but Iris always seemed more relaxed after talking with him. Cindy and Prompto were nearly inseparable, while Aranea warmed up a little more to Crowe and Luna, and surprisingly turned out to dot on Iris even more than both women reunited. She mostly remembered how troubled she'd been around Iris' age and wished for her life to be a little easier than hers.

The prince wanted to retake Insomnia, but he knew they needed to properly prepare for such an operation. Cor had recruited new soldiers and started their training and Noctis' friends become trainers, Gladiolus and Crowe turning out as "slavers" while Ignis was "the judge from hell". Ravus kept to his research in Insomnia, making sure to delay the collection of prisoners and keeping the ships rooted to the ground unless he didn't break them. He was growing cocky with every passing day and admitted once that he was taking too many risks. The blue masked MTs were close on his trail and he'd better get away from the capital before things went south. He didn't want to have to call Iris for help once again if he could help it.

Since Cindy needed something to tinker with, she kidnapped the Regalia -with Prompto as an accomplice- and went on a few personal quests to gather materials that would permit her to enhance the car. Her plan was to make a flying Regalia. While Noctis thought it ludicrous and Ignis was worried Aranea might try to steal his driver's seat from him, Cindy and Cid agreed about the first blueprints. It was pure genius. And a nice way to reach a destination faster now that the dropships fleet was slowly taken down by Monica's hunters.

…

Umbra showed up by the middle of December, bearing a letter for Luna.

 _Dear sister,_

 _I've finished my business in Insomnia and repaid my mechanic -you can stop pestering me through Iris' phone about it-._

 _I should swing by Lestallum in a couple of days and will be ready to give back Noctis' sword, with or without a fight. I'd prefer to fight him though. Give both of us a semblance of closure._

 _I hope you're doing well._

 _Love,_

 _Your brother_

 _P.S.: And I really don't know why Umbra showed up at Insomnia's checkpoint, but you'd better keep that dog on a leash. He's going to get himself hurt._

Luna shook her head, petting Umbra's fur.

"Must I understand that Ravus is worried about you, or about my betrothed?"

To be continued…

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Do you know how hard it is to get a good look at the royal arms? I'll admit, it's not that hard, but I was surprised by all those wings, especially on the shuriken. Is there a hidden meaning? A reference to Bahamut maybe? FFXV's Bahamut looks so different from the others…

So, I was wondering, should this fic's rating change? Was the fluff/smut too explicit or not? I'll be sure to make the change to the rating, but I don't feel like rewriting those scenes.

In next chapter, we'll have Fociaugh's Hollow -so Prompto isn't out of his misery yet- Noctis and Ravus long awaited confrontation -FINALLY- and the next action packed mini-arc of the fic will kick off. It involves a city being reclaimed by its rightful people.

As always, please review and let me know what you think. Did you like this chapter? Do you want Ravus and Noctis to have a fight or to go at things peacefully? Was that Raviris talk on the phone okay? They weren't on the same wavelength at all…

I need to get some rest after writing a full chapter in a single day. I hope to get back to my usual schedule, but I can't promise you anything. I will be enjoying my week of vacation back with my family for the next few days. 😊


	48. If you look back, you won't like it

I'm so happy you liked last chapter. After receiving a few comments about it, I've warmed up to the idea of maybe exploring certain fluff scenes of this fic a bit deeper in a separate story. No promises, but I'm thinking of it. I don't want to change the rating at this point. We've come a long way. There have been so many hits and reviews! I'm forever grateful for your support. This chapter revolves mainly around Prompto and Ravus. Heartbreak is coming. And a light confrontation. I'll let you read for now. 😉

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Unexpected

Chapter 48 – If you look back, you won't like what you find

Lunafreya sat in front of the altar, hands joined in a silent prayer. Iris felt a strange longing for the magic in the air, while Crowe nearly toppled over as a violent migraine burst in her skull.

Noctis didn't like the feeling of this place. There was something creeping behind him, at every turn in the cavern leading to the small clearing where Bahamut's altar rested, he heard whispers. Prompto shifted on his feet, eyes darting to the left as he thought he'd heard something. Gladiolus wrapped an arm around Crowe as she whimpered in pain, Aranea swearing under her breath while Ignis eyed their surroundings. They were all on edge.

Half of them had taken chocobos for the ride up here, the other half-using their bikes. Lunafreya had heard familiar voices in her head, while the others kept looking over their shoulder, with the strange feeling of a prolonged hiss filling the air.

 _ **If you need more power, more power you shall have. But be careful to use it wisely. The end doesn't always justify the means, Oracle.**_

The light touched her, like droplets of rain.

 _ **Who is this? Two Oracles at once?**_

 _It's Iris. Iris Amicitia,_ Luna answered. _You granted her your strength._

 _ **I remember now. I've been meaning to try this a long time ago, but never had the chance. Come to me, child. If we want to see the end of the Star Scourge, we will need all the help we can**_ _ **g**_ _ **e**_ _ **t**_ _ **.**_

Iris couldn't stand still as Luna was slowly enveloped by the brightness. She moved too fast for anyone to interfere with her and soon the light had swallowed her whole, too strong for even Noctis to keep his eyes open. Crowe screamed, clutching her head with both hands and Gladiolus was torn between his reflex to carry her out and away from the apparition which was clearly hurting her, but also granting his sister powers he'd never dreamed of.

As quickly as it had appeared, the light vanished and Crowe managed to hold her own weight by herself again, although Gladiolus didn't let go of her, stroking her back in soothing motions.

Lunafreya's eyes shone with a golden glow as she slowly turned back to them. She had clearly not been hearing anything going on outside of Bahamut's sphere of interference, otherwise, she would have noticed Crowe's suffering. Iris hands were imbued in light for a few seconds and when Luna's blinking turned her eyes back to blue, the brunette's fingers twitched, absorbing what was left of the brightness.

"Is everything okay?"

"I've been through worse." Crowe told them.

"I can't believe you both were granted more powers." Prompto commented, eyeing Iris with a strange look. He didn't know if he should revere her like he did Lunafreya beneath their camaraderie.

Noctis was about to suggest getting out of the cavern when a low hiss filled their ears, ringing through the clearing. Red eyes flashed in the cavern's opening and while everyone's weapon rose, a long tail lashed out, scaly skin wrapping around Prompto's wrist, ripping off his wristband in the process.

"My baby…!"

"Let go of him!" the guys instantly reacted at the sight of the Naga snaking forward.

The awfully human-looking face darted a dark tongue out, humming the air, dragging Prompto closer. The gunman had managed to grip one of his guns but seemed to hesitate as his other arm was stuck in a vice-like grip. When had that thing snuck up on them?

For three members of their team, the face on the ridiculous neck wasn't that of a decaying man, but a woman with red blond hair and freckles, her eyes misty with tears.

"Am I seeing things?" Crowe asked, trying to blink away the vision.

"Don't hurt her!" Luna ordered, halting Noctis in his wake, while Gladiolus barely managed to hold his swing, throwing the princess a glance over his shoulder.

"What?! Why?"

"This is not a simple daemon…" Iris whispered.

She could see it too. It had something to do with the light of Lunafreya's magic that flowed in her veins and in Crowe's own blood vessels. The Naga tried pulling back, but the Oracle instinctively raised her hands, freezing her on the spot as another whisper made Prompto shiver with apprehension.

"He is mine! My baby boy."

The skull on top of the monster's mane shivered and for one second, they could have sworn eyes blinked in the empty sockets. The blond man shook his head and struggled against her hold, dread gripping his heart. Hadn't he been through enough yet?

"What do you see, Luna? I don't…" His breathing was too quick and he nearly bit his tongue as he gathered all his courage not to freak out. "I'm not…! Hell, there's no way…!"

The Naga screeched, sending Prompto to his knees, letting go off him only to push back the three other men with a wave of her tail. Luna's hands turned into fists as she tried to pull at the right veins of magic. She prayed to herself:

 _Let them see her. I have no idea if it will do any good, but they must see her._

Aranea kept her spear up, ready to strike, but keeping her distances. As dangerous as those giant snakes could be, she'd never seen one that refused to fight like this. And Crowe had turned whiter than a sheet, refusing to even take out a weapon. Noctis only had had the time to get to his knees when Prompto let out a shocked gasp.

The skull between the dark hair had sagged down the Naga's forehead, until it slipped beneath the skin. The purple shifted to pink before reaching a more human shade. The hair paled to a blond nearly white and the snake's body twisted and warped, arms and legs slowly piercing out of the skin. Her skin seemed made out of scale, but her hands were soft as they cupped Prompto's face. He focused on her, to forget the large snake body still linked to her, focused on her eyes paler than a summer sky, nearly grey. A knot built up in his throat and his shoulders shook twice as fears and hopes mixed together.

"My darling boy…"

Her voice was rough but filled with love, just like he remembered it. She wore the scar on her neck, the burn on the side of her head, the only flaw in her velvet locks. A dozen memories rushed through him.

Her hands pulling him forward as they ran through the snow. Her heartbeat under his ear when he'd fallen asleep curled up to her chest.

"Mm... mom?! Is that…"

More tears rolled down her face and she glided closer to him, her legs folding, arms wrapping around him.

"You've grown so much…"

All the air in his lungs was gone, the twist in his heart was just as big as the growing lump in his throat. His mother was still alive. A daemon, turned by the blight, but alive and still remembering him.

The rest of the team looked at the sad picture, taken aback by similar shock. They all knew where daemon came from, but this was the closest to human they'd ever seen one. And it was Prompto's mother.

Iris held herself as her eyes kept moving back to the reptilian form hanging behind the Nifelheim woman. Ignis could already tell what would happen once Luna's magic faded. Aranea silently thanked the gods for taking her parents without warping them in such a mockery of a human. Noctis hoped this wouldn't be the last nail in Prompto's coffin. His friend was still quite fragile and he couldn't see a good end to this meeting. Crowe and Gladiolus shared a brief, knowing look. The woman was already lost.

Unless…

Luna's eyes were a gold so pure, even Noctis couldn't sustain the glow without blinking. And the magic was palpable for each and every of them. She was trying to heal the woman back?

"Luna, don't…!"

Prompto winced as the hands in his back grew talons, seeing fangs in his mother's mouth:

"There's no saving for me, lady priestess. Hold me back for a few more minutes. So I can… die as myself…"

Prompto's heartbeat increased and he gripped her face, forcing her eyes into his.

"Mom, you can't leave just yet. There are so many things…"

He remembered the lullabies she sang to him, the warmth of her kisses on his head. How her hands had pulled him out of the water once, when his father had decided to start more serious tests. How she'd treated the wounds on his chest, where the tubes had pierced the skin. How she'd make him laugh with stories and songs. She'd never asked him for more than he could do, never wanted him to attain perfection. How she'd forced a smile when she got hurt through a fight. How her gun had felt in his hand the first time. Too big. Cold. Foreign even though it smelled like her.

 _Hush little baby, don't say a word. Mama won't let anything make you hurt._

He remembered so much and yet so little. When they'd reached Insomnia, her left arm was covered with dark taints she tried to hide under bandages he'd help her tie tightly enough. She'd given more money than he ever knew she had to his new relatives, pulling him in one last embrace.

" _Mama is leaving to make sure the bad men won't come back after us again, alright sweetheart?"_

She hadn't cried then. Not before her back had been turned on him, but he'd known in his heart. His eyes pleaded with her for an instant. His brain was rushing through the past and the present. One memory of her as human, one of her now.

"I waited for you, Prompto. I'd been hoping to see you… again."

Her voice was raspier, the fangs shifting back to teeth and back to fangs despite her efforts.

" _You have to be strong for me, okay, Prompto? It will be hard and I won't be there to look after you like I wanted to. But I'll always, always love you. So stay the gentle boy you are."_

He'd always wondered why she didn't hate him like she hated his father. Like she refused to care for the other children. Had always wondered if she'd run away out of love, or out of fear.

"I tried to be good…"

His voice shivered but didn't break. He had no idea how he could speak with his throat so tight. No idea how he didn't lose it when she put the gun back in his hand. Her fingers were more scales than skin and they seemed to melt back together.

"You've grown into a… fine young man. I can tell from all the people ready to protect you from… the monster I've become…"

"Mom, don't ask me to…"

"I tried to hide somewhere far… far from innocent people. I couldn't make it back to the lab… Couldn't keep my promise to you, my sweet… sweet boy. This chance I have… to see you now… all grown… dashing. It's more than I could have ever asked for."

He wanted to tell her wrong, wanted to protest when she raised his arm, the gun pointing to her chest.

"I know this is going to hurt you," she sighed. "But I'm afraid you might find in your past many things… and _people_ that will hurt you even more. And that… bastard… Don't let _him_ taint you. Neither of him." She paused, as though she pondered which words could make him understand why she was guiding his finger to the trigger. "Free me while I'm still myself…"

Her skin was rippling by then and Luna's arms were shaking as she tried to keep the spell working. She knew that once the magic wore off, Prompto's mother wouldn't control herself anymore. She'd be feral.

"I've missed you, mom," Prompto whispered.

"How I have too, son. Help mama now."

Her smile was tender, but her skin was covering with marks and dark spots, her fangs shredding through her lips.

"My baby!" she roared, all scales and dark hair once more.

No hands to grip him. Prompto jumped back and fired before any of his friends could interfere. The bullets blew into fiery spells and thunderbolts. The disembodied head twitched and snarled as the scales parted, dark blood flowing around. One eye red, one eye grey. Skin purple and freckles on the lighter shades. Her tail twisted and tried to lash out in self-defence. Prompto emptied his charger with an angry cry, careful of hitting only her chest, refusing to change the little bits of her still visible. Not when so much was already gone.

Iris wrapped her arms around herself, tears blinding her. Luna fell to her knees, spent from keeping her spell working for so long, while the rest of the team surrounded Prompto. Aranea insisted the daemon was dead. Gladiolus took away his remaining gun, while Noctis and Ignis tried to talk some sense into him. Crowe closed the Naga's eyes before that its body collapsed into darkness.

"I'm not mad, guys." Prompto told them, looking eerily calm.

"We didn't say anything about…"

"She asked _me_ to do it."

"But was it really…?"

Gladiolus had never seen Prompto's eyes look so dark and angry.

"That was definitely my mother. I'd bet my life on it. I told you she was affected by the blight. Why she'd turned into a snake…"

He turned paler and swallowed, hard. His wretched father should have been a snake. But was there a single daemon form worthy of his mother?

"She couldn't come back from this, could she?"

His question seemed addressed to Lunafreya and seven pairs of eyes fell on her. They all knew at least one person who'd been blighted and the fear of ever seeing them turn was stronger than ever in their heart. The Oracle slowly stood up, wondering if she could ever forget the guilt she felt for the pain she'd put him through.

"I thought you needed to know. I'm so sorry!"

"Well, I'm not. Seeing her one last time… No matter how far from herself she looked." He pinched his lips together, the skin turning whiter than his face. "Maybe I needed that."

The others couldn't help but worry.

"Man, are you sure you're…?" Noctis started.

"I'm anything but okay." Prompto admitted. "But I had almost forgotten her face."

He walked up to Luna and reached one hand out to her:

"I'm most certainly going to see Verstael again. But thanks to you, I think I will have the strength to stand up to him."

Instead of shaking back his hand, Luna hugged him, apologizing again, to which Prompto nearly freaked out. He was doing all he could to stay calm. Processing what had just happened was more than he could take. For an instant, he pretended Luna's arms were his mother's. Snapped his eyes shut and concentrated on the memory of her smile. Without shredding, without any change.

 _Sweet baby boy. This world will make you tougher than me. But don't lose your heart to it._

He felt the first pangs of hunger. Hunger for more warmth, a last kiss from his mother, a minute longer to read the words in her eyes. She'd loved him more than he'd ever thought possible. Enough to give up on him. Enough to give him a balanced life. Enough to risk her life and her soul. And deep down, he wondered if he'd been worth it. Yes, he'd freed her when asked. But shouldn't he have done more?

"Don't go there, Prompto." Luna asked him. "Don't doubt yourself now."

"Are you in my head?"

"No, but I know you're hurting."

He parted from her, heart in shambles, mind reeling. His pain was mirrored on her face and it was no comfort to him. He didn't want a shoulder to cry on. He wanted revenge for his mother. Revenge for the life he'd spent doubting himself and hiding in his own flesh.

Iris' hand pulled on his wrist, where the barcode was visible and the skin had been grazed.

"You're bleeding," she sighed.

More than grazed it seemed.

"Can we get out of here?" he asked with a nervous voice.

"As fast as we can," Gladiolus answered.

Their spirit was still low on the ride back, Noctis insisting for Luna to sit in front of him on Ciel, while Prompto shared a bird with Iris. They mostly rode in silence, except for a point where Iris found the nerves to say one single thing to him.

"She was really pretty, your mother."

Much to her surprise, he answered:

"That she was. In a fierce way, I guess. You want to know the worst part of it? I almost wish I'd taken out my camera and snap a picture of her. I can draw, but not that well and if I've had some sort of model to go on…"

"You recognized her the moment her face changed."

Which was true. He hadn't forgotten his own mother, no matter how many things he'd repressed from the past.

"How bad a son am I? Just killed my mom and hoping I can get to torture my father."

She shivered, but forced herself to be positive. His thoughts were already dark enough as it was.

"You didn't kill your mother, Prompto. You were with her in her last moments."

He cursed and nearly tripped their bird from a nervous pull of the reigns, but the adventurous chocobo collected himself and Prompto eased his hold, letting him follow Ciel as his own thoughts wandered.

"I never knew her name, except for Argentum. I think it was taken from her."

Iris was left to wonder how a name could be stripped from someone. The sun was strong above their head and a single drop ship slowed their trip.

…

When Lestallum appeared on the horizon, Luna had fallen asleep between Noctis' arms. She was emotionally and magically exhausted. Cindy was waiting for them and had a big smile on her face, proud of her work on the Regalia, until she saw the looks in their eyes.

"Come on, I thought ya'd all insisted A didn't change the paint on the gal!"

"Oh… No, it's not… the car. It looks good." Noctis sighed.

Gladiolus helped his sister down the bird and Prompto remained on his mount, considering his options.

"What happened? Why the long faces?" Cindy asked.

"It's…"

Crowe was cut off by Prompto, who extended a hand to Cindy.

"I'll tell her. You all go get some rest."

"You won't do anything crazy on your own?" Ignis inquired.

"Not with my girlfriend around."

The mechanic nearly refused to hop on his chocobo, but a single look in his eyes was enough to know he didn't need a scene at the moment. She took his hand, warning Noctis she was keeping the keys of his car until he was ready for a test drive and until Ignis had read the full manual she'd send them on their phone.

"This doesn't make much sense. He should read it too." The strategist observed.

"But you're better at summarizing," Noctis retorted.

"Can I have a copy?" Aranea asked, glad for the change of subject.

Prompto stirred the bird back out in the wild, Cindy's arms wrapped around his lean chest. She didn't question him before they got out of the city.

"Are we headed to Cape Caern?"

"Can't ever fool you, huh?"

His voice sounded tensed and she leaned closer to him, careful of not bumping their heads together.

"Prom… What happened? I thought ya guys were visiting a shrine to help Luna with her powers…"

"We did. The shrine was past a cave and the cave had an occupant."

He had no idea how to tell her what he'd just been through. It felt as though every tough discussion they'd shared was because of him in this relationship. He was always leaning on her for support, always depending on her to be comforted and put back on his feet. His hands gripped the reins a little too tightly and the chocobo kweeed in protested.

"I think I'm dragging you to the middle of nowhere to make sure you won't run away on me."

"That's not really reassuring, city boy," she told him, her tone joking just enough.

 _Boy_. He'd heard that word too often in a single day. Taking a deep breath, he let out the news:

"My mother had the blight before she gave me for adoption. Apparently, it turned her into a full-fledged daemon. Ever heard of Nagas?"

"Ya saw her? Yar real mother?"

"For a bit. Then she was gone and…"

She could hear his heart beating madly in his chest and squeezed his upper arm in a show of support.

"And…?"

"Everyone thinks I'm a crazed monster or something for shooting at her."

Cindy's breathing stopped for an instant. She tried to keep everything in perspective, with the idea that Prompto's mother was a daemon, not a human. His explanation lacked details, but she could tell he was shaken. And after all they'd been through together, she knew he'd had a rough upbringing. It had always been clear his biological mother was the one she had to thank for how sweet a man he'd turned into. His adoptive parents weren't home half the time and wouldn't give him the time of the day.

"What happened?"

Their ride was nearly over and they agreed to walk the rest of the way up to the lighthouse, Cindy grabbing his hand without a word. They fell into steps as he went over the traumatic event, explaining what the daemon looked like, what his mother told him about freeing her. As they reached the edge of the cliff looking over the ocean, he apologized for bringing more drama into their relationship.

"We're in the middle of being conquered by an invading empire. Drama's bound to happen to everyone, Prom."

She noticed the fact his wrist was exposed, barcode plain as day and the specks of dark blood on his clothes. He didn't shift from one foot to the next, didn't move except when he blinked. Someone else might call him weak. To get hurt so soon again in so little time. To let feelings control him after all the years apart from a woman he thought dead.

"Where do you get all this understanding?"

"I don't understand what ya're going through. I don't think I can yet."

"I don't want you to."

 _Not if it meant going through anything resembling…_

Their eyes reflected too many emotions and it was hard to tell which of them rushed to hug the other first. Cindy let out a surprised gasp when he backed her up against the nearby wall, raising her up so he could lay his face against her chest, his breathing tickling her through his shirt. He made no gesture to open her jacket or raise the hem of her shirt, simply listening to her heart.

"Are ya…?"

"Can we stay like this for a bit?"

She didn't question him further. His shoulders didn't shake, his arms held her steadily and his breathing slowed. She held his head, unsure of what she could do. If he'd cry, she'd cry with him. But this was worse. The fake calmness exuding from him. The brief twitches signalling a shiver he almost instantly held back.

"If ya need to…"

"Shh… I just want to make sure I hear it."

And while she complied, Cindy felt fear. Not because she thought the man could hurt her. She'd never expect Prompto to hurt her. But she wasn't sure how much more he could take. The fat clone had taken a toll on him. Brought back a lot of wounds he'd thought mended. Now this, when he was just starting to sound like himself again. How many times could one person be broken before to entirely give up on picking up the pieces.

"She used ta hold ya like this, didn't she?"

A strangled sob escaped him then and his head shook the affirmative.

"She taught me how to use a gun. Put the gun in my hand and had me…"

He'd killed someone as a child, before that they'd run. It might have been the very reason why they ran, he remembered now. He'd killed 15 in order to survive, like the experiments expected him to. He'd hit his head against the stones until blood flashed red. The memories were unearthed with her return, the shades and horrors threatening to swallow him whole unless he held on.

"I think I might really be a monster."

Cindy tried to recall the words she'd used on the beach. The first beach. Stroke his hair and whispered sense into his ears:

"No, baby. Ya're no monster."

The protests died down in his throat. He wanted to stop complaining over his sorry self, but the pain kept coming back. Over, and over.

"I can be better than this. Surely I can fix what he did wrong in my head."

"There's nothing to fix."

"What?"

He raised his head and their eyes locked, green to blue like an angry sea.

"Ya don't need fixin'. What ya need is time."

 _Time_ they did not have... Time they might take. The wind mixed up their hair as he closed in on her and her oily scent. Her gloves were rough, but he didn't care.

"How do I order time?"

"Ya don't order time, Prom, ya make it."

…

Ravus arrived in Lestallum a full week after the Fociaugh's hollow's events. Luna had started feeling less awkward around Prompto and tried to elucidate why Crow would react so strongly to Bahamut's presence. Iris had needed some comfort from her brother, the whole ordeal reminding her of their own mother. Noctis had tried to keep Prompto's mind off things and the gunman was doing better given the circumstances. Cindy add extended her stay, even though she forcefully joined workers in the local garage. She couldn't stay away from cars for too long…

Aranea was the first among their team to spot the Tenebraean prince while she was coming back from a hunt with pieces of meat. Ignis had offered to accompany her, but worked on a special recipe she'd asked for. It had been over 2 months since she joined their team and the strategist had insisted on celebrating. Ravus rode a silver chocobo on the bridge leading to Lestallum, disembarking when the former commodore stopped by him.

"Commander…" she mocked a salute.

"Ex-commander," he corrected her with a small nod of acknowledgement.

"I've heard you were intent on kicking your brother-in-law's butt."

"He's not my brother-in-law just yet. And I'd prefer if you could keep the banter to a minimum."

"No stronger comeback? Are you really Ravus Nox Fleuret?"

"I'm really tired. But push me more and we can have a rematch of our own."

He had been her main sparring partner during her rehab after the implants. Their score was an even odd of draws. They were both far too stubborn to let the other win, not matter how bad it would get.

"Noctis specifically warned me to keep you in ideal combat conditions if I was to meet you first."

She proceeded to inquire about the capital and Ravus found himself giving her a full report. Old habits died hard… Walking into the city created a lot of commotion. With Aranea's armor that already turned heads and Ravus' metallic arm glinting under the sunlight, they both gathered unwanted attention.

The news of the green-handed man ran all over the city and Luna rushed to meet up with her brother, seconded by one excited Iris and a resigned Crowe. Cindy joined them as they took a seat on the lookout area. The guys were off for some bonding time on a fishing trip, Ignis stuck in the Leville's kitchen, preparing all sorts of food for the feast he wanted to hold. While Aranea had chased down the main course, Noctis was supposed to catch the appetizer.

Luna scolded Ravus for running away before to give him a brief but tight hug. His clothes were damaged in places, but he'd cleaned up on the way, going as far as trimming his beard and tying his hair. Regis' Glaive was hanging to his belt and his mechanic was quick to observe the change he'd made on her creations. The green decals pulsed with energy, clearly serving a deeper purpose than mere decoration. They seemed to dent into the metal, as though they could come off the arm…

"What have ya done to my baby?!" she asked.

"I've added a few options, don't touch it." He retorted, pulling his arm away from her.

"No one takes liberties with ma work!" Cindy objected.

"What sort of options?" Crowe asked. "Weaponry?"

It was clear to every girl that being surrounded by so much attention nearly overwhelmed Ravus. Luna kept a constant hold of his human hand, offering him the calm presence he'd lacked in the past few months. He'd barely exchanged a word with Iris, but that was mostly because he feared ridicule with that much of a public.

"You'll see when I use it on Noctis." Luna tensed next to him and he quickly added: "Nothing but scratches, sis, maiming is out of question."

She smiled, knowing how hard it must have been for him to come to terms with the idea she loved Noctis that much.

"You really don't have to fight him."

"You seriously believe he won't punch me as soon as he…?"

"Ravus! Why didn't you guys warned me he was coming today?" Noctis cut him off.

He'd just parked the enhanced Regalia and literally warped up to them, Gladiolus and Prompto forced to run to catch up with their seething liege.

"Now, now, your Highness, no need to cause a scene. I've brought your father's sword and my best behaviour."

His cocky smile nearly sent Noctis into a rage right there. The nerve of that boisterous man!

"We have a score to settle." The Lucian prince declared, voice cold, eyes sharp.

Ravus stood up, quickly copied by Lunafreya and Iris. Crowe and Aranea knew better than to interfere and hung back, although they kept a close eye on them.

"That we do, Caelum. You can state the location, time and rules. All I want is to test my latest acquisition," he explained, raising his dark hand, lines of green energy running in the metal veins.

"As if you would let go of that sword so easily," Prompto snickered.

The older man took this as his cue to remove the glaive from its sheathe, offering the blade back to its rightful owner. Noctis eyed him with stupor, the rest of the team shocked beyond words. After all that insistence, Ravus would make it this easy?

"I heard how you fought the daemon emperor and toppled Quezacoatlz from the sky. My sister looks a little happier every time I see her and I suspect this to be your doing."

It cost him to admit it, but it was the closest Noctis would ever get to an apology.

Noctis eyed Luna, who nodded her approval before he tentatively took back the sword. The metal felt at home in his hand, like an extension of his arm, not as heavy as he'd expected it. The Glaive shone a light blue and vanished into thin air, joining his arsenal. The usual pain from the other royal arms was subdued. There was no thrusting blade slashing his insides. But there was no time to ponder about this.

"One warning," Ravus told him. "Hurt her once and no royal arm will be enough to stop me."

Luna rolled her eyes.

"Same goes for you. There's a safe ground to the west of Lestallum. Meet me in an hour. The first to draw blood wins."

"Isn't that a bit excess…" Iris started.

"Fine by me. I hope you'll be using everything you have." Ravus declared.

"I don't need my powers to beat you." Noctis shot back.

"Use them. Cause I won't go easy on you."

With that Ravus walked away. Luna felt torn between her lover and her brother, but Iris rushed after Ravus despite Gladiolus calling after her and the princess focused on her betrothed.

"He just gave you what you wanted, do you two really have to…"

"I want to wipe the smug grin off his face for once." Noctis tried to explain himself.

"Good luck with that. I never managed to do it."

…

Meanwhile, Iris managed to catch up to Ravus as he got back on the sidewalk and tried avoiding a bunch of kids playing ball. The brunette hesitated before to grab his arm. He tensed, but didn't push her away. She waited until the kids were far enough and asked him:

"Why is it so important for you to drag Noctis into a fight?"

"I don't know, maybe because he gets everything he wants half the time. I'm not aiming to kill him, this will be like… a rough training session."

Justifying himself didn't please Ravus one bit, but he felt even more compelled to since Iris was the one asking.

"Are you up for that? When did you last sleep?"

He tried to get his arm back, but she fell into steps with him and he didn't have the heart to push her away.

"Can't you have more faith in me? I slept last night. For over seven hours."

"I'll congratulate you when you make it a habit."

He sighed, wondering why she was the one treating him like a child most of the time.

"Did you manage the breakthrough you'd told me about?"

Despite sharing many more discussions during the last five weeks, Ravus had been tightlipped about his research. His face darkened and his pace fastened, forcing Iris to skid a few steps in fear of getting left behind.

"What happened?"

She pestered him for the next ten minutes before the man relented.

"I saw the dark moon. I even confirmed it with a few Lucians using the observatory as a hiding place. That moon…"

He paused and Iris had to urge him on once more.

"What did you see?"

"The moon is missing a large chunk. It's nearly impossible to tell how much of it fell or when, but… I have a very bad feeling ever since I saw it."

"Why couldn't that dark moon already be like this?"

"In every observation every reported of this satellite, it was described as a sphere. A perfectly round satellite, no matter how far we go back."

"But it was born from Ifrit's funeral fire for his deformed son? Luna saw Ifrit herself."

"And as you've reported to me before, he was affected by the blight." Ravus reminded her. "A satellite wouldn't follow this trajectory if it was as light as hardened ashes."

She frowned, trying to see why Ravus would be so troubled over this.

"If a chunk has fallen, no matter when or where, wouldn't it affect the nearby environment?"

"Not automatically. The moon has dormant phases, so does the particle in its ashes."

Iris couldn't wrap her head around this. It sounded way too complicated and they still lacked too many pieces of the puzzle.

"You still believe the Starscourge came from this dark moon?"

"More than ever." With a deep sigh, he added reluctantly: "You should get back with the others. Otherwise they might accuse me of being a bad influence on you…"

She had to agree with him on that point.

"Are you thinking of joining our team afterwards?" Iris tried to tone down her own hope.

"That will depend…"

…

Ignis was angry of having missed the first confrontation between Noctis and Ravus and immediately cautioned the prince against a fight.

"First to draw blood? Are we back in antiquity?"

"He had that smug look on his face."

"Yeah, the guy has been keeping Noctis' rightful legacy and then he hands it to him as though he's doing him a gracious favour," Prompto interjected.

Gladio had a few chosen words burning the back of his throat, but they were all trying to keep their temper down for Luna's sake. Crowe had declared she'd rather not validate a petty fight of male egos and stayed back in Lestallum with Cor and Monica. The others, Cindy included, tagged along with Noctis. The mechanic wanted to see the changes Ravus had done to her masterpiece.

The man was waiting for them when they arrived, feeling strangely nervous under their combined stares and glares. Walking around Lestallum had reminded him of true civilization and how uneasy he felt around people. He never knew when someone might try to stab him in the back.

"Have you decided to use your powers?"

"You'll see soon enough."

Noctis called forth his engine blade, unwilling to bring out more weapons since Ravus looked mostly disarmed. It was a mistake to underestimate him, of course, and a mistake the prince wasn't ready to make.

Without further ado, both men fell in a fighting stance. Ravus took a sharp, retractable blade from his prosthetic. It expanded into a full sword, the links closing sharply enough to give the illusion the blade had never been hidden in his metallic forearm. Steel clashed and while Ravus didn't warp around, he kept Noctis on his toes, light on his feet and saving on his movements, always hitting to strike. They'd both gotten a good idea of each other's strengths in combat after their two previous encounters.

Noctis was forced to parry left and right, feeling the urge to call his armiger. But relying on it too much was a blow to his pride, especially in these circumstances. They were both highly conscious of Luna watching. Which meant they couldn't go all out, despite what their instincts told them.

Although Ravus had always been a show-off. With a click and a turn of the wrist, he deployed a green fin on his elbow, sharper than a sword. Noctis quickly changed his strategy, realizing a punch suddenly meant a lot more than bruises.

"What else did you hide in there?"

"I tried to make the most… out of my loss."

His sword slashed through the air, seemingly too thin to leave serious damages. Except he had an engineer decree in weaponry among all the knowledge he'd collected. Noctis barely deviated the hit, sparks rising from the clash of metal.

"It looks like a rapier," Luna observed out loud.

It was the signature weapon of their own father and the realization shook her. All this time, Ravus had been wishing for his own legacy. She had her powers and her trident to prove her belonging to the Fleuret's line, while all he had was a name.

Noctis dodged a punch, tried to swipe off at Ravus' feet, but the man seemed able to predict every of his attempts.

"You don't save your energy enough," he commented.

"You'd better not think you can give me a lesson in combat."

More clashes and Ravus managed a feint the prince angrily blocked.

"Temper, brother-in-law."

The smile looked more amused than mocking and Noctis wondered if Luna's brother wasn't trying to prove his use as they fought. They would have to reach a truce eventually, unless one of them died. And although getting mad had helped him in the past, he knew it could prove dangerous if it became his only solution in a fight. Getting called brother was new.

"Okay then. You asked for it."

The blue light barely showed before the Lucian prince warped off. Ravus' smile grew as he saw his real test starting. His eyes could barely follow the dark-haired man movements, so he trusted his instincts instead, raising his mechanic arm in self-defence, stopping Noctis' blade and trying a riposte. It went on and on, the shocks growing stronger as Noctis zipped and zapped around, attacking from every side but refusing to use more than one weapon.

It felt fair and as both men tired down, they realized their true worth. Ravus didn't try any cheap trick like he'd done when he'd ravaged the Regalia. When they clashed, there was no magic, the Tenebrean prince not cutting off Noctis' power while the Lucian didn't unfairly exploit his strengths.

"Am I the only seeing this, or are they… actually having fun?" Iris asked.

The confrontation had turned into a sparring match. Noctis couldn't explain when or why, but Ravus was pleading a very different case from before. Maybe had he finally come to his senses and accepted him as a part of his family? The thought was wild, since the future king had no idea if he could give the same acceptance back. After one hour and a half, their whole bodies begged for mercy and they agreed to stop the fight with a draw.

"You're worth that sword. And you just might be worth my sister."

"That's for her to decide." Noctis retorted, accepting the offered hand and shaking it back. "What is it you want?"

"I heard you're headed to Insomnia. And if you're going to free the capital, I want in."

Luna raised one brow and the guys exchanged hesitant looks. Noctis didn't reflect for long.

"One wrong move, and you're never getting back on this team, Fleuret."

"Cute. Means I can keep saying as much crap as I want."

"Ravus!" Luna exclaimed.

To be continued…

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I get the feeling Ravus and Noctis' fight might feel underwhelming. But this fight wasn't a mean to hurt each other like the previous ones, at least not for Ravus. And as much as Noctis was angry, most of that anger was diminished by the fact the man gave him his blade back from the start. Also, Luna loves her brother. Both men are quite aware how she cares for them. And with everything happening with Prompto, I couldn't push them too hard. Action will be back next chapter. Heavy stuff is coming. You could say we're already swimming in heavy waters with the events in Fociaugh hollows.

Next chapter, a few mysteries will be explored, final preparations are made and the raid on Insomnia will start. I hope to put some Crowdio in there, plus Raviris and maybe some Ignea. Silvergold will make an appearance too if everything goes as planned.

As always, reviews make me happy. I've got 21 days left to finish a paper for school, so I'll try to focus on that for the next few days. Wish me courage for it.


	49. You don't fool me

So, this chapter revolves mostly around Ravus. I intended this chapter as a gift for a friend, so I tried to make it fluffier than usual. Or at least, to have the fluff lasting longer. Raviris and Crowdio are the main part of this chapter. The potential Ignea will have to wait next chapter, so does the silvergold, but you'll see mentions to both here and there. 😉

Have a nice read!

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Unexpected

Chapter 49 – You don't fool me

The new addition to the team came as a shock for most of them. Noctis was ready to bet Ravus would leave them on the first occasion he'd had and didn't exactly mind the idea. He was willing to tolerate him. But trusting him around his friends? With what the man had done to Iris only to test a theory? Cindy bullied the guy into letting her analyze and review the updates brought to the prosthetic.

"Well, now we have two princes around," Prompto declared.

"Maybe does it mean we should worry about a crowning…" Ignis stated.

"Very funny. Insomnia comes first. The people there are gathered like cattle," Noctis reminded them.

He'd sat in far too many meetings with Cor and Monica during the last few days. Libertus had organized a rescue team that crossed all over Cleigne and hadn't caught the left-over dropships attention yet.

"Do you want us to go over the plans again?" Ignis offered.

"Sounds good to me."

Noctis exchanged a brief sign with Luna, the Oracle wishing to spend more time with her brother once Cindy would finally let go of his mechanical arm. Iris had received a text from Crowe inviting her in a training session and judged better to give the Fleuret's siblings some time. Gladiolus clearly wanted to have a word with her and she wasn't ready for her big brother's _overbearingness_. Prompto tagged along with his friends, Cindy soon accepting to let go of the prosthetic to go check on the local garage.

"You really have to be the bad guy, huh?" Luna asked her brother.

"I thought I had a reputation to keep up."

But the girl was good enough to see beneath his mask and he sighed, sweat running down his forehead.

"I might be getting tired of it. But I can't change such old habits overnight."

He flexed his metal hand, joints clinking a bit. He seemed flustered and Luna couldn't help the smile that came over her.

"You need fresh clothes and a haircut."

"I need food and no patronizing from my younger sister."

"I'll patronize until you learn to be nicer to my friends."

"I can live with that."

She poked him in the ribs in retort, to which he retorted by tickling her, despite how foreign it felt. Most of the group was still close enough to throw a glance their way as they heard Luna's laugh. And for the first time since he'd met him, Noctis understood the guy could be normal. And give Lunafreya the normalcy she'd never had. Some of his left over anger receded.

A few minutes later, the princess had successfully dragged her brother to a few shops she'd spotted on her last shopping spree with Prompto. He had money on him, much to her surprise, and despite acting reluctant about every place she dragged him to, the man relented in trying on a few outfits and buying spare clothes.

"Would you stop bringing me dark clothes?"

"White is too visible around here." she objected.

She was wearing a pair of jeans and a fluttery blue top that left the upper half of her back exposed to the sun. Her hair was down and so was her guard, which reminded Ravus of a time when she still walked on wobbly legs and had a few missing teeth in her smile. It wasn't hard to admit his sister had grown up. It was hard to admit he hadn't seen her this relaxed and happy since the empire had attacked their home. She insisted on cutting his hair, and on buying him equipment for battle. They spend most of the afternoon together, talking, Ravus pretending to sulk and ending up smiling at each of her smile. They grabbed ice creams, the man's palate revolting at the sweetness, much to her amusement.

At one point, kids involved them in a ball game, to which Ravus didn't know how to react, while Luna accepted to join in a heartbeat. They shared memories and were careful of not mentioning the blight, his research or her powers.

"You know, Ignis had been preparing a feast for Aranea and we were all thinking of celebrating tonight. There will be beers, wine and enough food for everyone…"

"You know I'm not into parties…"

"You could always hang around. Leer at us from afar in your own creepy way."

"Leering?!" he repeated, half insulted.

"I expect you to be leering at a certain brunette. You kept on calling her throughout the entire month."

"That's… We're merely friends."

His voice had gotten even harsher and Luna mentally chided herself for being too direct.

"Noctis is still four years younger than me, mentally speaking."

"I won't be set up. Last time you tried, it was a disaster," he warned her.

"Because you were 17 and couldn't get yourself to trust anyone."

Of course, that hadn't changed, but Ravus knew better than to tell her.

"It's not about trust. Even _if_ I was interested, you heard your prince charming. One wrong move and I'm kicked out."

"I don't want you to keep to yourself and remain lonely now that you've joined the team. Iris is already your friend. So don't push her away just because you're worried about what her brother or my fiancé could think. You've been alone for far too long."

Letting out a deep breath, Ravus kept silent. The retorts that came to mind weren't appropriate if he wanted her off his back. Being alone, he could deal with. Losing his only tie to people he cared about for illusions and petty desires… He'd lost enough without even trying to have more.

"I know you're looking out for me, sis. We've been playing that game for our whole life. But I'm not tagging along for protection or comfort. I want the empire out of Insomnia and I can't do it on my own."

"Ravus…"

"Luna, I don't want or need your pity. I'm here now. And if you want me to learn how to relax… I'll make some efforts."

She heaved a sigh, deeply sorry to see how hard it still was for him to have a life resembling normal.

"Do you have any idea how wrong this sound?"

"Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to stand around this many people? You're the Oracle, you save people. I'm a Niff ex-commander." He added on an even lower tone.

"Which is why shaving that beard and cutting your hair would help."

…

Lunafreya convinced Ravus into joining the party Aranea had agreed to. The Leville had allocated his entire dining room to the prince's retinue and the girls dressed up for the occasion. The guys tried to keep up, Gladiolus making the effort of hiding his ripped chest under a dress shirt, but refusing to wear a jacket. Luna and Crowe sported dresses, Aranea wearing tight pants and a flowery top which advantageously displayed her curves. Iris tried out a longer skirt than usual with a black and white laced shirt. Her hair was pulled back and Gladiolus had to admit his sister looked a bit older than usual. Ravus wasn't too out of place with black pants and one purple dress shirt beneath a white, sleeveless jacket.

Cindy was staying at the garage, elbows deep in grease. Lacking news of her grandfather, the mechanic needed time to focus. Prompto had already saved up some food for her and might leave early to spend some of the night with her. After ten minutes of awkward silence around the dinner table, Ravus stated:

"You can either pretend I'm not here and let me leave."

"Already ordering us around," Aranea instantly retorted.

"I can be blamed for many things, but I'm not ruining your night, commodore."

The title was an instant reminder of the fact their next-to-last recruit had belonged to the empire for nearly as long as the Fleuret.

"You don't ever miss the army?" Gladiolus tried, carefully chewing on some asparagus as the older man answered.

"Not in the least. They were running like some headless chicken half of the time."

Noctis' interest was instantly picked.

"How's that?"

"Orders from the emperor contradicting orders from Izunia while Verstael was trying to run his own things. Drautos brought some unity, but his son is fumbling with the remnants."

"And since you were a disrupter yourself…" Prompto whispered.

The guy had named most of the people they hated in a single breath and Luna could sense the tension raising from the rage being held back.

"It was actually fun to see how the MTs managed to keep things together." Aranea interfered. "The ratio of MTs for humans among the ranks was 10 for one or so… That Otto guy would always save the day by ordering things up."

"That's right, the operations always turned out better when he interfered. Loqi would foam at the mouth about how he couldn't get any glory for himself."

"You listened to his rants?!"

"Mostly tuned him out. It was the only guy able to handle a Prima in my ten squads. Pain in my ass half the time, but hell, he took down a Bendersnatch all by himself once."

The others around the table exchanged bewildered looks. Aranea and Ravus sounds like old friends reminiscing about good old times. And as horrifying as it was to hear about the people they'd killed or were still going to fight, Noctis and his friends listening on.

"That was him?! Ardyn always insisted it was your doing." Aranea observed.

"Like he'd insisted you'd killed a flock of mindflayers down in the labs."

"Which I did!" the dragoon lady retorted.

"It was 4 of them. I defeated two psychomancers."

"Is this a contest? We've hunted a few marks ourselves," Gladio cut in.

Aranea pulled a face, realizing she'd fallen back in the usual banter. Ravus sat a little straighter in his chair.

"Passing Verstael's tests has always been an excuse to brag…"

"You don't say…" Prompto declared, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Iris cursed herself for not letting Ravus know of the gunman's relationship to the scientist. He just never mentioned anyone from the empire before, so she hadn't seen the point. Seeing the nearly collective glare, the Tenebraean prince got up from his chair.

"This is clearly not going to work. Thanks for the meal. Just send a text when you're thinking of moving out…"

Noctis would have let him walk away if Luna hadn't gently elbowed him in the ribs, he shot up and tried to clear things up.

"Okay guys, Ravus, I know we've started out on the wrong foot. Aranea barely ever told us anything about the empire before."

"Not that I'd blame her." Ravus admitted.

Ignis tensed slightly next to Aranea, wondering why he was suspecting a connection between those two… They seemed to understand each other on a level none other could.

"And all the people you've been working with, we faced them one way or another," Luna went on, to support her fiancé.

"Working for or under, _not_ with."

Verstael had yet to give him any news and he wasn't sure he wanted him to at this point. He was on his own for the vaccine and it might be better that way.

"Well, for one, Verstael's my old man. Not that we ever cared for each other." Prompto stated, voice cold, eyes seemingly indifferent.

Ravus blinked at the notion and clearly needed time to process the information. But as motioned to sit back down, he voiced the first thought coming to his mind:

"You look nothing like him."

Prompto surprised his friends by answering with a frail smile.

"That's… thanks."

He clearly needed to hear this, and knowing Ravus, he wasn't trying to comfort him in any way, merely stating the truth.

"I think we should stay away from imperial talks," Crowe cautioned them. "So how about hearing how Luna was a girl?"

Interest rose and Ravus wondered why he didn't feel put on the spot as everyone's attention turned to him, except for his sister who looked doubtful.

"There's no need for…" she tried only to be cut off by her brother.

"She was a real tomboy. Running around, trying to climb up trees, covering herself in mud with the dogs. I had to cover for her all the time."

"No way!" Prompto exclaimed.

Noctis simply looked at the concerned lady, who lowered her shoulders and hang her head, deciding this might be a small price to pay for her brother to have a good time around their group.

"If my memory serves me right, you were the one to taunt me into a race or climbing trees!" she tried.

"Anything to get away from our tutors' books."

It sounded unbelievable to Iris, but the others relaxed in front of the normalcy and the complicity between both siblings. It was getting clearer and clearer that beneath his harsh manners, Ravus cared for his sister just as much as any of them cared for the others. Gladiolus was trying to get to terms with the fact the man had buried his father, wondering if he should thank him or something, while Iris was hoping to get a moment alone with the Tenebraean prince to bring him up to speed with the various relationships with the empire the other members of their group were in. When dessert was over, Aranea insisted on visiting a club. It was supposed to be her party and she wasn't going to let their new member change that.

The man was still reluctantly dragged to the club, where Crowe questioned him about Drautos and mainly Ace while the others switched turns between shots and the dance floor. Prompto left earlier, so he could check on Cindy and surely enjoy a long, warm shower with her back in the Leville. Gladiolus kept company to his sister until Crowe pulled him to the dance floor. Aranea and Ignis had danced for a moment, the strategist agreeing to let himself go and indulge in some the dirtiest dancing he'd permitted himself yet. Despite how close and intimate they'd move, the pair didn't let anyone else closed to them, refusing to brush against another body than their lover. They made themselves scarce to spend more quality time together away from prying eyes.

Ravus had downed a few shots, if only to prove he could, but seeing Luna dancing with abandon next to Noctis wasn't exactly his favourite sight. His eyes found Iris without much effort, the brunette surrounded by guys her own age who were either trying to invite her for a dance or a drink. His instincts begged for him to pull her away from the teenage boys, if only to enjoy a walk in her company, away from the noise, the heat and the alcohol. His first reflex was to fight against it. But his eyes kept drifting to her and he'd never really loved drinking. He was still trying to ascertain if whatever Luna was suspecting of him towards the young Amicitia held ground.

He normally wouldn't give a second glance to any woman, no matter their age. He wasn't entirely immune to their charms, far from it, but he'd always been on his guard, especially since a stunt by the empire in case Luna's powers never showed. The memory tightened his throat and his knuckles went white. And it made all the guys around Iris look all the more threatening. Heck, he was already far too protective of her.

Her eyes caught his on his nth check on her. They lighted up instantly and his heart missed a bit as he forced himself not to look around to make sure Noctis wasn't standing behind him. No need to look insecure when he didn't want her to get ideas about his interest in her. Her company soothed him, but so did Luna's. Iris excused herself and made her way to him, causing even more turmoil than before inside him. The variables were unclear, the feelings mixed and his thoughts tumbling around. He liked holding her while he'd never let anyone close. The contradiction didn't scare him as much than what it could entail. Iris seemed to sense his nervousness and didn't dare to start a conversation. She just took a look around, standing a few paces away from his stool.

On the phone, it would have felt easy to break the ice, but to have her so close and wish her so far at the same time was hard on his nerves. A few strands had come undone from the clip holding it up and as small and fragile as she looked, he knew how strong and caring she was. His heart swelled and he cursed the gods. Luna was right this time. He had no idea where the others were but didn't want to care. He'd missed Iris' fiery retorts and the smile in her voice for the last few days. He tentatively brushed her shoulder, careful of using his real hand. Their eyes were levelled when she turned to him.

"Say, am I the only one who wants to get out of here?" he asked her.

It was corny, but the brunette nodded with a smile. They exited the club and walked around the block, the night air taking away most of the musky scent of the dance floor and the other tenants of the place.

"Did Luna give you a tour of the city?"

"More or less. She was more intent on making me buy a dozen new shirts."

"Well, it sure looks different from your army uniform."

Ravus didn't know how to react to her comment. Anything relating to his uniform reminded him of their first meeting and how he'd hurt her. He couldn't believe she'd forgotten about it yet. And still she wanted to spend time with him and kept answering his calls and messages.

"Which kind of different? Good or bad?"

"Are you out fishing for compliments?"

"I'm trying to see if I still look normal in civilian's clothes."

"Well, you can't look normal. You're too pale for these parts and you walk like a soldier."

"Wha..?"

Instead of being insulted, he seemed curious as to what she could mean and Iris mimicked his posture in a matter of seconds.

"I don't strut!"

"I'm not strutting, I'm walking with confidence!"

"Well, that's not my only way of walking…"

Iris tried something different that looked a lot like someone stalking away, her heels clicking even strongly on the pavement. Ravus would have laughed if she hadn't missed a step. Next thing the girl knew, his arms were holding her up and steady and her heart was beating madly in her chest.

"Easy there. Don't run away on me."

The words were barely thought out but they seemed to perfectly express what he was thinking and Iris let out a nervous giggle as he steadied her.

"You won't see me running in those shoes."

As long as she talked, she wouldn't have to worry about how her sweaty palms or her burning cheeks or the fact he was comfortable enough to let her imitate his walk.

"How do you like Lestallum?" he asked her, taking his hands off her waist.

The lace nearly got caught in a joint but she didn't notice and his hands were back to himself before she could make anything out of it.

"It's a really progressive city. Only the women work, while the men take care of the house or the kids."

Or were selling food on the streets, it seemed.

"Any green places?" Ravus asked.

"I haven't seen any yet. With it being the last Lucian Town holding up, I don't think green space is a priority."

Although she could understand why the never-ending pavement and smoke or vapour look vapid to him. Luna had mentioned the fields of flowers from Tenebrae, and the mountains covered with snow.

Iris took me him down a few smaller streets until they reached the market, which was still open despite the late hour. This place, Luna had skipped while dragging him on their shopping trip and Ravus had to admit, the stalls and merchants reminded him of the markets back home.

"There's a small café in the back. I thought we could stop by and have a drink."

"Are your feet hurting?"

"No, I didn't…!"

He rolled his eyes at her, but followed through the smaller crowds, sitting down with her and ordering some tea while she asked for a warm chocolate. The night was fresh, but not uncomfortable and Iris didn't wait too long to ask him what he expected since he joined the team.

"I don't really know… Every time Noctis is going to get close to my sister, I'll have to fight my instinct to punch him in the face. With this." He added, raising his metal hand.

Iris nodded, her smile not reaching her eyes.

"You did well in that club."

"I tried not to look. That helped."

"But if we forget about Noctis. What about the rest of the team? It seems you already know Aranea well."

"Yeah… That Scientia doesn't seem to like it."

"They've been through a lot."

"You all have as it sounds. I don't what I should expect."

"Well, how long are you staying?"

That gave him pause and Iris admitted to herself she was holding her breath as he pondered the question. The last time she'd seen him in person, he'd been half death and handling him had felt easy. Now he was back in shape, but there wasn't the same anger exuding from him as that night in the cave.

"Eager to see me leaving?"

If he knew how she calculated her shake of the head, so that it wouldn't be too slow or too quick, he'd understood they were both walking on eggs. She liked their talks on the phone. Why wouldn't she like them in person? He was too busy noticing the mischievous look in her eyes and the way one side of her mouth seemed a little higher than the other as she fought against a hopeful smile. When had he started growing so attentive?

"I don't know yet. Maybe after Insomnia. They still want to visit Altissia, right?"

Iris couldn't help herself at that point and answered with the smallest hint of bitterness.

"And getting married sometime after the festival."

"Well, that I can't miss," he growled. "Shouldn't you be happy about seeing a wedding?"

"I'm happy for them, don't get me wrong. It's just pretty surreal to see how excited Noctis actually is about it when he left dragging his feet."

Ravus didn't like to linger over any thoughts involving Noctis, so he tried to switch subjects:

"So that former glaive, she used to work for Drautos and has a beef with Ace?"

"I guess she can't stand what he represents. His father sent all her friends after her, while she was on a mission to secure Luna."

Ravus was turning the remains of his tea around in his cup and froze at the mention of his sister. He hadn't heard of any mission regarding her. But he also remembered how she'd disappeared from Tenebrae to get herself to Lucis instead of going to Altissia like she was supposed to. He was still on the mend at the point, kept away from all the action and unable to intervene until his stump started healing.

"Say, Iris… That time with the second altar. Both you and Luna were granted more powers. There really was no side effect?"

"I told you, except from a light headache, I was more concerned with what happened to Prompto…"

Her face fell at the memory and Ravus wondered if she could still be sheltered from anything.

"I shouldn't try to look back into my research right now. And it's getting late. Should I escort you back to your hotel, young lady?"

"Don't call me that," she nearly snapped. "Aren't you staying at the Leville with us."

He grinded his teeth.

"How thick are the walls?"

"What?"

"I'm sure there might be stuff happening in certain rooms I don't want to hear," Ravus added as they got up.

Iris blushed a bit, but couldn't object. Everyone was as discreet as possible, but Ignis and Aranea had been particularly loud not too long after her birthday… She hadn't heard her brother yet, but Crowe seemed to insist when asked by Luna or Aranea that they were taking things slow. It didn't look like Gladio, but she'd never seen him look at a woman like he did with Crowe…

Most of the walk back was quiet, Iris walking a bit closer to him as she noticed how dark the streets were. A few streetlights were burned out and yet had to be replaced and with the recent events, some refugees slept in the streets. Ravus seemed more tense than before and Iris nearly regretted her choice of shoes since her heels echoed across all the bricks and stones. There was a scream in the distance and trash cans hit the floor with a bang, eliciting a shiver in the girl, while the soldier next to her sprang to action. He pulled her in an empty alleyway and pressed her against a wall, shielding her with his own body as angry footsteps ran past them, screams and a few shouts following.

"Might have been a bar fight." Iris sighed.

She'd seen one from afar when she was with her brother, but this time, the people had been much closer. Ravus was just out of Insomnia and still on edge, ready to go on the offensive at the smallest sign of danger. As her breathing turned back to normal, she noticed the way his waist pushed against her, the warmth of his breath on her forehead, his metal hand on her waist, the other one nearly touching her hair. He felt big and strong and despite the cold stones pressing on her back, she felt more secure now than she'd done in a long time.

Her brown eyes looked up and Ravus lost his bearings in her gaze. Most of her hair was out of the clip now and her thin arms had gripped to his jacket in pure instinct. She was as close as that night when she'd saved him for the second time. But this time around he had two arms instead of one and wasn't shaken by any loss of blood. He longed for more closeness and maybe… just maybe…

His thumb brushed against the back of her neck, eliciting a shiver all over her spine. And it felt wrong and right, but too wrong still. Ravus guided her head to the crook of his neck, snapping his eyes shut and letting out a long sigh, forehead against the stone wall.

"You don't need to protect me," she whispered against his chest.

"I really, really want to. But sometimes I wonder what's more dangerous for you."

 _I've been dangerous before. And I could hurt you again._

"Rave, look here, look at me, okay?"

He did, taking a single step back and wondering how his heart could react so much just from the fact she followed his step, fingers still gripping his over shirt.

"We're friends. And you can hug me without feeling bad for it, okay?"

She knew there was more at stake, but she needed to normalize this, to set some sort of limits between them. Otherwise, she might get used to this and start believing there was more to it than a lonely guy finding comfort in the voice he'd heard the most during the last few weeks.

"This…"

Her small, light hand cupped his face, as though she was studying him. The freshly shaved jaw. The strong features. His eyes that seemed so lost, as though he was still missing his arm, still missing his home. He fell silent and would have leant in at the point, if only for the touch to feel like a caress. He'd starved himself from love, any kind of love and this girl… How could he stay around if she managed to put him in such a state the first day he showed up?

 _Maybe I can get used to it. Endure and keep my distances…_

"You've been through a lot of…"

He pulled away then, hands falling to his sides, eyes turning cold.

"I'm not a charity case, Iris."

"I never said…!"

"Friends don't hug in back alleys. And I don't mean that we shouldn't be friends with that, heck, I think you're one of the only things that kept me sane during the last few months."

Iris blinked, shocked by the admission.

"You know, as well surrounded as I am, those texts and talks have really helped. I meant it when I told you so," she stated.

"The problem is… Those texts and talking face to face is going to be different. I bet tonight was an exception and we won't manage to sneak on the others like this as you could get away to receive a call. Except for Luna, Aranea and you, I'm as good as Ifrit to them."

"Give them time."

Except he never had time.

"Can I be entirely honest with you?" the man asked.

"I wouldn't like to know you weren't before, but sure…"

"I don't know if I can see you as a friend."

The hurt was clear in her eyes and he quickly corrected himself:

"I mean… only as a friend."

"What are you…?"

Of course, Iris had her suspicions, but it was hard to predict that man, no matter how many time she'd told him of the contrary.

"I haven't trusted anyone except for Luna in a really, really long while."

He didn't like how open he was leaving himself, but Iris listened and when he grabbed her hands in his, there was no resistance on her side. His metal hand toyed with her finger, Ravus wondering how cold to the touch it might feel, how delicate his gestures could be.

"What am I supposed to be around you then?"

Her voice sounded frail and a new scream in the night had them shuffling closer out of pure instinct.

"I don't know yet." Ravus sighed into her hair. "But when I know, you'll know."

Iris was pretty certain he knew and refused to tell her because of conflicting feelings. She could barely link his eyes and hands to the guy who'd attacked refugees and broke her arm. This prince had buried her father, had walked on his pride to call for her help, had confided his discoveries with her. When he'd rather be alone, he hardly ever refused her presence. And her thoughts would always come back to him. She might have tried speaking up if the silence had lasted any longer, but he seemed to think they'd lingered long enough.

"I'm a really bad escort…" He nearly stammered. "Let's get you back before more drunken people run out of that bar."

…

Gladiolus wouldn't leave the club without his sister until he was convinced she'd left. Crowe would have liked his attention, like when they'd danced with abandon a moment earlier, but the big brother in the bodyguard was on full alert. Iris didn't answer any of his texts.

"We shouldn't bring her up to this sort of place. She's still young for…"

"She's quite reasonable for a girl of her age. And she's been through enough to be considered an adult by now."

Squinting his eyes as he scanned the crowd of dancers, Gladiolus grumbled something about princes and impressionable young girls.

"I'm not blind, Crowe. Iris is growing. She had a crush on Noct and that seems entirely over. Ravus is gone and so is my sister. Doesn't that mean they're together? Around this hour, she'd have called him already."

"I mentioned it to Luna and she emphasized that her brother would never hurt Iris."

"He blighted her once. I don't care how much his feelings have changed, in fact I'd rather he was still trying to kill her. That way, at least, I'd know what to worry about."

Crowe punched him in the shoulder and he agreed this was a bit excessive. Noctis and Luna had left just a while ago and the pair exited the club if only to hear themselves think again. Iris wasn't answering her phone, and after checking a few spots in the city, Crowe saw the improbable pair sitting down at a café, deep in conversation.

"She looks fine to me."

"Fine? Fine?!"

This was looking like a date to him and his instincts cried for him to cut things short. The brunette grabbed his arm and held him back, using more will than strength to stand up to him.

"If you forbid it, you might just push her into his arms. I don't know what his intentions are, but I know that Iris can defend herself if she needs to. She's been hoping for you to trust in her abilities. If you trust her as a fighter on the field, can't you have faith that she'll make the right choices in her life too?"

Gladiolus tensed a little more, the top button of his shirt slipping off from the rapid rise and fall of his chest.

"Don't tell me you're about to rip out of your shirt."

"There's a reason why I don't wear them usually. I need all my clothes tailored…"

Iris was laughing now and Ravus didn't look quite as threatening as before. With a little more convincing, Crowe persuaded Gladiolus to leave his sister be for the rest of the night. They walked back to the Leville arm in arm, talking of the plans Noctis was reviewing or of the new refugees reaching Lestallum.

Somehow, the conversation steered to their earlier dances and a few wicked moves the woman had done to stir his attention. The idea of facing a broken down and ruined Insomnia was a lot more distressing to Gladiolus then he was ready to let out and Crowe had seen enough broken city already. No matter how close and intimate they'd gotten before, they'd never really gone all the way and with the knowledge of their imminent attack on the capital, they knew a good occasion might not come back before some time. If one of them didn't die out there…

The door was barely closed when she asked his help to take off her dress. Gladiolus obliged with enthusiast, happy to uncover her shoulders and back, nibbling at her neck as she leant against him. Their body fitted together too well, her hips comfortable against his, her neck bending for a long, bone-melting kiss. She tried to turn around so she could remove some of his own clothes, but he kept her in place, brushing her hair to the side for better access to her neck, before he'd covered her back with more kisses. She stepped out of her dress and had half dragged him to the bed when he stopped his ministrations abruptly.

"Is something wrong?"

Gladiolus had just found a white spot on her back, whiter than Luna's dress, a patch of skin shaped like a falling star. Not a scar and not something he'd noticed before, although he'd seen her naked from close enough to know if that mark was new or not.

"Gladio?"

The brand seemed like a dark omen, no matter how pale it looked. It couldn't be the blight, but it still reminded him of the stain on his mother's leg when she'd come out of the pool and first noticed her illness.

"Did you scratch your back?"

"What? No, what are you…"

He didn't like the new tension in her and decided to worry about it later. Discolouration of the skin happened, he had seen it before, although he couldn't remember if it was a spontaneous occurrence or something that happened over time. Her skin wasn't different to the touch in that spot. Hadn't she been worried enough already?

"Might be a trick of the light. How do you smell so darn good?"

She shivered as his hands unravelled her and smiled:

"Maybe you have a thing for sweat."

"I wouldn't say that."

A kiss on one ear, a bite across the neck, toes curling in anticipation. She commanded the lead and tried to have him as fairly disrobed as her, their caresses grazing and ghosting and gripping all in turns. It didn't take long for both of them to turn into hot messes and as she lay in his arms, kissing back and wrapping around him, Gladio nearly whimpered from the sheer need. He felt incredibly nervous too, quite more than he would in such situations normally.

"Don't let me crush you."

"You won't crush me, big guy. Do you want instructions?"

He laughed in her ears, tickling her senses and kissing the smug grin off her lips. Crowe knew what she liked and what she wanted and was never shy of asking. She also like taking initiatives, and for every sparkle of pleasure he gave her, she gave back tenfold.

"Make it quick and dirty for the first time."

"What?"

"You still act as though I could break. But you need to understand I _can_ handle you."

To his own surprise, his nervousness only rose. He was a gentle and careful lover, always mindful of his own strength.

"I know you can."

Except he was a mess of pent-up emotions and didn't want to give free reign to something like that.

"You've been in need of release for too long. So get it out of your system first. Then I'll drive you crazy all over again and you can make love to me like you want to."

His Adam apple moved up and down as he swallowed the anxious knot in his throat. The next kiss was almost desperate and Crowe did tense as he turned her around once more, her back to his chest, his lips on her neck and his instincts taking over. She'd been in many arms and many beds, but never had one man held her like he did. As though she was this precious. It scared her and made her exult at the same time. Their voices mixed as he loved her, as hard and fast as he dared.

She didn't break, meeting his strength with her own, turning the tables around in the second round. By the third time, he refused to let her out of his arms, holding her close as he worshipped every part of her. His heart was in his throat, on his sleeve, bigger than it should and she melted, heart swelling and revived by the connection they felt. Closer than words, closer than the seconds turning into time.

"By the Six…"

"If it's this intense every time, I think we might get complaints from the others," Crowe teased him.

But she was just as moved as him as he gathered her close. All her moves were tentative, her limbs heavy with the afterglow.

"Let them complain. I'm just glad I found you."

"I love you, Gladiolus."

She kissed his pec, eyelids heavy and eyes unfocused. The words stayed stuck in his throat, but every of his gestures told her how much he loved her back.

His hand traced the white brand on her skin. His mind was drifting, but his heart clenched. His ears focused on the sound of her breathing. The warmth she exuded. Her fingertips on his tattoo. Where had the mark come from? An inverted sort of blight? Could it be linked to the migraines she felt near the altars?

She tasted sweet and smelled like home. He wanted to make her his a dozen more times, to stave off sleep and to commit every inch of her to his memory.

"Gladdy?"

"Yeah?"

"I can almost hear you worry. Stop. I'm not going anywhere."

"Are you scared too?"

"Not here. Not in your arms."

"I'd keep you there forever if I could."

"Not forever. Forever is too far."

She sounded like a child now and his breathing quickened. No reality check now. He wanted to dream they were fine just a little longer.

"I want to make you cheesy promises now."

Her laugh kept reality at bay.

"Will you have me tomorrow night?"

Her fear of being abandoned was so strong, so close yet, he wondered how she'd managed to let him in.

"Hell yes."

"That's the only promise I need."

…

The following morning, facing the others seemed surreal. Gladiolus woke up to the sound of the shower running and was reminded that he'd been just as vocal as Crowe last night. Which was a lot more than his usual. One sheet was half torn and his dress-shirt was missing more than one button. He still joined his lady in the shower, which was a feat considered his stature and the small space. The guys were already gathered for breakfast, Luna and Aranea nowhere in sight. Iris joked with Prompto about the latest record they'd made on a phone game while Ignis tried convincing Noctis to head the vegetables on his plate. The whole table fell silent as he got down the stairs, four pairs of eyes falling on him.

"Well, well, if it isn't yesterday lucky guy!" Prompto snickered.

Gladiolus felt a coy smile and a slight blush growing on his face. Why did he feel embarrassed? He'd never been embarrassed by his bedroom's exploits in the past.

"Kept you awake?" he asked cockily.

"I missed the thing! Cindy wouldn't let me leave the garage, but I heard all about it from the others."

Noctis nodded and Ignis raised his glasses on his nose, a smirk tugging on the corner of his mouth.

"Did they now…?"

"I think the whole street heard you two." Iris reported.

She looked mortified and Gladiolus wanted to laugh, but Crowe chose that moment to walk down the stairs, which gathered the whole table's attention. A wave of overprotectiveness washed over him.

"If I hear any of you make fun of her…!"

"I can defend myself, Gladio." Crowe declared, linking one hand with his. He pulled her in for a brief kiss before she went on, not caring for the snickers anymore. "We can all act like adults about it." The brunette went on as they parted and her eyes fell back to the rest of the group. "We were loud and we might be again, but I don't see a reason to be embarrassed about it."

She then noticed Iris and seemed to feel a hint of embarrassment then, to which the girl retorted:

"You make my brother happy, and I think he makes you happy too, so I don't entirely mind. I'll just get a room further down the hall for the rest of our stay."

They laughed it out together and there wasn't another mention of it, except for Aranea's knowing look when she finally joined them. She'd gone out with Luna to pick up Ravus at his own inn. The man was wearing only black, his right sleeve cut off to expose his mechanical arm fully.

"Okay guys… Since we are all here, I think we can kick off our meeting. Cor and Monica have already left to meet up with Libertus and we will be gathering at Insomnia's border in four days. In the meantime, I think we should try to train and determine the teams that will accompany the first line of attack. A group will be invading through the sewers."

"I'll pass." Prompto declared. "The smell was engraved in my brain."

"Can ya all count me in for this one?" Cindy asked, walking into the eating hall right at that point.

"What?" the gunman repeated.

"Well, A heard there are ships in the city. Luna's jerk brother disrupted their system a few times, but A could take 'em out of the picture far good."

Prompto wasn't ready to agree with this and Ravus' blood boiled a bit at the insult, but both men were silenced by Lunafreya's intervention.

"We're going to need all the help we can get. Thanks Cindy."

She could tell the mechanic didn't want her man to face the world alone this time around. Meanwhile, Noctis wondered if they shouldn't split a few of the couple and make different pairs for once. An error of judgment could happen far too easily in these conditions.

"Sit down with us. I've got the plans of Insomnia right here. Ravus, can I count on you to update them to the current impasses in the city?"

"To the best of my capabilities."

They gathered around the table and started planning. Luna was amazed to see both men working together for the first time. The animosity against her brother wasn't entirely gone, but she saw a brighter future for him. Now to expand that future to the people of Lucis, and then those of Accordo and Tenebrae…

To be continued…

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In next chapter, the action around Insomnia kicks off and it should be a roller coaster. I like to call it the Otto-fest. A lot of fluff will follow this mission, which should be completed in two chapters or so. Prompto is about to face more hardships. Hang in there, dear boy, we'll save you yet.

Would you say Ravus was too open with Iris in there? I think he was quite himself, as awkward and difficult as that can be. I hope you liked this chapter. As always, reviews keep me motivated. 😊


	50. Otto duels

So I was delayed in writing this by starting to play the assassin's creed dlc on FFXV. My thoughts on that DLC as of now are as follow: I'm glad we get more chocobros time and I appreciate the fact Noctis can jump on things. He should be able to scale up mountains too, but that's the Zelda BoW played in me talking. Whack-a-cactuar is my favorite mini-games so far, but it's because Noctis and I suck at being waiters. Lestallum looks good, but I really wonder how I'm supposed to make that mission if I can't get out of the city. Unless I can once I'm done with the storyline of it. I don't know if I'll include a reference to the festival. I don't exactly buy the themes of an Assassin's festival. But I like the little mentions of Galhads and I think a big celebration will be in store for the cast of this story once the present hard times are over.

Chapter 50! This is quite a landmark in the writing world. Today's chapter have some team bonding time, a very light hint of Raviris, and the start of the battle for Insomnia. The stakes are really high. Enjoy your read!

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Unexpected

Chapter 50 – Otto duels

Noctis stated their plan as soon as they arrived at Cor's campsite. Ignis had partaken in most of the planning, but seemed surprised as the prince teamed them up.

"Cor, Ravus and I are focusing on the main attack. I'll break down the gates while the other teams get in through the sewers. Our aim is to wipe out any resistance still occupying the Citadel. We'll go strong hold by strong hold. Cor will lead two squads of soldiers, while we take the other two."

Ravus nodded, mindful of keeping his opinion to himself regarding their soldiers. Most were volunteers from Free Crown and lacked training, but there was strength in numbers. After fighting alongside Noctis for a few hunts, the former army commander could tell the guy was a force to be reckoned with. Hell, Noctis could count as two squads all by himself. Gladiolus and Ignis seemed ready to voice concerns, but Noctis quickly went on:

"Ignis, Prompto, Iris, you're supporting Elshett's team. We need to collect back the energy cells we had stocked all over the city. Half the hunters are with you."

While electricity was common in Insomnia, Regis had feared the upcoming isolation of their bastion, signing up his best engineers in creating energy cells. They were all filled with energy gathered from the crystal itself by either the king or his son and kept in strategic points of the state-city. A single cell could fuel one floor of Free Crown for years. Libertus had done a lot of progress thanks to the few cells the refugees had brought with them. Sadly, over fifty more cells were still in Insomnia. They were adaptable energy sources and while the empire had no knowledge of them, Ravus swearing as he understood he could have enjoyed more comforts during his forced stay in the capital.

"You got it man," Prompto said, exchanging a thumb's up with Iris.

"Cindy, you have Gladio and Aranea to watch your back as you tinker with their slave ships. Cor has tamed a pair of Thunderocs. They'll take you over the wall and right into their docking bay. I want you to sweep in fast and get out of there as quickly as you can. When you're back in this camp, you can help with the refugees getting out."

"Leave them ta me, yar highness. Those ships won't get anywhere," the mechanic declared

"Luna, Crowe, you're with Libertus and the rest of the hunters. You're going to secure every civilian you find and get them on the road for Free Crown. No need for intensive healing there."

"Don't worry. I'll get them to safety first." Luna shot back with a knowing smile.

He couldn't help but worry about her going overboard. When he was the first one to try and pull heroics.

"And I'll make sure to keep her safe." Crowe added.

"You're an impressive team already. We secured the sewers, taking out Jormungand with our hunt last day." Noctis

"With the shortcuts we created," Ignis cut in. "It should take less than five minutes to cross the channels. The hard part will be to keep the refugees calm."

Libertus clapped his hands together, eager to get back on the field. He'd been organizing and planning for a while and having the chance to take back the capital was a chance to repay Lucis for the Glaives' failure.

"Keep in mind that they'll be jamming our communications as long as they have the Citadel's main room in their control."

Cor chimed in:

"Our goal here is to take down as many Niffs as possible and keep them busy while the other teams retrieve our people, our resources and make sure no one will be taken to the empire. We don't need to reclaim the crown city today."

"But we'll do our best." Gladiolus completed.

They quickly parted, most of the couples having made their goodbyes and exchanged advices or pleads of caution earlier. Noctis waited until everyone had gotten down the stairs leading to the channels before to warp strike into view of the gate keepers.

Ravus and Luna briefly exchanged looks, the former appearing conflicted about letting her under the surveillance of anyone else, the latter clearly praying for everything to go well for him. Gladiolus and Iris fist-bumped, Cindy teasingly declaring she'd keep the big guy in one piece. Aranea simply shrugged at the worried gaze Ignis sent her. Riding a bird terrified her, but she'd be damned if anyone noticed so.

Prompto appeared cheerful and exchanged a few jokes with the hunters of his group, while Monica took the lead inside the sewers, Crowe and Libertus going over last-minute preparations. Like any signal they would want to exchange once on the ground. They had colored flags to signal each other, as did every hunter or soldier in the various squads.

…

Cor had tamed more beasts to take on the imperial's soldiers, a griffon, and a pack of coeurls following the young prince as he warped up to the gates. They'd all been trained to hunt daemons and worked wonders to keep the Immortal's camp. The griffon took care of the MTs firing at them, Noctis dismissing the lone, weak Prima easily before to throw his magic at the gates. He remembered the few times he'd watched the only road access to his town. The few times he'd wondered about what the world outside could look like. And when he'd dream for Luna to walk through that gate. Back with him, back to safety.

He mixed fire and lightning together, like Crowe would do to muster everything from the elements. They'd sat together and had long talks about magic and elemancy. He gathered scraps of metal from the prima, knitting matter and darkness together. His after images were a purplish blue, his eyes the darkest red. The animals' feathers and fur raised, while the soldiers whispered together. A single gesture from Cor was enough to gather back the silence. Ravus enjoyed the silence interrupted by the crackling of magic.

A ball of energy was glowing between the chosen king's hands. He'd done this twice before; tests on a much smaller scale. He didn't simply want to open a door. He wanted to rip off the walls and destroy the small checkpoint. A wide entrance. Too wide to fill back up. The magic grew to the size of a chickatrice, before to inflate even more, like a miniature sun. Lightning ran over it. And as a few MTs yelled in panic, gathering around the gates, Noctis gave up any control on his elemancy. The spell widened, soon large enough to engulf a good quarter of the checkpoint. The coeurl sneered, but waited and Noctis let go of the ball of metal, fire and energy bolts.

The earth didn't quake. The wind didn't turn. But matter shattered and the gate crumbled, eaten up by the fire, stone grinded to dust by the pieces of metal. No one talked anymore. It was the first time Noctis ever showed his true powers before Lucians. This had taken considerable minutes, but Luna's fiancé could destroy nearly anything standing in his path.

Ravus' jaw was set tight out of sheer nerves. If the man could pull off this sort of trick, there was no way to ever compete as a fighter against him. The magic died down, the gates slowly turning into dust, and Noctis seemed ready to topple over. Cor ordered his coeurls forward and the felines took care of the MTs that had survived the destruction while Ravus walked up to his future brother-in-law, steadying him with his metal arm.

"Don't burn yourself up before that we even get in the fight."

"I just need a max-ether or two." Noctis retorted.

The usual tension was gone. Their hunt down the sewers had fixed some of the hatred they shared and they both knew acting like jerks wouldn't help on this battlefield. Not when they were on the same side.

… _\- Previous day -_ …

"That thing was right around here." Prompto mumbled, turning around his phone as he checked the map.

"You have it upside down," Ignis sighed.

Ravus rolled his eyes and Gladiolus nearly slipped on the watery floor before to catch himself on the wall. His hand came back up covered with grime.

"Ugh…"

"I told you, you should have worn a shirt." Noctis teased him.

He didn't like the confined space any more than the other guys did, but he put on a brave face since Ravus was there and seemed totally cool with their surroundings. The guy had slashed through a few hobgoblins, dodging their punches with such ease, you'd think _he_ could warp around. When they'd set out for a hunt, Luna's brother had insisted on coming along. Every of the guys silently objected to it, but Ignis admitted learning to work as team would benefit them in the future. There were a lot of hard feelings still, but they were all trying to work around it for Luna's sake.

In the last few days, they'd taken Ravus fishing and Gladiolus hadn't tried to drown him, Ignis had prepared his fish as well as the others and Prompto had even insisted on including him in a few pictures he'd shot. As much as he tried to keep to himself and stay aloof, the four friends constant banter was contagious, as out of sync as it could get with him around. Of course, he managed to anger Gladiolus a few times, but they solved it with arm wrestling, Ravus winning enough rounds to gain some of the man's respect.

They were advancing slowly in the maze-like channels, the former commander suggesting a path every now and then. Prompto insisted on warning them about any trap or monsters they could have to fight. The trip inside the sewers was pretty much engraved in his mind. He had difficulties coordinating his memories of the place with the map they had, but Ravus let him interfere with his recommendations. The loud gunman was the heart of this team, still childish and bringing smiles to the other guys' faces. From what Iris had told her about recent events, it was a miracle the man still acted like himself. He wondered if the calm, protective aura he felt around Prompto was anything similar to the feeling of having a younger brother.

"Guys, this is it! The snake was down here."

There was a crossing over the pit, the pipes large enough for a man to stand over it. Ignis' shoulders shivered and his hands turned into fist as he tried to will away his first reaction at the sight. This place was already too dreadful for his taste, the odors, dirt and grime assailing every of his well-honed senses. But to think they'd risk themselves by walking over this, knowing what was waiting a few feet below. He was glad Aranea was here and realized with some shock that the idea of falling was almost frightening to him.

Noctis took the first few tentative steps, Gladio grumbling something about deamonic grime as he wiped his hands over his pants. Washing their clothes after this would be dreadful. The crossing went out fine, no one falling or needing to be pulled back up. They were all a bit shaky still as they went down level by level, their backs to the wall, feet half in the air, heels barely touching that small ledges. The first to notice the movement down was Ravus, but Prompto shouted before the man could speak up.

"You ran away from it before." Gladiolus reminded him.

"I was changed into a frog too. Did that ever happen to you?"

"It's a really weird feeling." Ravus supported him, drawing everyone's attention.

"When did you…?"

"They used to inflict us all the status effect they could during training. And a rookie broke a magic flask once when I wasn't looking. It was an accident, but I remained a frog for three days straight before they noticed I was missing."

"Three days?" Gladiolus repeated.

"An ailment that never pass." Ignis stated.

"Did you have to eat flies?"

Ravus shrugged at Prompto's disgusted face.

"There aren't many flies in Tenebrae. And I was busy not getting squashed."

They might have laughed if a monster able to inflict such an ailment on either wasn't waiting a few feet below.

"We've come prepared," Ignis reminded them.

Noctis looked at one of the maiden's kiss potion with a puzzled expression.

"I never understood how they made those…" the prince started, not finishing his sentence.

"From what I heard, it has nothing to do with maidens." Gladiolus observed.

"Or kisses."

"But it did…!"

"Shall we get down to it, gentlemen?" Ravus interrupted their argument.

He wasn't sure he could handle the silly conclusion or puns that might come out of it.

"Now he's talking like Iggy," Prompto sighed.

"For once, someone else making sense," the advisor half-mocked.

"He just wants to get out of here ASAP," Gladiolus retorted.

"For once, we'll agree."

Noctis had to admit an instant later that Jormungand was no snake. It was a dragon snake if anything. Its whiskers were long and drooping, his eyes shone in the dark and his scales had a myriad of shades, sky blue to ocean green. It twisted and whirled and snapped at them with its tail. As well trained as they were, this fight was a pure mess. There were in too close quarters for Noctis to use his full powers without hurting his friends. Oh, and his brother in law too. Ravus slashed and ran, taking a few steps on the walls to keep his momentum, keeping up with Ignis' warp, Gladiolus incredible strength and even backing up Prompto has he needed to recharge his guns. This was their fourth hunt with the man and already, he felt like a part of the team on the field. Noctis and he would usually compete about who would get the kill, but this time, things were too hectic for pettiness.

Ten slashes, 16 shots, a few shouts and a dozen maiden's kiss and remedies later, the monster toppled over, daemon vanishing into darkness, leaving the pit empty except for the five men all trying to catch their breath. Prompto's breathing didn't calm and he was paler than before, sporting grime on one side of his face, a light cut on a shoulder, dropping one of his gun to the ground in a sloshing sound.

"Prom…"

"I can't help but think we're lucky Luna wasn't around this time. I really don't want to know who we just killed," he whispered.

As many laughs and jokes as he'd made, he was far from over the event with his mom.

"Think of all the people that will be saved. No refugee will have to worry about facing that thing." Gladiolus offered him.

"They're not _th… things_ …"

"That's right, every daemon is a former human being." Ravus interfered. "But they can't come back. And feeling sorry about a kill won't prevent more people from turning into a daemon. But the one we just defeated. It's one less propagation unit for the blight."

"I don't think you should…" Noctis started, only to hear Prompto sniffing and exhaling a deep breath.

"Rave's right about this. We've been trying to avoid the question with every new MT and all the daemons we had to kill. But they're infected and beyond saving."

Ignis was as stiff as ever, eyebrows creased, while Gladio rolled his shoulders. He didn't like to think of what was hiding beneath the daemons. His mother might have become one of them. Unless his father had lied and never buried her real corpse and she was still out there, roaming the planet in search of victims.

"I suggest we take this conversation outside," Ignis declared. "With or without daemons, those channels are quite toxic and we shouldn't linger if we can prevent it."

Prompto agreed and followed, the spring gone from his steps, but he wasn't dragging his feet either. But it wasn't a surprise later that day when both Ignis and Ravus cautioned Noctis against letting Prompto on the field the following day.

"I had a talk with him. Leaving him behind would only make him feel worse. He's not healed yet, but I've planned to keep him away from the heavier fights."

"There won't be something _light_ fights out there, Caelum."

"And he didn't blow until after the fight was over, didn't he? You need to give him more credit than that."

"As long as he doesn't get anyone on our side hurt, he can lose it for all I care."

Noctis nearly jumped at Ravus' throat right there, but Ignis was quick to stop him, restraining his king while glaring back at the former commander.

"We aren't talking about soldiers, but a friend here. Watch your words, Fleuret," the advisor warned.

His harsh tone was enough to calm Noctis down, as though he was the one being threatened. Ravus didn't flinch, but he did ease his own glare to a frown.

"You are all looking for trouble. We have 500 barely trained soldiers and 150 hunters or so. Your team is strong, Prompto is a sharp shooter and his magic will be invaluable in the field, no matter where you put him. But it won't take much for that boy's mind to tip over. And sometimes, to protect someone, you have to make them unhappy."

Noctis knew how much truth lay in his words but refused to listen. Prompto was far too complexed about being found lacking. Leaving him on the sidelines would only make it worse. Especially since he'd accepted help from civilians like Cindy.

"You can give advice if you want, but at the end of the day, I'm calling the shots." Noctis reminded him.

Ravus decided he'd insisted enough and stalked off after giving him a mocking bow of the head. It took Ignis' reasoning him over for Noctis to accept not to go after the guy and give him a good punch in the guts.

"We need to look out for Prompto. He's had it worse than any of us."

" _Which is why I'm teaming him with you, Iggy."_

…

The girls had hung out, going on a few hunts on Aranea's insistence, the more mature ladies sharing all sorts of stories around the campfire, with Iris either blushing or finding an excuse to walk out of hearing distance if her brother's exploits were ever mentioned. She did text Ravus out of habit, even though he warned her the guys would suspect who he was answering. He didn't ask about his sister a single time. But he never answered the one question she dared to ask after his half-assed confession:

 _You already know what you want, don't you? You're just going to wait until I'm 18 to say it…_

Every of their interactions after that had been awkward when they even interacted and Iris regretted mustering the nerves to even type the words down and hit send.

"We were sixteen. He was a total mess of nerves, but so was I."

Iris wondered what sort of conversation she'd walked back in, but Aranea added:

"You'd think he'd never cooked for a homeless girl before."

"I remember going off to live on the streets during a rebellious phase." Crowe sighed. "Libertus dragged me back home the first night."

"He found you?" Aranea snickered.

"I was 11!"

Luna laughed with them, scooting over to give a place in their little circle for Iris. They all had really different lives. Crowe had grown up in an adoptive family, lost and never entirely found, throwing herself in the military life to find her place. Aranea had been an orphan on the street, stealing and fighting for every inch of freedom. Luna had been a prisoner since the day her mother died, kept in a golden cage with monsters lurking about. Her dogs were her only consolation, except for Noctis' letters and the few visits for her brother. Iris was always a bit overwhelmed when she tried to compare herself to these women. Even Cindy, when she accepted hanging around with them between two shifts at the garage or tinkering with one of their bikes, had faced rough patches. Her parents had been killed by daemons, her grandfather raising her like a tomboy. She'd wear scanty clothes to catch people's attention and hide the pieces of her mind and heart she was too afraid to share, insecure under her warm smile and toned skin.

They were all looking at Iris like a younger sister. And as much as the girl needed a surrogate mother or sisters, she missed the impression of having a friend her own age. Someone who'd text back about a movie, an actor or would blush as much as her if guys whistled after them. Someone with as little experience as her, who would ask for details if a guy kissed her, but would blush if second base was reached.

Aranea and Crowe were quite open about sex, and Luna, though delicate, liked their talks. Iris was half intrigued, half grossed out. The guys involved were all like brothers to her, and when it was about previous men, it sounded as though the act had been meaningless, mechanical and sometimes painful.

One thing she was glad for though was how neither of the women around her were talking in the others' back. There was no petty contest here, no judgement about one's appearance, or how unruly their hair was, or if they hadn't washed it in days. They were all over that.

"You stole his watch?" Luna repeated.

"He looked so proper and stuffy. And that watch was worth at least 500 gils on the market." Aranea explained.

"Did he run after you?"

The dragoon's eyes flashed as her smile turned smug.

"Not at that time."

She seemed to be thinking of all the times afterwards, when Ignis did everything he could to keep some sort of contact with her.

"But you never sold that watch, he still has it." Iris observed.

"Does he? I broke it when he found me the next time around. We fought and he managed to snatch it back. I nabbed his wallet instead. He never asked for his money back. Only the watch."

The story went on, about how the watch had sentimental value because it belonged to his father and Ignis couldn't give it up, broken or not. Aranea rarely showed her soft side, but when she did, she went all out.

"I wonder how your kids will react when they hear the tale of their parents first meeting. It seems taken right out of a novel." Crowe commented.

"Kids? I'm far too sober for talking about kids!"

"Why? Don't you want to have one eventually?" Luna inquired.

Iris' eyes went from the princess to the mercenary, a light smile on her face. Aranea was fidgety now.

"I'd be an awful mother. And with everything happening now…"

"Girl, you need to stop reacting this way when we mention the future," Crowe sighed. "If it helps, I'd never thought of having kids before. I think I needed to meet the right guy. But now, I must admit I'm quite partial to the idea."

"That would make me an aunt!" Iris exclaimed.

"Would you like that?"

"Mini Gladios running around? And to be the boss of them? You bet!"

"Slow down now," Crowe laughed. "I haven't even tested the subject with him yet."

"Has any of us done so?" Aranea pointed out.

"We did," Luna answered almost immediately. "Noctis is really good with children and if it's possible, I know I'll have as many as I can."

"Kids are monsters." Aranea objected.

"Kids are cute."

"Ticking poo bomb."

"You didn't just say that!"

"Can you picture Iggy letting anyone near his child? I bet he'd keep even the mother away if he thinks it's better for the kid. You've seen him with Noctis."

"Poor Noctis. I wonder if he waited so long to grow up because Ignis was always there watching over him."

"If he got to eat the man's food his entire life, I don't pity him one bit." Crowe declared quite seriously.

"I bet you I can cook something even better than him," Iris said, puffing her chest.

"You girl cook pretty well, I'll admit. Maybe I should take lessons from you."

"You just want to steal my recipeeh secrets !" the brunette retorted.

"Hey now, only I have a right to mock Iggy's accent!"

All in all, Iris loved hanging out with the girls. They were easy to be around, they always made her laugh and she knew they'd look after her if she ever needed advice or an ear to listen. Luna loved to hear about her life in high school, since the concept was still foreign to her, despite Noctis' mentions of it. Their last day before the attack on Insomnia had been hectic though.

Running all over the camps, reviewing the soldiers, giving last training preps to the recruits, healing a few wounds here and there, making sure they had enough ammunitions, food and resources for the fights coming. Aranea would have preferred to get down the channels and hunt down the daemons there, but they needed to clear up the rescue roads, and ended up in over 30 fights. Their best mark was a bendersnatch that'd managed to sneak out of the crater he was stuck in. In truth, when they reported their day to the guys, it sounded as though Noctis' team had it easy.

"Tell me you kept the meat." Gladio asked them.

"But I thought you preferred behemoth's steak." Crowe retorted.

"We're having cuppa noodles tonight, Ignis can't cook for 700 persons in this little time. Any meat is good for me at this point."

"We kept it," Iris reassured him. "How else do you think we're going to feed all these people?"

… _\- Now- …_

They'd heard the collapse of the gates from within the channels, but they trudged onward. Seeing Monica on the field was new for the guys and Ignis had had a serious talk with Cor about what would happen if the lady wasn't back in top shape after this mission. Iris was on edge about seeing her city half destroyed. Ravus had tried to prepare her for it, it had been the only reason why he'd approach her during the last two days, but she mostly refused to hear it. As they stepped out into the back street linked to the sewers, their entire group felt the first wave of shock.

Insomnia had been butchered. Skyscrappers laid with their insides open in the streets and small daemons lurked about. Ravus had warned them about it, but hearing it and seeing it was two very different things. Monica squared her shoulders and motioned for her hunters to follow as they slipped down a street. Prompto kept Iris close, Ignis further up with Monica.

Libertus' team headed down another street, meaning to find people further from the gates. The search would be long and they were ready to keep the fight going for over 24 hours. They knew the empire would resist them, but the question was still, how would they react?

…

"They're everywhere!" Ace sighed as he watched the camera's transmissions all over the city.

His new elite soldiers had recently added surveillance to Insomnia. Otto-1 had already ordered his brethren off to fight and was impatient to get on the field himself.

"We have the swarm." He reminded the young Drautos.

"Only Ardyn controls the swarm." Ace despaired.

He felt like the captain of a sinking ship.

"Lucky for you boys, I finally got here." the Chancellor declared, his signature hat covering his face.

He was wearing an outfit with clashing colors that took away most of his usual mysterious aura, but he quickly gave an answer to Ace's questions:

"It wasn't easy to retrieve garments on the way from Ravatogh's rock to here, believe me boy. I might set a new trend."

Otto-1 hissed at the prospect and Ardyn motioned for him to be on his way.

"Ace-boy. Can I understand that you've let yourself go during my absence?" Ardyn asked, toying with a few tassels on the front of his suit.

"We've been having difficulties…"

"Eldercapt should have kept you on the field, where you belonged. Too young for a commander's post. The swarm will disrupt their team and isolate their fighter. I'll have my darlings drop you in front of a single opponent. And I hope you use that chance well. Because it's the last I'll give."

His eyes were an ugly shade of gold, the white entirely black.

Ace nodded quickly, barely holding back a scream as an Ariadne broke into the control room, her six legs like fishing hooks, her small arms swooping him up as though he weighted nothing. She sat him on her furry back and he was left to hold on for dear life as the spider centaur daemon rushed off to the window she'd broken. Ace discovered that Ariadnes could walk on walls. And ceilings. And run sideways. A look behind him was enough to see a wave of bombs rushing from the wall. Where had those daemons been hiding? Where did Ardyn keep them? How could he control them all? Fire bombs, ice bombs, electric bombs, and… by the six, was that a part of the wall moving forward? No it was…

"Daemonwalls. He's made daemonwalls."

Dozens of them… Riding on their own Uttus or Ariadne, the Ottos rejoiced, blue mask thrown away for the fight of the century. A king was coming to claim back his throne. And he would get the welcoming committee a king deserved.

…

Noctis, Ravus and Cor had reached the center of Insomnia with their troops when the city fell entirely silent. The MTs dropped their weapons and froze. And then the wave of monsters appeared on the horizon. It was as though every daemon in Lucis had been pulled out of their caves, mines and forests to rain from the sky. Bombs blew over the buildings still standing, sending burning, frozen and electrical debris around. Daemon walls got caught in a few explosions or stuck ruins, but a few got close enough for the soldiers to cower back. The coeurls attacked the new enemy, slaughtered one by one. Noctis could see the table turning and raged deep inside, but kept his mind clear.

 _Answer me now, Ramuh. We could really use your help._

The sky instantly darkened. Thunder struck down the daemon walls, leaving fuming craters behind. More bombs blew up and the soldiers scattered. They had been ready to fight a few daemons and mainly MTs soldier. Not this sort of waking nightmare! Ravus held his sword up, scanning the swarm of daemons. And he saw them crawling between the bombs, over falling or standing buildings. Improbable riders on spider-ish horrors.

"We need to move, Caelu…"

"I'll take out as much as I…"

"Noctis, enough with the summoning, open your eyes. This is only the first wave. They're sending their elites."

When Noctis looked up, it was to see Cor holding off the arm of the nearest daemonwall with his katana and two MTs rushing their Uttus forward. Next thing they knew, a Uttu capture each of them and dragged them off through Insomnia, in opposite directions.

Noctis was sent tumbling to the ground, grazing his armor on the ground. For the first time since he'd started this road trip, he was wearing armor and the padding made the hit against concrete less hard on his ribs. He rolled around to dodge one sharp hooked leg and felt his breath cut off as two feet landed on his chest. The MT rider had jumped off. And to the prince's surprise, it wasn't a grown man, or daemon. It was a kid. With deep blue eyes and blond hair.

"Hiya mister prince. Name's 13. Otto-13. I hope you're ready for the fight of your life," the seven-year-old declared.

He was missing one of his front teeth. And he looked like Prompto. Noctis wondered if his breath would ever come back.

…

Libertus' team didn't have to look much. The first refugees came out of their own will, with the swarm floating and running right behind them. The people were screaming and crying for help, a few kids held up by hasty parents or siblings. Luna summoned Shiva's powers to stop the daemons run, Crowe standing before her to prevent anyone from hurtling into her. The hunters quickly signaled the refugees over and guided them back, trying to keep their calm like Libertus was ordering them to.

Ice burst and snow fell as only the daemon froze over. A few managed to sneak past, three Ariadne rushing madly in their direction, their riders hanging on with all their strength. And Luna could hear them scream. Like kids in an attraction.

"You can't keep that ice coming forever," Crowe warned her.

Thunder roared in the distance and Lunafreya pushed her bodyguard to the ground as the Ariadnes leaped off the frozen daemons. How could they move so fast? The last refugee had just run past them.

Luna felt the hook slashing her arm. Libertus was swept away. Crowe jumped back to her feet only to feel a hand catching her by the hair and getting dragged off.

The Oracle was left alone, calling up her trident and seeing it kicked to the side nearly instantly. The Ariadne let down her rider, a tall MT, wearing an armor with blue patterns. His blond hair was long and braided, but she recognized his face instantly.

"It's too bad I have to scratch a pretty face," he declared.

It was the same voice too!

"Otto-7," he declared, buster sword lazily propped against his shoulder. "You can call me Sev, though. I'll make sure to give you a good time."

 _How many of them had they made?_ _And what will they do to our Prompto?_

…

As they flew toward the docking bay with Cindy sitting in front of Gladio on the thunderoc, they were high enough to see the nightmare starting up.

"We have ta do something…" Cindy gasped.

"Sure. But what should we…"

"Is that ice bomb coming toward us?" Aranea asked, pulling on the thunderoc reigns.

She was not falling out of the sky this time around. Not if she could help it.

"Wait, Arane…"

Her spear raised, she kicked her bird into a dive and charge the monster. Cindy covered her eyes and the explosion pushed them back, Gladio soon forced to steer their mount away as nearby bombs joined in a chain of explosions. Their flight was out of control, feathers burning and Cindy vowed to never embark on anything she hadn't constructed herself again if she survived.

A few feet lower, the dragoon lady removed the fire from her hair and forced herself to take a deep breath. Her lungs rasped in protest, but she insisted, taking a brief look to the city. The swarm had been mostly subdued by Noctis and Luna. She hoped the rest of their team was alright and decided to fly over the place to run her own check. She could always swoop in to help if she saw anyone in trouble.

…

The building to their left collapsed and Prompto only had the time to push Iris away before the shadow and dust enveloped him. He couldn't breathe, couldn't see, could barely think. The hunters panicked and Monica's orders couldn't be heard over the ruckus. Prompto tried to push the fog away with his hands, hearing the thunder, the screams. Bodies rushed around him. He was overwhelmed and couldn't speak, couldn't call out for either Iggy or Iris. He just hoped they were both alright.

He was pushed down and didn't find the will to fight against it, merely rolling himself into a ball to protect his face and stomach as boots stepped all around and over him.

This brought back so many bad memories, he had the impression his brain shut itself off for a minute. Then there was pain in his side, and blood trickling down his hand and his body moved while he didn't. His consciousness faded entirely as the pain and the fear shortcut his senses.

He came to only a moment later, lying on his side. Hands were touching him under his shirt, his crownsguard uniform open. Someone was layering him with a potion. He tried to pull away, but heard a voice awfully familiar telling him:

"There, there, I'm nearly done."

It was familiar in a disagreeable way.

"Can't you wrap this up, 2?" the voice said in a harsh tone

"I still believe we should be out there with the others."

"They're doing fine."

Prompto blinked, wondering why both the voices were so familiar. His eyes first took in a pair of knees, dressed in an armor he'd seen far too many times. MT… He blinked once more, angling his head up. And his heart stopped.

The man working over him was his spitting image, except for scar running down his temple to his neck. Long hair, feathers and pearls woven into them.

"Wha…?!"

Another face came into view, looking from over the crouched MT's shoulder. And it was himself once more, down to every detail, except with his hair short, military-cut.

"Fully awake are we? Let me check his serial."

Prompto was lying on the floor in a minimal room, with only a light hanging on the ceiling and a few pieces of furniture in the back. Otto-1 stepped behind, clearly not caring about personal space as he kneeled next to him, ripping off his wristband. Otto-2 held him down as he tried to protest and next thing he knew, they were marveling at the numbers under his barcode.

"It's the same set…" 2 stated.

"But with a 0."

"My my…

Prompto tried to shake off the MT, repulsion growing with every new look he gave his captors.

"This can't be…"

"It's happening, zero-man. I need to make sure…"

Leaning down, Otto-1 aligned his arm with Prompto, nearly holding him from behind. The poor gunman struggled even harder, which earned him a hit under the belt that cut off his breathing.

"That was for 15." Otto-2 told him.

The codes on both wrists had the exact same lines. And the numbers were perfectly identical, except for the last digit.

 _0_ on Prompto's arm. _1_ on the other guy.

"He's the prototype." Otto-2 declared.

"You mean the draft. Heck, he's looking sick."

"GET OFF ME!" Prompto screamed.

"Don't give me that, prodigal son. You think you can kill 4, 11 and 14 and get away with it?"

"I didn't…!"

Otto-1 punched him in the face, hard enough his neck nearly snapped to the side.

"We never thought we'd find you after she ran. But here you are. Zero-man."

"Stop calling me that!"

This time, Prompto managed to push Otto-1 into the wall and the MT took the hint, taking a few steps away from his huddled form, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You cling to the name she gave you, huh?"

"1, this isn't the time for personal vendettas."

"We were all send out to die and we both know it. This guy is our ticket out of here."

Prompto gulped down as Otto-2's grips turned into a vice. At this rate, his fingers would leave a mark.

"You can't…"

"We're all expandable as daddy's science projects. But some people might consider you precious, zero-man."

"To be human instead of a magiteck for once. 5 would like this." Otto-2 declared solemnly.

"So would 15."

Their eyes turned dark and their face somber. Prompto felt the memories assailing him. His whole body was shaking and the pictures ran in the back of his mind. Sickening.

 _Don't give into it. Don't give into it, dude!_

"We're going to have ourselves a little reunion party, zero-man. And by the time we're done, you'll be wishing you were dead."

To be continued…

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So there are far too many Ottos and I need to cover on what's happening to Ignis, but don't worry, everyone is surviving through this. Except a few Ottos. My poor baby Prompto is in deep. And I'm conscious there's a lot of dialogs in this. I will try to balance things out a little more in next chapter.

As always, reviews make me incredibly happy.

Next chapter: end of the insomnia fight. And everything that might entail. If I can cram all that in a single chapter. I will skip a few of the fights in there, focus on the more important in my opinion.

Edit: I went over the chapter with a correcting software for once, I think I should try to go over every past chapters and make sure all the mistakes I can find are removed. Might delay next chapter a bit, but I know that if I don't do it at this point, I never will.


	51. A prototype of who we are

This chapter might seem pretty late, but my updates will be sporadic again because I have a lot of deadlines to respect in the following months. This semester might be just as crazy as the one back in winter. Today's chapter is pretty dark. Be warned. We have more of Prompto's past, most of the Otto's fights and pretty much nothing but action.

Enjoy your read. I'm off to enjoy rest since it's awfully late over here. XD

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Unexpected

Chapter 51 – A prototype of who we are

15 had always been small. Nearly as small as Prompto. Or 0, as their so-called father had nicknamed him. The fifteen other kids were the first wave, born from the same eggs, all his mother's, though their growth had been rushed. Stunted development struck left and right.

They were raised between cold, synthesized walls, their skin and flesh probed and scrapped at every day for more testing. 4 didn't take well to the testing, developing a tendency to swell up with every new probing. Their cribs had been test tube, enhancing their growth till they could stand on their own feet. They still crawled most of the time. 3 and 13 seemed slower than the rest, no matter what stimulation they were given.

Rushing life was wrong. Prompto remembered his mother telling him so over and over.

He missed her even more as he laid on the hard floor, arms tied behind his back, his "brothers" looming over him. 2 seemed the more reasonable of the two, but Otto-1 was still their leader. As far as his shattered memories went, Prompto remembered 1 taking the direction of things when Verstael wasn't looking. How they'd steal food from the kitchen to get by the regular sessions behind bars. Set rules about which one should sleep first and what limits to respect when they competed.

The tests were meant to reshape their mind, make them blank canvas. Wipe away any humanity. The scientist wanted robots of flesh. And he was still trying to determine when the accelerated aging should stop. But the boys felt pain and fear and would cry and struggle.

Maybe the workers inside the facilities taking pity on them and trying to comfort them every now and then were at fault. Prompto's mother had kept him with her often, always recognizing him among the other boys. They all looked the same, a few thinner, underfed, or rougher. Prompto didn't cry more or any louder. If anything, he barely ever cried. He'd quickly understood crying made Verstael even worse. Tears meant weakness and the mad scientist had no time for weak creation.

Prompto was a good shot, top of the group. He could barely keep up when they raced against each other, but if the boys ever fought for something, he struggled twice as much. And he had such persistence, he would often last longer than 1 or 8. He'd get up in the end, limping and shivering, getting praise for his endurance while they remained on their back or stomach, out of breath, muscles strained from exhaustion. Sometimes, he had the nerves to extend a hand and pull one of them to his feet. They hated him for it. And he hated them right back.

 _I never was different. Mom always told me otherwise, but how could have I been…?_

The difference fully appeared during their fourth year, not that Prompto remembered. The testing had intensified as production of more clones started. They were injected with daemon's blood, with countless drugs, sending them into rages or catatonic state. But despite sharing the same DNA except a few, tiny strands, Prompto reacted in his own way to daemon's blood. The formula had been slightly different for every 16 children since Verstael was looking for the ideal cocktail - one that would make them strong and yet controllable- without breaking their mind.

The best results appeared with Prompto. His strength grew, his endurance crossed every threshold and his flesh even started regenerating itself. As for his mind, he was half gone, a perfect puppet, obeying through a haze. The effect had a limited time, depending on the dosing of blood. Some of the kids nearly developed the blight, but Prompto remained sane of flesh, his spirit failing as Verstael pushed him to the limit.

All the young man remembered from that time was 15's blood. Both boys had been trapped together for days. The cave Prompto saw in his nightmares had been a small pit down the lab's foundations. Lights flashed at intervals while Verstael' pre-registered voice spoke all the time, preventing them from sleeping.

 _Only one can come out. Only one can come…_

Prompto sat in a corner for hours, hours of listening to the words and trying to turn them around. To block out the brutal lights in his eyes and the muffled whining of 15. His body wanted to move, but his heart kept him in place. He remembered his father's words, the ugly words his mother had warned him about.

 _If you kill for me, the pain will stop._

Except the pain might never stop. It was buried in his flesh, encrypted with his DNA and the weird drug running through his veins. 15 had heard the same words and broke down first. He slammed Prompto into the wall. Nails digging into his neck, clawing at him. A snarl and red eyes flashed in the dark. Prompto couldn't scream. Couldn't breathe. He pushed back, struggled like he always did usually. 15 scratched his face, barely missing his left eye. Something in the small boy snapped. Survival instinct, beastly reaction, the drug overloading his senses. He pushed 15 on his back. Dug his knees in his stomach. Hit back until bones cracked. Cried out when 15 bite him hard enough for blood to spill out. 0-boy's punches turned into a strong grip, blue eyes cold with determination.

 _Only one can come out._

Prompto only wished for his mother's embrace. Her warmth, her breath tickling his neck. The incredible -and frequently challenged- impression of being perfectly safe.

But they were all trapped in a sick game.

A knock brought him back to the present. His eyes turning as round as saucers. The imperial chancellor, Ardyn Izunia, was standing there, clearly alive, not a scratch on his smug face.

"What do we have here?"

"Sir, we secured the prototype like you asked." Otto-1 stated.

"Excellent. Now, all we need is a little touch of magic."

Prompto instinctively backed away, but he couldn't possibly escape the spell. There was no intricate gesture, no incantation. Ardyn's eyes shone with a golden hue before to dimmer back to their amber shade. At first, it looked as though nothing had changed. Prompto felt the same as before. And neither of his "clones" seemed different. But Otto-1 raised one hand. It was like an invisible curtain fell down. And the imperial issued uniform shifted into the crownsguard clothes Prompto himself was wearing. A few freckles changed place on the pale cheeks and the hair grew, styling itself on its own. It was like looking into a mirror, except Prompto was not standing up or smiling this dark smile.

"How long until…?" Otto-2 started asking, clearly uncomfortable around the chancellor.

"..it wears off? A couple of hours. Get out there. And let's see how this one manages now, wearing another face…" Ardyn stated, sending a mocking smile in Prompto's direction.

His arms were still tied up when they walked out, and he wasn't sure what Ardyn's entire goal was in this scheme. The man was interested in the Astrals. He clearly didn't care for the empire. But most of all, he wanted to make Noctis suffer. And as many people as possible in the process. Prompto struggled to his knees, trying to notice any changes in his clothes. But they looked the same to him. The room was empty of furniture, no glass to check his reflection. He wasn't sure he wanted to see his own face, knowing that Otto-1 aimed to impersonate him. With his luck, his friends would believe the guy. Unless…

"They said 4, 11 and 14 died… With what I did back then…"

He shivered despite himself, trying to push the awful memories away. He couldn't crack down now. Not when 11 men wearing the same face as him could be threatening his friends.

…

He dragged her off, scrapping her face against rubble, the Ariadne laughing and screeching as Crowe tried to keep her mind afloat, hair nearly torn off her head. No use trying to save or protect anyone now. The mad run came to a halt, a pair of boots hitting the ground, creaking as the man slowly regained his bearings. Glancing up through her fallen and unruly hair, Crowe recognized her kidnapper.

Ace Galhad Drautos. Son of a monster and traitor to his people, his brothers and sisters, blinded by illusions of power. Crowe's heart flared with pure rage and she called up her magic, setting fire to the Ariadne next to the young man. The monster cried out with pain and the former Glaive jumped to her feet, her eyes hard enough to kill.

"You know, Altius, my father used to commend you for everything you said and did. I always wondered if he wasn't simply amazed by the abilities a single woman showed in a world of men," Ace observed.

His face was still pale from his ride, one hand on the hilt of his katana.

"I already want to kill you enough, boy, don't make your case any worse," Crowe whispered through gritted teeth.

"I'm only here to finish the work. I'd rather face the prince, but I'm pretty sure I can turn off your magic like I did with his!"

While the Ariadne collapsed, entirely consumed by the fire, Crowe jumped forward, all weapons out. Ace twisted his wrist, activating the mechanism implanted beneath his skin. A shockwave of energy rippled from him, Crowe sensing the change in the air, but still able to muster the elements as she pleased, throwing thunder at the man's feet.

"What the…?!"

"You'll have to do better than this," Crowe laughed.

She wouldn't wonder about the meaning of this miracle before to be reminded by Gladio that Ace's disrupting signal didn't only shut off Noctis' power. It turned off the powers the prince had given his retinue with the help of the crystal. Which meant her magic came from another source... And unbeknownst to her, the white brand on her back grew larger with every new spell.

She charged Ace, her daggers hitting his blade, their feet dancing a waltz of kicks, swatting move and feints. They were both light and nimble, both quick and strong. Ace pulled out a cutlass, parrying her and cutting through the leather of her crownsguard uniform. Crowe drew first blood, slashing him across the face. The young man groaned and darted forward, his guard wide open as he stored his katana, preparing a dangerous drawing-blow.

Moving back and sending his cutlass to the ground, Crowe was already preparing her riposte when the hilt of the katana slammed in her belly, cutting off her breath and cracking a few ribs.

 _He's not going to make this easy on you,_ she thought as she quickly asserted their surroundings.

The street they were standing in was a boulevard surrounded by tall buildings. One had collapsed, the rest standing strong and straight. A theater, two skyscrapers, one mall. An entrance to the metro caught her attention.

Close quarters, away from the daemons in the swarm. They were still falling on the city, sending citizens running. Crowe shifted her weight to kick his legs from under him and broke into a run as he bit the dust. It didn't take long for him to give pursuit, following her down the stairs to the state of the art metro station. No rams ran anymore, and a few daemons were slowly running rampant in the empty space, where the lights flickered.

"You won't get away from me," Ace warned her.

"Don't worry, Drautos. I'm not leaving until one of us has stopped breathing," Crowe shot back.

The guy would remain a thorn in their side if no one took care of him. And she'd heard how the last fight between Noctis and him had turned out. Lunafreya was worried. And since he was the last figure-head the empire had in Lucis, Crowe knew she'd do everyone a favor. It was all a question of managing to survive. She wasn't going to let a junior Glaive get her after going through everything else.

…

The whip coiled around his right leg and pulled. Balance gone. Back hitting the ground, metal arm twisting to call forth his blade. He'd been dragged away and his head was still buzzing from the explosions all around. They were standing far too close to the swarm for comfort. Otto-5 as he presented himself was wielding a dragon whisker. The red leathery metal seemed to have a will of its own and nearly broke Ravus' ankle. There was no way to cut through it. But they could both play this game. His prosthetic grabbed the whip and tugged.

For an instant both men stood, locked in a fight of inert exertion, muscles straining to keep the upper hand. And where Ravus' metal arm was slightly stronger than his other limbs, Otto-5 was pumped by daemon's blood and years of being worked to the limits of his capabilities. But what he lacked in strength, the Tenebraean prince made up for in wits. He had untangled his leg from the whip while pulling and let go of the metallic rope, sending his enemy sprawling to the ground.

His feet sprang forward and Ravus was on the clone before he could raise himself, sword aiming for his heart. The former commander stood over him, hair white and uniform dark, the green of his sword glinting despite the dark clouds hanging over their head. The freckled face shifted from anger to fear and one second, Ravus saw the young gunman, lost and scared down the Channels. Verstael had found the best way to create an army. Cloning them endlessly from one single individual.

He had rarely seen a Magiteck soldier without its mask on. But the rare times, when the face wasn't deformed enough by the warped blight strengthening them, he'd noticed the same blue eyes.

 _Looking the same doesn't make them the same,_ he told himself.

His sword struck, Otto-5 coughing up blood. And over the broken city, more of his brethren waited for their own demise. As he stepped away from his nth victim, Ravus wondered where he could be most needed. The Uttu that carried him off had fallen, killed by its own rider. He was disoriented and had little ways to locate the others. He did the only thing he could think of, climbing to the highest spot around.

His first thoughts were for Luna, but the wave of iced daemons he spotted in the west was proof enough that his sister was doing well and even holding her ground. If only he could find the other girl on his mind before that things get out of hands. Everywhere around the city, he could hear cries of fear and the groans of daemons, or more constructions tumbling down. Turning around and scanning the horizon, he carefully searched Insomnia's arteries and smaller veins.

He would move for any member of Noctis' retinue, or even soldiers or citizens defending their life, but his mind was set on finding a certain brown-haired girl first. He knew their plans had gone south and was ready to bet his left arm that every other teams were in just as much trouble as their own group. Noctis had been dragged off, Cor left facing impossible odds, but Ravus wasn't ready to worry about either man. The area seemed more or less peaceful given the current circumstances.

A sudden idea came to him and he pulled out his phone, taking one step back in the shadows of the ruins he was perched upon. Two clicks and one swipe later, he'd confirmed his hopes. He was getting a signal, although scrambled. Everyone on the team had agreed to share their GPS signal with the others, in case they got separated during a hunt. Ravus had been discreet about collecting Iris' own signal, knowing full well what Gladiolus would say if he knew the man could track his younger sister. As it was, the shield had given him the evil eye even more than Noctis himself.

"This is an emergency. Nothing that can qualify as stalking."

She was a few kilometers away from him. And he was going to find her and make sure she was fine, if only for his peace of mind.

…

Ignis had lost sight of each of his friends, only keeping Monica close enough to push her to the ground as the nearest skyscraper collapsed from the fire bombs playing kamikaze. Glasses shattered and they instinctively huddled together, smoke and dust filling their lungs and closing their eyes as the debris fell. The strategist didn't like staying in one place, but running blindly wouldn't help them either.

They didn't wait for the dust to set, crouching up as soon as they could, moving gingerly, glass shards falling from their hair and threatening to reach down their collars.

"Is everyone oka…"

Monica was cut off by coughing fits, having inhaled too much dust. Ignis cleared his throat and helped her up, dragging her away from the collapsed building. The metal structure had twisted in its crash and was precariously lying on top of a nearby church dedicated to Bahamut. The bricks were cracking and the tower planted in the skyscraper cringed on its hinges. Ignis wondered if things had looked as dire when Insomnia first came under attack.

Seeing his home crumbling down like this, while already in ruin was a heavier blow than expected. He'd never seen himself as someone materialist and had always welcomed change. But this madness right now uprooted him entirely. There was no construction tall enough to resist, no metal, concrete or alloy that could stand up against waves of daemons. And one day, they might reach Free Crown and Lestallum. They might make the last bastions of humanity crumble until eternal night enveloped the world.

And all that stood before their efforts was Noctis and the men standing behind him. Looking over his shoulders, he spotted Iris fighting against a blue masked MT, a few meters away. He wanted to rush to the young girl and support her in the fight, but Monica's voice rang in his ears, filled with dread.

"There's more of them coming," she whispered.

Looking towards the Citadel, Ignis couldn't hold back a disgusted shiver.

More bombs and a strange rider were coming for them. He drew out one dagger, suggesting that Monica head back.

"We were supposed to stay out of their sight. Most of our hunters have run," Ignis told her.

"If I retreat, so do you. I have a few grenades and a mean throw if you're ready to believe your uncle."

The mention to his family surprised him, but Ignis could only welcome the suggestion.

"If you want to take out those things with grenades, you'll need to get closer first," he observed.

"And this is where you come along," Monica declared, coughing some more of the dust stuck to her lungs. "Every okay back there?" she asked over her shoulder.

"I'm doing fine!" Iris answered back, holding back the single MT soldier who'd come at her before to kick his legs from under him with her staff.

Ignis was still torn. He was supposed to protect them all and found himself as lacking as ever. Having a double or two would help in such a situation, but he would soon regret that thought. Iris called her magic, blinding her adversary before to knock him down with a violent lunge of her bo staff, waving for them to move on.

"I'll try to gather our guys back, so we can at least help people find their way out of the city," she suggested.

It was a great idea, one that would take her further away from the core of the fighting, although Ignis had doubts about his capacity to predict the fighting that would come. He'd let so many factors to the side for this operation. Next time around, he would insist on gathering intel and wouldn't let anyone attack until they knew what they were facing, no matter how many orders Noctis would give.

"Stay safe!" he shot back to the girl, forced into a run to catch up with Monica who was heading towards the new wave of daemons.

This seemed worse than the battle on the Quezacoatlz. And where was the empire keeping all these monstrosities for the six' sakes?!

…

Luna rolled on herself, raising her trident and blocking the third wave of his buster sword. Otto-7 was inhumanly strong. She had to dive deep in her powers to resist every shock and was thankful for all her training with the others. Among the girls, Aranea and Crowe were quite fast, forcing her to up her own pace to keep up in mock battles. Thus, Luna could evade most of the attacks 7 tried on her. She casted a few ice spells, managing to make him trip around, but only putting a few nicks and cuts on him. His gigantic blade served as much as a weapon as a shield. His arms were thicker than Prompto's, but except for that and the bulging muscles giving a strange look to his neck, it was the gunman perfect reflection.

"Why is your name a number?" she asked him.

Lunafreya didn't know if he would fall in her trap. But a mind game was her best bet against him.

"You have enough breath to talk? Guess I should heat things up a bit then."

His left eye flashed ethereal green, warped magic pulsing from his fingers. He created a fire ball and Luna retorted with more ice, the temperature lowering dangerously. Her flesh wasn't affected by Shiva's power, but Otto-7's fingers were turning blue inside his gloves.

"Damn witch. I'm going to get frostbite at this rate."

He punctuated each word with a violent swing of his swords, cutting down road signs and sending sparks flying every time his weapon connected with her trident. Her arms were numb from the shocks ringing through every muscle while his arms were getting numb from the growing cold.

"How many more Ottos are there past you?"

"Did you ever see an MT's face before? Cause we are legions. Except you have… one of the finer… products in front of you."

He paused, looking for his breath as Luna finally gained some ground.

She'd freeze the handle of his blade and pushed it to the side. Her next move was to trust her trident at his feet, effectively tripping him down and also digging a long gash along his leg.

"You shouldn't call yourself a product."

"I don't need your pity!"

The fact she'd lowered her guard an instant - clearly conflicted about facing him head on – infuriated him. He leaped at her, hands clutching her trident, strong arms struggling to pull the royal arm out of her grasp. Luna fought back, her grip strong on the trident, eyes turning to gold while he howled in a mix of anger and pain. With a twist of his waist, he dragged her to the left, and then to the right, dust rising as she dug her heels into the ground to no avail. She was like a doll hanging to the bone a mad dog was churning on. And it hurt her to see how desperate he was. This wasn't his first fight, but it might be the first one that counted as much. And he was losing it.

Luna's breath was visible as a cold mist rose around them, hiding them to the world.

"Don't look at me like that!" he snarled at her, throwing her off balance with a new pull on the trident.

Her hands slipped, but instantly, the weapon vanished into thin air and Luna called forth her magic. Otto-7 fell to his knees, wrath etched in every of his features.

"Stop… looking…"

Her light was so bright, he covered his eyes and cowered in fear. The Oracle didn't need to ask him questions anymore. Prompto had seen hell, and so had his "brothers". For an instant, she wished she could fix at least one of them. But as her magic reached the man, she sensed how far the torture had corrupted him. He might look human on the outside. But the daemon blood was running deep. And cleansing it would leave him an empty shell, closer to a zombie than a human.

"For the love of…"

"Don't you dare… look at me like… this!"

Luna closed her eyes and let the light burn him, heart aching. She was starting to wonder when was the last time she'd save someone.

…

Iris couldn't describe how bad it smelled next to that elite MT soldier. There was a foul scent exuding from him, worse than the dried blood and burned flesh. It seemed to come from his strange sword and the only words that came to her mind to describe it was rotten onions. It burned her eyes and as she blinked away the haze, she realized that with every tear and every wave of the eyelids, her vision seemed to recede further and further. Ignis and Monica had barely left when she raised her hand in front of her, waving it around to verify…

"I can't… see a thing?!"

At her feet, Otto-3 grumbled and she hit him once more, her staff coming down with a speed she barely controlled. Something cracked and his groans turned to whines. Slightly panicked by her sudden blindness, Iris struck a second and a third time, not caring for the noise or the damage she caused. She wanted to make sure the blade wouldn't come back for her when she was this vulnerable. Sadly, she'd underestimated her opponent, who was far more resistant than she would have thought. Despite a commotion, broken ribs and one severely fractured leg, Otto-3 threw his sword at her. She heard the swooshing sound and tried to dodge it, only to trip on a fallen debris. The sharp metal cut her ankle and without thinking, she kicked at the blade, sending it clicking a few meters away on the cement.

The tears had left pale streaks on her face and her bo staff raised and struck again, the spot where Otto-3 had been. All she broke were rocks and the ringing in her arms made her muscles ache in protest. He'd moved and she couldn't see him. She could call forth all the light she wanted, but with the strange scent of his blade, he'd take away her sight. Such chemicals couldn't have a permanent effect, but Iris was fighting off the cumulated panic of being left alone, seeing Prompto kidnapped, knowing a swarm of monsters was headed her way and that all that stood before them were her friends.

Not to forget the Magiteck soldier crawling around, intent on killing her. Panic seemed quite justified, even to her Amicitia's pride. She heard steps not too far from her and turned around, bo staff swatting at thin air.

"Wait, don't…!"

A gurgling sound interrupted the desperate plea and Iris realized who the voice might have belonged to… It couldn't be… Prompto? The steps were now headed towards her and her staff nearly touched the invisible enemy, missing by a few inches.

"Whoa, easy there." A strong voice warned, shock taking over his usual irritation.

"Ravus?"

Frowning, the concerned man tried to reason how she hadn't recognized him yet. He was standing three feet away from her in full daylight. The clouds were gathering, but it was still clear enough… Unless…

"What's wrong?"

"How do I know it's really…" Iris started, her eyes blinking, red and puffy from blinking too much.

She rushed to his side, her free hand reaching out for him. Much to his surprise, she didn't relax until she'd touched his metal hand, pushing away the human one. Her fingers followed the green lines, shadowing the hollows carved between the articulations of his fingers. He couldn't sense her touch, only see it and he nearly regretted it, until he realized why the feel of his cold hand was so important to her.

"I can't see, Ravus. It's all dark…"

She'd retracted her bo staff and almost instantly hid her face against his chest, panic taking over as she gripped to his uniform. Her shoulders were shaking and he held her back, gathering their surroundings in one quick look. Taking care of the heavily hurt MT she'd been fighting had been easy, but this…

"What did he do to you?"

"I don't know… There was this awful scent in the air. Seemed to come from his sword," Iris answered.

Said weapon was lying far enough for the chemical to be ineffective on Ravus, but he still guided her a few steps further away, stroking her hair as the panic overwhelmed her.

"If it's due to a chemical, we should be able to reverse the effect with clean water," Ravus told her.

Iris just held on to him tighter. Her fear was nearly contagious, but Ravus was careful of keeping an eye out to the city bustling with terror around them.

"That MT I was fighting. His voice sounded just like Prompto's…"

Despite knowing how young she was, Ravus was shocked to see her in such a state. He was glad she was mostly safe and wondered why he'd never opposed to her presence on the battlefield. He couldn't underestimate her after everything she went through because of him. But it seemed losing her sight and fighting clones from a friend was a lot. Thankfully, she hadn't seen the man's face. That would have made things harder.

"Didn't that guy said he might have clones among the imperial ranks?"

"But wouldn't you have noticed so before?"

His silence was answer enough for her and more tears rolled down.

"We should get you out of here."

"It's really unfair. I barely had the time to help in any way…" she complained, sniffling.

"Iris, this whole operation went crumbling down as soon as the swarm showed up. You neutralized one of their elites."

"But Insomnia can't be saved now. Not with the state it's in."

A good look around seemed to prove her right, but Ravus wouldn't tolerate a world with a hopeless Iris.

"Are you listening to yourself? With the destruction they're causing, the empire won't have anything to salvage. And people are still fleeing. Noctis gave them a way out. We might not get everything we planned out of this mission, but refugees are still getting out."

She heaved a deep, shuddering breath, forcing the sobs back down her throat. Ravus gave her time to collect herself, his metal arm wrapped around her frame possessively, his sword held out in case anything stirred in the vicinity.

"I don't like… being helpless like this," she sighed against his chest. "If it was only a broken arm, I could still run around, give people some directions, check on the guys."

"Couldn't you be a bit more selfish?"

"Am I not selfish? I'm alive and I'm still complaining," Iris observed.

Without thinking, he planted a light kiss on her head.

"I can live with complaints if it means you're alive," he shot back.

A warm feeling enveloped Iris at the admission, while Ravus wondered if he'd ever learn to hold his tongue around her. A violent explosion in the distance shook them back to reality, the prince nearly lifting her in his arms, as if to keep her away from harm.

"What's happening?" she asked him, following in his steps as he led her in the direction of the entrance gate.

"Did Scientia bring bombs?"

"Monica did take grenades with her from what I've gathered."

"Well, that swarm is getting lighted up. I don't think the daemons will make it much further," Ravus explained. "Refugees are coming this way."

"Then we should show them the way out."

Iris tried to take a step away from him, only to be gently tugged back against his chest.

"Those people might cause a stampede. And you need medical attention for your eyes. Stay close to me."

"How am I supposed to walk like this?"

She didn't mind the closeness, not at the moment, but since she was slowly regaining her fighting spirit, she wanted to take some sort of action.

"You're not supposed to," he retorted, lifting her up as though she weighted nothing.

"But…!"

"When I couldn't walk on my own, you helped. I'm just returning the favor."

Her cheeks still burned as she awkwardly wrapped one arm around his neck to steady herself.

…

She couldn't tell where was up or down. Their Thunderoc had been hit by one of the numerous exploding bombs and while Aranea had dived right into the fray, they were falling, between debris and past one wrecked dock. It was a wonder nothing had hurt either of them yet, although Cindy wasn't sure if the arm around her waist belonged to Gladiolus or was still even attached to him. There was so much air and ashes, she could barely blink and wondered where the air in her lungs was coming. She was still screaming, no matter how tough she liked to call herself. Feathers in the air, blood from the thunderoc, something got stuck in her hair, her security helmet stroked something hard, the shock nearly spraining her neck.

 _Make it stop!_ She pleaded mentally.

From the corner of her eyes, she saw a handle and reached out without thinking. It was a ladder going along the side of one of the airships and while missing the first bar, she managed to hold on the next one. The tug of gravity dislocated her shoulder, turning the sound of her fear into pure agony. But she willed herself to hold on, soon feeling a hand pulling her up by her shirt.

"No more bungee jumping for you, girly," Gladiolus teased her.

From the look on his face, he was as shocked as her, but better at controlling his nerves.

"Very funny."

There was the noise of gunshots and next thing she knew, the prince's shield was throwing her across his shoulder, climbing up the shaky ladder and soon running over the airship to find cover as bullets flew around them.

"This is a war zone…" Cindy nearly whimpered.

"You knew when you volunteered," Gladio reminded her.

A grunt and a thudding sound warned them someone had jumped on their ship and was coming their way. The Amicitia didn't lose any time, taking out his blade, before to give a pointed look to the shell-shocked mechanic.

"We could use your guns here, hawk eye."

"The next one like this, I'm throwing you off this ship…" She grumbled, before to process the word she'd used. "Wait, we're on an airship!"

"That was part of our initial goal," Gladio quickly said, giving her a warning sign to keep quiet.

Cindy refused to heed it, feeling a bit better now that she saw a goal more related to her own expertise.

"Get me inside this ship. I'll have it fly and wreak more havoc than any of their stupid bombs can."

Gladiolus wanted to protest, but as ludicrous as the idea sounded, there was a chance for it to work. And it was a better option than fighting some unknown enemy with no escape route.

Locating a latch leading inside the ship wasn't the trickiest part. It was moving around the ship without making noise that proved difficult. Otto-8 had come for them and was looking for blood.

…

Noctis had difficulty facing the truth at first. Prompto had been right all along. And if they'd known, he might have refused to separate their team from the get-go. He could already hear Ravus saying: "I told you so!" with a smug grin on his insufferable face. But he needed all his senses on the here and now.

Otto-13 had psychic powers and controlled about nine giant boomerangs, all of them sharper than a blade.

"I know I look young, but I turned 21 last month. Daemon blood has a few counter-effects on exceptional people you see," the kid declared with a sing-song voice.

"Shut it!"

"I wonder if that Argentum boy looked anything like me at this age. He was in your class, wasn't he? Did you notice him right away?"

Noctis needed his full armiger to keep the boomerangs from reaching him, the weapons parrying and fighting in midair as Otto-13 held a single boomerang in his hands and made sure to stay far from the prince's range of attack.

"He was a clumsy guy, wasn't he? Tripping on his feet? Shying away from people. Such a loser."

Noctis didn't like hearing his best friend referred to that way. Because he did remember the rare exchanges he'd share with Prompto back then. And he felt bad for not realizing what was going on then. Luna had sent a few letters to Prompto after the boy rescued her dog out of his big heart. If not for them, it wasn't clear if the guy had been shown any sort of affection or care during those years. And it wasn't until they were in late high school's years that Prompto worked up the nerves to talk to him. Noctis could have used a friend then too, but he wondered if Prompto's confidence couldn't have become any stronger if he'd realized he could be accepted no matter what he looked like.

It was downright torture not to know how his friend was doing, given the turn this operation had taken.

"You're pretty intense as an opponent. I don't mind facing a challenge for once," 13 told him.

His hair seemed too pale, nearly white and Noctis noticed blood trickling down his nose. The telekinesis was taking a heavy toll on the elite soldier. But the idea of killing the little rascal was even heavier on Noctis' mind. Kid or not, he looked like one. And how would Prompto react once he'd learned…?

The question reminded Noctis of how his friend had killed his own mother without a second hesitation. And doubts grew from there. Maybe taking care of the clones would make Prompto a favor? It sounded pretty twisted, but the poor guy's past was nothing but nasty twists and awfully knotted turns.

"You're jealous of him, aren't you? For not having the same life as all of you. It has nothing to do with him."

"It has everything to do with him!" 13 vehemently objected. "The perfect prototype, stolen by that crazy lady. Good thing Verstael blighted her before she left!"

Noctis had hurt a sore spot. And as much as he wanted to stop conjuring all of his swords to confront the boy's flying boomerangs, he wished to dig more. Prompto needed answers.

"Why did she take him?"

"Heh. I won't bite."

"Then I will have to make you talk."

The prince's eyes were already red, but they shone scarlet and the royal arms struck with such fierceness, Otto-13 faltered as he had to strengthen his repartee.

"You were holding back?"

"No matter how old you are, you're still a kid. Now answer me, 13. Why did his mother left with him in particular?"

One by one, the bladed boomerangs were broken or planted in the ground by the furious armiger. Noctis was slowly walking up to the kid, an aura of power surrounding him.

"You can do what you will to me, I'm not spitting a word!"

…

Prompto had to struggle for a good half hour before the rope finally loosened up. Getting his arms in front of him took some work and he might have pulled a muscle or three, but he was ready to endure anything. He needed to get out and warn his friend, or catch up with the Ottos and find a way to stop their mad schemes with the chancellor. His heart was racing and his memories were mixing together.

Heavy on his heart was the question he'd always asked himself, why had he been worth saving to his mother, when all the others like him hadn't been. Wasn't that what she should have told him about instead of giving him a warning against the father he already hated more than words?!

 _What is so loveable about me? Or is because I was the first one? Than if I'd been born a minute later, an hour later…_

Prototype. Draft before perfection. Another copy based on flawed design. How could he ever be enough when there was so any version of him, so many danger lying in his veins? He'd killed someone when he was a mere child. He hadn't meant too, he'd been manipulated and drugged and trapped, but still…

"Get a grip, man," he warned himself.

The ropes had dug into his skin, leaving the flesh raw. The bar code was exposed again and he'd never wanted to burn it as much as he did now. His guns had been taken from him. Otto-1 had grabbed them with a smirk, as to say they were finally back to their rightful owner. No matter how much remorse Prompto felt for 15, he couldn't wait to get his hands on 1 and punch him in the face a few times for even thinking of impersonating him.

It wasn't a complete surprise to find the door unlocked. Getting through the citadel's maze of corridors and secret passages was easy, Gladiolus and Ignis having given him the tours more time than he could count. The city was chaos by the time he got outside, but the worse was to hear Aranea's outraged cry at the sight of him. The dragoon lady was riding a heavily wounded and enraged Thunderoc. How she still managed to control the beast was beyond him. Seeing her charging him made him fear for the worst.

And in Aranea's eyes, it was bad. Ardyn was standing there, a taunting smile on his face.

"Aranea, don't you recognize me?!" he exclaimed.

The nerves of that man!

"Of course, I do!" she shot back, spear raised, her armor already covered in ashes and blood.

"Wait, you don't understand. This is not my real face…"

"You serpent, I don't care for your half-baked confessions."

"No, I was put under a spell. It's Prompto! I swear, it's me…!"

Aranea struck her spear and felt hesitation as she saw how the chancellor dodged her attack. It was an awkward dive to the side, nothing like the graceful, always calm Izunia she remembered back in the empire.

"Ask me something about Iggy. I swear it's me, not Ardyn…"

"I won't let you pull any of that bullshit!"

The ranks of daemons surrounding the area around the Citadel were thinning and Monica, her hunters and a weary Ignis were closing in as Prompto tried to plead his case to the former commodore. At first, all that the strategist could see was his girlfriend trying to attack an apparently defenseless imperial chancellor. It was quite a sight, but as they got closer, Monica readying her men to support the dragoon, Ignis perceived bits and pieces of Izunia's arguments.

"You can tie me up and wait for a few hours, the spell should wear off and you'll see the truth!" Prompto insisted, his voice changed by the curse to make it sound like Ardyn's.

"If the man is surrendering," Monica started.

"I don't see a point in a surrender. That man is supposed to be dead already! Lunafreya saw him burning to a crisp," Aranea reminded them.

"I swear I'm not him. He changed one of those Otto guys…" Prompto insisted.

"Oh, yeah, I saw the clones already. It's a good one. Why would he have to change them even a little bit?"

By then, Aranea had stopped trying to skewer the man, keeping a safe distance from him. The fact he didn't try anything shady outside of his crazy story had her half-convinced. Ignis walked up to her, voicing his own concerns.

"Our Prompto has disappeared. From what Iris told us, he was dragged off by some monsters after the first wave of explosions."

"Is Iris okay?" Prompto asked.

"You'll have a right to worry about her when that so-called spell is off. Someone give me some rope," Aranea commanded.

It was quite weird to tie up the chancellor, but the man complied earnestly, while Monica's hunters cleared up the left-over daemons.

"We'd best regroup with the others," Ignis suggested.

In his mind, Prompto was praying for his other friends to be okay. Ignis and Aranea had a few scratches and bruises but looked mostly fine. Monica had a bad cough and eyed him suspiciously when he voiced worry for her. After that, he fell entirely silent, left to follow them obediently and turn around the resurging memories of his childhood in his head.

 _There are eleven of them left. And one will try to have everyone believe he's the real me…_

…

"Answer!" Noctis insisted.

Otto-13 had lost his defiance after the prince had shattered his last boomerang.

"Will you kill me quickly?"

"I won't kill you if you talk. What's the point in threatening you otherwise?"

"If I don't die fighting you and try to go back, they'll kill me instead. And it will last a long, long time," the boy shuddered at the thought. "So, promise to make it quick."

Noctis' throat was tighter than before, but he nodded his assent.

"She took him because he was the key to our old man's experiments. We're elite soldiers, but _zero-man_ could have been more. All of Verstael's works would have been done faster. Heck, he might have completed his studies over the blight by now and have Argentum plant your head on a stick."

"As if…"

"You don't get it. The woman only had two arms, she couldn't carry 14 kids around, especially considering most of us were violent bundle of rage. Prompto killed 15 to pass the test. Then he tried to kill himself. When we killed our first MTs, we asked for more. I think 4 ate…"

"Enough, I get the picture," Noctis cut him off.

No surprise Prompto had nightmares every now and then.

"Funny how much a man can start talking when those are his last words."

"I could still let you go," Noctis offered.

Otto-13 laughed dryly.

"Were you listening, your Highness? We're sick monsters. You'll do everyone a favor. How long do you think I want to stay a little kid? 20 more years? 40? My right foot is already black from the blight and I have horns on my…"

The hand gestures the boy made were graphic enough and Noctis felt pity taking over his disgust.

"You want these to be your last words?"

His face was pale, paler than the snow as he gathered his courage.

"At least, I had a cool fight on my last day. You think I'll be going to hell?"

The kid looked terrified despite all his bravado and Noctis couldn't answer. The words were stuck in his throat. Would a savage monster be this resigned about its own fate?

"Just do it, alright? A dignified decapitation or a lightning strike…"

Noctis raised his engine blade, his arm moving slowly. The hole in his shoulder was a sharp, never-ending pain, but it was nothing compared to the growing hole in his chest.

"Don't let me babble like this, I don't want to be a pathetic mess."

The sword slipped from his hand and flowed forward, gaining speed.

"You're not going to hell," Noctis whispered.

The blade stabbed the boy in his chest, instantly piercing his heart. Blood gurgled up in his throat and his blue eyes turned dim. All Noctis could think about was a discussion he'd had with his father when he was a boy, trying to understand where his mother had gone.

" _What happens after we die?"_

" _We reach another plain of existence," Regis answered._

" _At school, some kids talked of heaven and hell."_

 _The king smiled as he saw how serious the young prince was._

" _You know, son, there is only one goddess of death. So… there is no separate places, like a paradise or a hellish world for the wicked. When we die, we all reach the same plain. Etro waits for us there."_

" _So mother is there already?"_

 _Regis' eyes darkened but he nodded, stroking the boy's hair._

" _And we will get to see her again one day?"_

" _I don't know how much of her or how much of us we'll be by then. But we will be reunited once, in the after. Although you'd better wait a long time before to reach that place. Your mother wants you to enjoy a long, happy life first."_

Calling back his sword, Noctis looked at the broken body at his feet. No happy life for either of the Ottos. And he could only begin to imagine how Prompto would feel about this ordeal.

 _I need to find him. Make sure everyone is safe._

But his heart was a mess and he wondered if he could ever feel safe again. Knowing he could kill someone with his best friend's face like that, to put him out of his misery. He'd come here to save his people. If he managed to save a single person by the end of the day, it'd be a miracle.

To be continued…

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Next chapter will see the true end of Insomnia's fight. I want to center a bit more on Iggy and Cindy and Gladio's situation in that one. Also, lots of reunion and cuddling is to be expected. Major fluff in the following chapters.

As always, reviews motivate me greatly and make my day. If you think I went too far with any of this, be sure to tell me. Iris' state is temporary. And there will be a positive outcome to this crazy operation. Maybe more than one. 😉


	52. This is not who I am!

I'd like to mention how I really went a bit overboard with the Ottos. I made 15 of them because this is FFXV, and there was 14 other FF before it. Every Otto battles with a weapon that I considered representative of his FF number. So 13 had boomerangs and was a kid in reference to Hope. 11 and 14 were among the first losses because these games were MMO instead of stand-alone one-player FF. And 4 died first since 4 is a number related to death in some cultures. Some fights take place off-screen so that we can focus on what's important. This is the final big piece of action in this Insomnia's arc. We have a bit of everyone, but not much fluff, except for raviris, which were cute last chapter and a bit abruptly cut. Prompto is facing one of his biggest fear. And I think it's safe to say, things are still hardcore for everyone. But better times are coming.

Also, many thanks for your support in this. School keeps me busy, but I love you and can't wait to share more of what I have planned in this story with all of you. Enjoy today's chapter.

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Unexpected

Chapter 52 - This is not who I am!

His legs moved while his mind stayed behind. His thoughts were all turned to the eternal kid he'd killed. Taking lives wasn't new to him, but he'd never thought it could feel _this_ wrong. He was trying to save his country and more importantly the people living in it. He barely noticed them passing by him, eyes wide and red, wounded or sick, sometimes both. A few recognized him as the prince, last leader and sworn protector of Insomnia. There was no time for questions or begging for help. His eyes were dark and darker was his heart as he mentally hold on his memories of those streets. No streetlight, no buzzing about, barely no life in the city that never slept. He had the funny feeling he was here to lay Insomnia to rest instead of saving it.

And step by step, his engine blade held out to slay any daemon in sight, Noctis walked deeper into the carnage of his home, going back on the Uttu's trail. Up to where Ravus had tried warning him and Cor had taken on a daemon wall. The swarm had been broken and driven back. Noctis saw a few Mt's helmets on his way and could have faltered as he noticed Otto-10 and Otto-12, both dead, victims of the immortal. The man in question was facing off another daemon wall, one arm hanging limply at his side, his footing sloppier with every passing minutes.

Cor was losing blood from multiple wounds and had gone through too many elixirs already. He'd taken out two elite MTs all by himself, but they'd left their marks. A broken spear's head was still planted in his right leg, slowing him down and making Noctis wonder how the man was even standing after all this time.

Dark thoughts forgotten, he rushed to his aid, instinctively calling his armiger. The Immortal believe himself crazy, since he hadn't seen a similar display of power if it wasn't the king himself fighting by his side. But the king was truly, absolutely gone. And his son had grown, even more than Cor had noticed. A mace broke the skeleton's jaw, while an axe cut off its remaining arm. Cor felt one hand on his shoulder and sensed the magic at play as ice cleaned the air and turned the strong daemon bones into a fragile sculpture of frozen sediments. The thing shattered at the next hit and Cor swore out loud.

"You didn't feel like showing up sooner?"

"Like you needed my help. Geezer," the prince teased right back.

"Show off. Wait until this is over and I get to supervise your next training session."

Noctis mentally cowered, knowing how intense Cor could be with training.

"Before to plan for that, you'd do well to heal those wounds. Monica won't be happy to see you in this state."

That seemed to bring Cor back to reality. His first reaction was to take a step forward, but the pain caught up to him and Noctis helped him to sit down. He hoped the lion-like warrior hadn't push himself too hard for once.

"You took out more enemies than half the soldiers we brought could manage. How about you wait here and treat your wounds while I check on the rest of the team?" Noctis offered.

"Is that an order?"

"If you need an order to stay alive and taking the needed precautions for it, then yes, it's an order."

"Alright then. Just don't keep me waiting for too long," Cor declared.

There was still some fight in the man and Noctis wasn't exactly worried about leaving him behind. He was more preoccupied by the fact so many Ottos were around. There might be enough of them to face each and every last of his friends. He warped up to a building, taking a good hard look at Insomnia. There was a lot of movement and noises coming from the direction of the Citadel. He even realized one of the airship had taken flight. And it was coming crashing down for the palace of his childhood.

 _Well, I better start moving faster_ , he thought, before to warp from building to building, the structures sometimes crumbling under his sudden weight.

He raced the airship, wishing to spot at least one of his friends before the crash. He had no idea what was hiding in the smoke rising as the large metal zeppelin took a turn and send a tower to the ground. But he could sense something wicked in the air. Some dark, foul magic. And his instincts knew pretty well what that meant. Even though he didn't want to see the man again.

…

Aranea was still voicing concerns as they quickly secured the area, two hunters keeping the apparently fake Ardyn in check, Monica coughing a bit more with every passing minutes, drawing worried glance from Ignis.

"What if this was the real chancellor playing tricks on us?" she told her boyfriend.

"I'm more worried of it being the real Prompto at the moment. We can't deal with Izunia, him in our group or outside, so it doesn't change much. But losing Prompto over a petty trick from the chancellor?"

He had a gut feeling he was right, but wouldn't say it out loud. Him, trusting his gut like some primate? Aranea wouldn't let go of this for the next three years…

Monica was searching for something inside a building, her hunters keeping a lookout while two of them stood on either sides of the "fake" Ardyn. Prompto kept scanning the area, heart racing as he wondered what Otto-1 might be planning. He was already planning scenario in his head. What if the guy found Cindy and understood what she represented to him? What if he tricked Lunafreya into giving him his aid only to backstab her afterwards.

"I found two of them!" Monica exclaimed as she walked out of the game center she was inspecting.

"Why did anyone think of such a hiding place?" Aranea asked, skepticism written all over her face.

"The construction was the most stable of this street. And look which thing is still standing, nearly intact?"

"Not to mention the first place survivors would raid for supplies isn't a game store," Ignis added. "But we should still get a move on."

They had quietly suggested to pursue the plan of gathering battery cells since the opposition had calmed down and they weren't sure what to do with their prisoner. If it was the Chancellor, they couldn't take him back to their base. And if it was truly Prompto, which was still unaccounted for, they couldn't leave him behind. Either way, they were stalling for time to pass and a potential way of verifying the identity of their third wheel.

Aranea had let her wounded Thunderoc fly off in the distance, jumping a few times to survey their surroundings. Ignis was giving the orders while Monica focused on her search. They found a few trapped survivors and helped them out, refusing any help from their prisoner. The guy was growing a little more subdued by the minutes and Aranea had an uncomfortable feeling about his dispositions. She had no idea how far the chancellor's powers went or if the guy was still truly alive. But she remembered him well enough to know something was amiss. And it was never a good sign. After one hour and a half of walking around, a man crying out for help caught their attention. His voice was young and familiar. And under debris and one Ariadne's corpse, Ignis recognized Prompto's face and uniform.

"Thank goodness, man, I was about to get crushed."

"What…?!"

The real Prompto picked up immediately on the apparition and remained silent, refusing to gather any attention for the moment. It wouldn't help him. It took some heavy lifting to free the gunman, and he looked honestly stuck. There was a gash on one arm and a nasty limp to one leg. Prompto had half a mind to check his own body for pain, but he held the movement back. Blue eyes looked up and spotted him.

"What the hell is _he_ doing here?!"

There was hesitation among the hunters and Monica herself eyed him with suspicion, while Ignis took over.

"We captured him, Prompto. Are you feeling up to walk on your own? We have a long road ahead of us. And I think lady Leanne could use your help for her search."

Aranea didn't flinch, while the hunters exchanged silent looks, Monica immediately seeing the test for what it was. The real Prompto would never fall for such gibberish. He'd known Monica since she'd caught him sneaking out of the citadel with Noctis. The boys had been meaning to enjoy the urban nightlife of Insomnia instead of a certain birthday party for some dignitaries in Accordo. Monica played along, coughing a bit and putting one hand on the _lookalike_ 's shoulder.

"I'm glad you're okay, sir Argentum," she declared with a snooty voice.

There was an instant of doubt for both Prompto and Otto-1. Bait or truth? What would happen and how would it change either of their fate?

"Sir?! Come on, it's me here, Iggy! And what's with the titles all of a sudden? The court is in shamble from I've tasted of the rubbles around here," Otto-1 stated while offering his arm to Monica.

He hadn't picked up on the false name, but his expressions were so genuine and similar to the real guy, Ignis had to still his heart and ground his thoughts with reason. This wasn't Prompto. But how could he make sure which one was the real deal if there were clones of his friend? And how long should he keep up the act with fake Ardyn and fake Prompto? Which one was a menace to their group? And what was the real chancellor's plan?

"I think we're a bit shaken by the state of Insomnia. And lady Leanne is as formal as it gets," Aranea chimed in.

She wanted them to drop the act already, but Otto-1 smiled that childish smile that should only belonged to one man. He was carried Prompto's guns in his holsters. Wearing his clothes. Sporting a few wounds to the head that could warrant a commotion and a slight, albeit too convenient memory loss.

"Just like I like 'em. My lady, if you don't mind a limp, I'd really like to get out of here."

The real Prompto watched how Otto-1 ignored him. And while he'd rarely looked at himself in the mirror anymore, he'd taken enough selfies to know when his smile was forced. Or rotten to the core. Otto-1 must have been hoping for a bigger target than the prince's advisor and a former commodore or the mysterious Lady Leanne. And he knew that target would come right to them, just in time. Prompto was glad for the fact Ignis had doubts. But he didn't like this game.

 _Someone is going to get hurt. And it better be you, Otto,_ he thought bitterly.

Aranea noticed the hateful look Ardyn was giving to the gunman and shivered despite all her efforts. The masks were so literal, she wondered if human beings would still stand by them when they'd fall.

…

Crowe's back hit the wall for the third time. Ace had been trained by the same people as Ravus Nox Fleuret, and it showed. He was ruthless, kicking, punching, parrying and thrusting his sword like a maniac. She had a dozen cuts and grazes, but nothing too serious. Her ribs were the biggest problem here, slowing her down and turning this fight into an all out battle for survival.

Her magic was savage and his blows tore through the ceramic on the walls. The burns on Ace's face and torso were clearly driving him angrier and he was making more mistakes with every passing minutes. But he was still proving a tough opponent. Crowe dove to the floor to dodge a violent punch, legs swiping at his feet from under him. Two steps and one awkward twirl and he was gripping her throat in one hand, blade ripping flesh. And in the dark subway station, the former Glaive remembered how her comrades had tried to get rid of her, with every cheap tricks they could use. Their hands in her hair, pulling at her scalp. The madness all over their face, like the one that brought Titus to forsake the last piece of their home. And their blood everywhere... As she screamed, the strand on her back grew out of her clothes, light blinding the young man, engulfing the entire metro.

"You witch!"

"Shut it, piece of…!"

Her magic was out of control now, eyes black instead of white, hair nearly translucent from the light coursing in her veins. Her insult turned into a full on howl, the cement cracking under her feet, powers rippling from her. Pushing back the pillars holding up the ceiling above their heads. Ace felt the gauntlet tied to his flesh recoiling inside. His bones shivered, mind whimpering, eyes bulging at the impossible sight. Crowe was no witch. The very knowledge she was human sounded absurd right now. It was as though the crystal's magic imbued in her veins had evolved into something new. The stab wound in her side closed with a series of sparks, wind raising in the tunnel at the flick of her fingers. Ace could see the wind moving like a snake. She still held one dagger up, barely able to stand up, the light drawing symbols all over her skin. Crystal veins. Eyes blacker than the night.

 _By the six..._

It was Ace's last thought. The magic wrapped around him, flinging his limbs back, destruction lacing at his feet, like an expanding flower. Crowe was shaking as she tried to hold it back, not understanding where this power was coming from. But it was free now, free and wild and her rage fueled it. She tried to blink through the light. Felt the pounding in her head, overriding the noise of concrete breaking around her. She couldn't see, couldn't think and in fear of losing herself for good, she let go, her dagger touching the ground as the light rippled a second time. Her consciousness faded and for an instant, so did the world.

Noctis felt the surge of energy and unbalance in the magic as he warped by. His powers failed him and he had to plant his sword in the nearest building as he looked for the cause of the violent disruption in elemancy. His eyes turned round as saucers as cracks covered the main street. It collapsed on itself, subway rails exposed to the sunlight as sparks of light and thunder ran in one mile of radius. His first reaction was to wonder where Luna could be. And if that had been her?

 _-She's doing fine.-_

"Wha… Carbuncle?"

 _-It's been some time. And you've come a long way.-_

The green spirit was standing on Noctis' blade, watching him from above as the prince simply hanged in the air, muscles straining. He sounded proud of his master.

"What just happened?"

 _-I wasn't allowed to know every details. This was the light of providence. And she isn't the one needing your help at the moment.-_

"The light of what?"

 _-You shouldn't hang here for too long. I can look after her for you. But I'm worried about what is going to happen with your other friends.-_

Carbuncle bent his head to the side, his eyes apparently looking through Noctis and seeing much further than him.

 _-That ship is coming down fast! Your powers should be back too.-_

Noctis tried to summon another sword and planted it further down to have a foothold.

"What is going on, Carbuncle?"

 _-Well, there are a little more players in the play, but some of the old ones are being disposed off.-_

"You're not sounding quite encouraging."

 _-You've grown stronger, Noct. But so are your new opponents. Although your next challenge won't be a fight. Not in the common sense of the word.-_

"I miss the time when you treated me like a kid."

 _-I don't think a red rubber hammer will help you with this one. But I'm still rooting for you!- Carbuncle squeaked, raising his tail as he nodded with conviction._

"Look after that light of providence. It better not be Luna."

 _-Go forth, chosen king.-_

Noctis didn't wait until he told him a second time.

…

Locating clean water wasn't the hardest part. It was watching Iris scrubbing at her eyes to remove the chemicals hindering her sight which hurt the most.

"Go slow and try not to rub them too hard."

She kept blinking through the water and gathering more between her hands. Her tears were only of pain now, but it didn't make it any easier on him. She looked smaller than ever as she crouched over the basin of water, clearing her vision bit by bit.

"It burns," she stated.

"Is it getting worse?"

She shook her head and tried looking up at him, her right eye squinting more than the left. The brow irises were surrounded by red, but the fog cleared and she could make out the features of his face. She noticed his few days beard first, noting how it gave him a roguish sort of charm. She didn't like the idea she needed saving, but she was glad he'd come looking for her.

"How did you find me?"

"Keep cleaning that left eye," Ravus retorted.

She obliged but repeated her question, careful of not letting any water drip into her mouth. She had no idea what that chemical might do to her if absorbed.

"I tracked down the GPS signal in your phone," he admitted, voice falling a few octaves.

"So you did take it… Luna gave me yours, saying she just wanted to make sure you'd stay alright, but it seems I won't be the one looking after you before some times."

He chuckled at the notion his sister was just as bad as him when it came to look out for each other.

"That wasn't the reaction I expected."

"It would be wrong of me to get mad at you for coming to my rescue," Iris started, blushing as she realized how this sounded. "Not that I will always need to be rescued."

She didn't hate the idea of receiving his help, but she didn't like how fragile that made her look. Ravus sensed her unease and wondered how he was supposed to calm her down.

"I never said that."

He took a quick look outside the window, making sure no trouble was coming their way. The swarm had receded and there were less people on the streets, most of them having found their way to the gates. When he turned back to her, the girl had stopped rinsing her eyes and gripped his shirt, instantly making him tense up.

"You're hurt!" she observed angrily.

"That's not my…"

She raised one hand to push on a cut marring his left cheek, making him grimace in pain. He had kneeled next to her earlier and half-regretted his choice, since it brought their eyes nearly level. She'd shifted closer while he surveilled the streets, the basin of water pushed to the side.

"I can see you now, there's no hiding it," Iris stated.

The words might have more than one meaning, but he was going to stick with their literal sense for now. It was from the right time to clear things up between them and he'd rather keep things ambiguous if it meant winning some time before that Gladiolus truly try to kill him during a sparring session. Iris healed the cut with her magic without hesitation, trying to inspect him for any other wounds.

"You can give me a check-up later when we're out of this town," he objected, pushing her hands away.

Iris couldn't exactly explain why she felt the need to connect with him somehow. Maybe the fact she was excited of regaining her vision and to see him acting flustered, his pale beard barely hiding his light blush.

"Ravus, I'm stressed out. I was blind a second ago. And I have no idea where my brother is, or if Prompto is safe after getting dragged off by some… daemon thing."

The admission made it all sound even realer and Ravus wasn't sure he could handle more tears. He stood up and pulled her to her feet, his mechanic hand holding her own hand without a second thought. He was right-handed and starting to feel accustomed to the prosthetic. Although what he didn't like was he couldn't tell how her palm felt next to his, or whether she squeezed his fingers. She noticed the sadness in his eyes and picked up on it, glad to have a distraction from the current more global situation.

"What's wrong with your metal hand?"

He barely held back a sigh.

"Is it cold?" Ravus asked her.

She shook her head, interlacing her fingers with those of the prosthetic. As foreign as it felt, it was her one way of knowing that he was really there next to her when she could only hear his voice.

"It's warming up already."

Iris' smile was far sweeter than it should have been. Throat too tight, he looked forward, taking a step and feeling her hand holding him back. Why hadn't he let go of it yet?

"I know the timing isn't right, but I'd like answers. You rushed to my help. And I'm starting to…"

He kept his back turned to her as he cut her off.

"Don't. I was repaying a debt and looking after a friend earlier."

"How long do you intend to beat around the bushes?"

He could have snapped right there, but his logic kept him in check as he twisted around, tugging his hand away from the hold he couldn't only guess.

"I'm keeping you in the dark for your own good."

"Oh really? Isn't it because you can't act out on your half-assed confession as long as I'm _in the dark_?" Iris retorted, making large quoting marks in the air as she finished her accusation.

She had some bite. Then again, she always had in their texts. And maybe was the adrenaline helping her. And the fierceness all over her features made her look even stronger than usual.

"Act out?! Confession? What do you want from me now?"

Instead of sounding menacing, his voice slowly drifted down. These feelings were new for him. Realizing that whatever she might ask, he'd be ready to give her.

"I'm trying to determine what _you_ want from me," Iris retorted.

And it was taking all the courage she'd mustered earlier to join up the fight just to say so and ready herself for the potential consequences. But taking a risk was better than not knowing.

"What I…?"

Only a handful of people cared for what he wanted. But despite the few impulses that came to his mind, he considered the facts. And how what he might want could hurt her. If she was older, she might know how to react, but as it was, she might just accept him out of pity or pride at the attention, all reasons that weren't good.

"I want to keep you out of trouble. And if _I_ mean trouble, maybe you should keep a safe distance."

"And I can't decide that for myself?" she insisted.

"You can. It doesn't mean you're going to be right. Come on now. Something's wrong with this air."

Just as he said that, a rumbling echoed from the main street and a few more buildings collapsed near the center of the city, apparently out of nowhere.

"Something's definitely wrong. Let's go check if anyone needs help."

Iris took off on a run and pulled out her phone to check if anyone from their group was in the general direction of this collapse. Ignis, Aranea, Prompto, Noctis, Monica and Luna were all closer to the citadel, while Gladiolus and Cindy were somewhere that didn't make sense. And Cor's signal didn't come up, while Crowe seemed to be… A little too close to the collapse for comfort. Iris ran even faster, Ravus right on her heels.

...

Cindy had trouble following Gladiolus. The pain in her shoulder made it harder for her to focus and the airship's corridors were a maze of tube walls and dark corners. After barricading the entrance behind them, the bodyguard had taken the lead, in case they would meet any resistance inside. Cindy held a gun in her good hand and stayed close to him, listening for any sign of a pursuer. Footsteps over their heads followed dutifully. Otto-8 was hot on their trail and would keep tracking until he'd get them. It was the only trouble around.

The airship was empty, except for straps in the larger rooms they found, waiting for prisoners. Cindy was pretty sure a few people had actually waited, strapped in for a few days. A few straps were worn out or torn off the walls. Bloodstains on the floor. Gladiolus steered her towards the piloting room, still wondering if getting this thing to fly was their best option. A few turns and two points in the side later, they reached their destination. And so did Otto-8, shooting a window open and diving right inside, holding the strangest blade either Cindy and Gladiolus had ever seen.

The mechanic raised her gun, Gladio taking a step forward to protect her, his giant sword raised like a shield. A bullet ricocheted on the floor, ripping into the bodyguard's leg.

"Where the heck do ya keep yar gun?" Cindy asked.

"It's all in the same package, blondie."

Cindy swore out loud. That voice. It was gruffier, but…

"I don't get that much of a reaction usually when I'm still wearing the mask."

The MT took off said mask, revealing a face half burned, with a few spared freckles and blue eyes that nearly send Cindy reeling. Gladiolus cursed inwardly. Prompto had been right. His clones were here. And he was supposed to fight against one of them. With the guy's girlfriend watching.

"I know, should have kept the mask on. But after I'm through tough guy, we can have a nice talk together, as to why you shouldn't judge a man on his looks, blondie."

Cindy could tell this wasn't her Prompto. But there was something behind the cocky and crooked smile, beneath the menace, she could nearly see her nervous city-boy. And it scared her. Because suddenly, it was clear why he always worried of not being enough. He was raised with the idea he could be replaced any time by another model. And here was one. Although that was a wrong way to look at things, Cindy couldn't help but wonder if things would have been different. And she was ready to bet Prompto wondered about that all the time.

"You're not talking to anyone, so save your breath," Gladiolus retorted.

Cindy doubted he was up for a full on fight, but soon enough, both of the men's blades were drawing sparks as they clashed together. As long as he was stuck in close combat, Otto-8 couldn't use the gun function of his gunblade, but he held his ground, his arms strong despite being half the size of his opponent. Cindy stood back, her gun still raised, shoulder burning from the pain.

"Do you guys know Zero-man? I heard the original model was in town. I'd like to give him… a hello."

It sounded more like a goodbye, with a bullet to the brain or a piece of metal between the arms. Cindy hated seeing anything resembling her boyfriend talking like that. And from the corner of her eyes, she could see the remnants of the swarm gathering all over the citadel, like a bulging mass of tumors. They were still preparing something and she doubted the rest of the team was up for more daemon fighting. Not with all the chaos that ensued from the sudden surge of bombs.

The fight went on between Otto-8 and Gladio. The prince's shield seemed unphased by the resemblance of the MT with one of his friends, but it was far from the truth. The burn scars were old, which helped confirm it couldn't be the real Prompto. It didn't make his heart any lighter as he waved his sword and took hit after hit, striking back with a fierceness that diminished 8's strength, chiping down on his resistance bit by bit.

Cindy reached the pilot seat nearly unnoticed and took a better look at the Citadel, a dark spire on the horizon. Bombs of all type were covering it. They were growing and inflating, threatening to explode together. She remembered what her paw-paw had told her about these type of daemon. The one way to reduce the damage was to take them out before that they'd blow. She kicked on the engines, hoping her idea wouldn't get them all killed.

…

The daemons growled and cowered as the large zeppelin-like airship made contact. Noctis was still warping from building to building, having just broke down an ether on his shoulder to absorb more magic. He smelled awful, but he was getting closer to his friends and had noticed the darkness surrounding the Citadel had nothing to do with clouds. Ignis and Aranea pushed everyone further, the Prompto lookalike and Ardyn naturally rushing to the same side for cover, while Monica was pulled to safety by one of her hunters. Debris threatened to cover them, but a wall of pure light surrounded the small group, while Noctis rushed back to the ground in a few jumps. He noticed Luna, her black and white uniform stained in places, hair undone and darkened by dust. Her eyes shone and her trident was held out, blood still on the spikes.

She'd walked all the way to this street, forced into a fight with Otto-9, who wouldn't let her heal him, just like her light had burned Otto-7 instead of saving him. Noctis knew she was hurt from one look, but as the daemons vanished on the citadel, either called off or destroyed by the tremendous hit, the royal couple's eyes locked together. And a wave of relief took over the fear for what was coming. Luna's shield broke down when Noctis reached her and their hands linked, squeezing in a brief show of comfort and reassurance.

Ignis had seen his prince barging into the picture, but he was more preoccupied with the situation at hand. Their Ardyn had used the sudden confusion from the crashing airship to pull out of his ropes and jumped Prompto. Both men fought hand to hand, rolling in the dirt and it was clear that the feelings involved were deeper than one enemy punching another. For Noctis and Luna, it looked like their friend was fighting the Chancellor and Ignis could tell things would go south from here.

"Get him off me!" Prompto called for help.

"Since when you can't fight for yourself? You think they're really buying this?!" Ardyn shot back.

Prompto seemed ready to win the upper hand, but Ardyn was vicious in his ripostes, kicking and twisting around like a snake. Aranea was starting to doubt Ignis' gut feeling.

"What the hell is…!?"

Monica coughed and hacked, unable to voice a single word to answer her king. Aranea stated the facts in her stead:

"Ardyn said he was Prompto and accepted to be tied up. Until this Prompto showed up."

"And we've seen the elite MTs," Luna sighed, understanding the situation.

Noctis could tell there was something wrong about both men. There was still a surge of hatred rising in his chest at the sight of the chancellor. The man had mistreated Luna more than once and he'd played a large role in the destruction of Insomnia. Not to mention the passing of King Regis. But with every other clones around... And the elemancy in the air was distorted. How could he tell foe from friends, knowing how much the foe resembled Prompto?

It was surreal for them all, but especially Ignis, who couldn't believe they were all just standing there, letting either of their suspect go at it. They were too close to separate from afar, rolling in the dirt, slamming each other in bricks and half-collapsed wall. Prompto had never been one for close combat and it made the tactician himself doubt.

"There's a spell on both of…" Noctis started.

"We should pry them off of each other before…"

A gunshot interrupted Ignis. A brutal lunge had pushed back Prompto, who lied on his side, face covered with bruises, teeth bare as he held his fuming gun. Ardyn couldn't stand up, knee bleeding, his usually relaxed features all warped from a mix of fear and hatred.

"Guys, a little help here?"

Noctis took a step forward, only to see Ardyn raising his own gun at Prompto. He looked pale and some of his features were hazier than the rest. As though the spell couldn't hold on to him.

"Noct, for the six's sake, it's me," Ardyn pleaded.

The prince could barely breathe as he processed the fact Ignis wouldn't have let things come this far if his doubts weren't half founded. But his eyes were telling him otherwise and his heart was torn at the possibility of a mistake.

"I…"

Prompto cut in: "Oh come on, he's messing around with all of you. If this is Ardyn, he doesn't care about a little gunshot wound. While he could kill me guys!"

"The next one who shoots…" Aranea warned, lance held up.

"Maybe we should settle it this way. Quickest shot wins," Ardyn whispered.

"No way," Prompto stammered.

The act was quite good, Ignis had to give him that and he took another step forward.

"There's no settling things with violence," Luna interfered.

"Unless the shot can prove it," the fake chancellor declared.

His amber eyes fell on Prompto, taunting him and for a split second, instead of fear, the blond gunman shot the deadliest glare back. He'd forgotten all the hatred in his heart, how much he wanted to hurt the zero-man, way more than taking out a stupid foreign prince or play the empire game. He didn't need any glory or Verstael's praise. But to kill the woman's favorite. To get rid of him and take over his life. Now that sounded grand. As dark as Prompto had ever looked, especially after killing his own mother, neither Noctis nor Ignis had ever seen his eyes so cold. While Ardyn's face was unreadable, too close to the real deal thanks to the darn curse. Under it, the real Argentum was doing everything he could not to shake. But he didn't want his friends to get involved if he could help it. He didn't want them to get hurt more than necessary because of his… duplicates? Clones? Step-brothers? He was still trying to get his mind around the memories he'd pushed away for all those years.

"Maybe I can prove useful for once," the Prompto lookalike announced.

"Please, whichever of you is…!" Luna begged them.

Ignis and Noctis exchanged a single look, both determined this was enough. Things went by too fast as both blond made their decision, gun's safety long forgotten. Gladiolus was pulling Cindy out of the airship, leaving Otto-8's corpse behind. Ignis and the prince warped forward. Two gunshots this time tore over the anxious silence. Aranea jumped. Luna tried to freeze the bullets in the air, but her magic had run out, her trident vanishing from her hand. Next to her, Monica was still coughing and rasping.

The airship was a good mile away, but both Cindy and Gladio were still able to see some of the action taking place. And gunshots rang far enough for them to know things were escalating again. There were two blurs rushing to the center of the scene, one blue like the sky showing through the clouds, the other one a bit taller and also darker. The bullets turned out faster.

Prompto had raised himself to better aim and was hit square in the chest, fire instantly blowing from the projectile. His cry of agony covered Ardyn's wince, who'd raised one arm in self-defense and felt the bullet grazing his left shoulder. Everyone stared in disbelief and shock as the gunman's body hit the cement with a thud. Cindy couldn't tell who was who, but the blond hair was distinctive enough. She slipped down the ship's side, Gladio barely able to follow her, spotting the teardrops in her wake as she hit the ground and took of running. Aranea landed next to Ardyn in a crash, her spear drawing a thin line of blood on his neck.

The chancellor dropped his gun and immediately looked at Noctis, who'd tumbled out of his warp, heart missing a few steps. Ardyn's hands were shaking and his face betrayed his terror. It was impossible to think the real deal could ever appear that vulnerable.

"That wasn't me, Noct. I swear, that wasn't me," he pleaded

Tears shone in his eyes and while Gladiolus bellowed for an explanation, Noctis sensed his powers reacting to the magic at play. He tugged on the invisible threads. Planted his armiger in the ground when the hunters decided to join in Aranea's threatening retaliation since everyone else was too troubled to react.

"No one touches a hair on his head!" Noctis commanded.

Eyes red with the crystal magic, the prince pulled off the mask. And the red hair turned to blond, the few riddles thinning out. Blue eyes, lean shoulders. Their Prompto, in his own bruises and cuts, shivering uncontrollably after taking Otto-1 out. Aranea dropped the spear and stepped back, while Luna kneeled next to the fallen Prompto, the fake one from the endless brethren. The hair on his head was shorter, the breath in his breast failing. When he raised a cutlass at her in a last attempt of taking one of them out, she kicked the blade out of his hand. She could barely see him through her tears.

Prompto hadn't realized why everyone was changing sides now. He'd used his magic bullets in the hope of having Noctis realize it was truly him. Only him had received magic from the crystal. If he could be replaced like that, there was no point.

"I swear, guys… I swear it's me here, and not..." he stammered.

His voice broke and Noctis dropped to his knees, pulling his friend in a hug.

"I know it's you, Prom. Iggy could tell from one look. The magic's gone now."

"Is he dead? Are they all…? I couldn't bare…"

"It's over, man. I swear, this nightmare is all over," Noctis promised.

He wanted to apologize for letting him on this battlefield, apologize for not knowing before and for killing Otto-3 and for so many things, the words seemed to collapse on each other in his throat. Ignis squeezed one shoulder of each of his friends.

"We're not losing you again, Prompto," he stated, voice rough from the many emotions fighting inside to be let out.

Cindy didn't slow in her running. Even from afar, she could tell her man was alright, but it wasn't enough. One of them had fallen. She'd nearly broke down after Gladio had gotten through Otto-8. Aranea stepped back just in time for the mechanic to push Noctis away from Prompto, not caring if the prince would get hurt.

"It's you, Prom!?"

"Cin…?"

He blinked and sniffled, barely processing what she might be thinking. She'd just seen Ardyn shot him. Or more aptly put, him shooting himself. Heck, did this thing counted as the weirdest suicide or what? He noticed blood on her face, and how she only used one hand to undo his uniform. The gesture felt invasive in her rush and he wanted to whimper and sob as her fingers finally found the scars on his stomach. The burns, the syringe marks he'd been afraid to show. All the proofs his memories weren't far enough.

"I'm sorry," he blurted out.

"Don't… Ya should sit down, but when I saw y… I mean him… Oh baby, hold me."

She didn't have to ask him twice. He pulled her into his arms, hiding his face in the hole of her neck, not caring for the pain in his leg or the bruising she touched as she clutched at him. His friends were by his side. No matter what they had to do to reach the Citadel, no matter the lies and the tricks. He had no idea if the nightmare could ever be over. He feared looking at himself in a mirror, scared of knowing what his friends might be thinking now. It seemed clear that Noctis and Iggy were glad to have the real deal with them. All the sounds that came from his throat now were racked sobs. But it was alright.

The swarm was gone. So was the spell and the curses.

Otto-1 hack breathing stopped as the Oracle extended her light to him. _Let them have peace for once in their life_ , she prayed. It was still weird to see him down on the ground and Prompto a few feet away.

Ignis felt Aranea's hand in his and jumped slightly, before to squeeze back her fingers.

Gladiolus just looked in confusion, before to meet Noctis sad gaze. The prince mouthed the words:

"We'll explain later."

The group stood around Prompto and Cindy for some time, either looking out for new threats or trying to collect their own thoughts. Luna had offered healing to every of them, Monica sharing her ethers stock with the princess. They might have stood there for a full half hour if Gladio's phone hadn't rang.

"Iris?" the shield asked.

"Are you guys alright? I've been trying everyone's phone and you're the first to pick up!" his sister retorted.

"We're… We're alive. And the fighting seems to be over."

"Could you get to our position? We're trying to find Crowe, but she's…"

Gladiolus tensed, fists clenching, his eyes instantly going to Luna.

"What happened to her?!" he asked, a bit too aggressive.

Noctis wondered if Carbuncle had been right of pushing him ahead. His phone was cracked all the way through and refused to turn on.

"We could just use some help to get to her," Iris continued, refusing to extend her explanation.

If anything, she had no idea what was happening with Crowe and didn't want to worry him any more than necessary or to give too much hope. The thing was, they'd found Ace's body. And it wasn't a pretty sight.

Prompto was easy to convince of moving away, although he didn't like the idea of Otto-1's body staying like that in the open air. Unlike daemons, MTs didn't vanish. They stayed behind and rot and festered. Cindy couldn't look at the guy, and Noctis offered to set him on fire. He had half a mind to burn down the whole city to erase all the pain and hurt he saw in every street, but knew better than to voice so.

The walk up main street was a sad, sad thing. Gladiolus lead the way despite his limp, Luna having healed every wound she could, going through Monica's entire ether's stock. Noctis had ran out too and they saved a few elixirs just in case. It took an hour on foot to reach Iris and Ravus, who were slowly working on removing rocks and debris from the cave-in of the subway station. Crowe's GPS signal was still up and they were getting closer to the metro's ground, but some debris were too large even for Ravus' reinforced arm.

"She's here, isn't she?" Gladiolus asked his sister.

They'd worked on a specific spot, unearthing more debris and clearing a path down as quickly as possible, but they had to go slow in the fear of making anything else collapse.

"She should be just as few feet deeper," Ravus shot back.

Next thing he knew, Gladio was pulling him backward by the fabric of his shirt to clear the way before to use his own power to phase through the concrete and metal. Iris gave Prompto a brief hug, comforted to see him in one piece and he welcomed the attention with a shy smile. Cindy was still hanging to his arm, refusing to let go of him for even a second. He loved her for it, needing the warm contact, the feel of her hands close. But a small voice kept nagging him as he struggled to put one foot down after the other. Was he really worth all this caring, seeing how he treated the Ottos ?

"Careful, Gladio!" Ignis called after the Shield.

Luna held her breath and Aranea realized her own stress was rising. Among them all, Crowe was close to her best friend and she had never thought something could happen to the former Glaive. Like her, the brunette seemed invincible. But the size of this collapse and the rumble they'd been subjected too before that Cindy crashed her airship were a bad omen if she'd ever seen one.

Gladiolus had to stay in phase mode longer than he'd ever done, since there was not a single free space large enough for him to fit among the debris. His nose recognized the metallic scent of blood and decay, which brought back awful memories. He'd seen Crowe broken down once and wasn't sure he could bear to see it again. Diving into matter was always a strange impression, but he barely gave it any attention, focusing on any sign of the woman. His heart hammered in his chest at an unsteady rhythm. It beat madly when he spotted her bloodied hand reaching out from under a boulder. He stepped right through it, confirming that Crowe was still in one piece, but awfully bruised up. Her clothes were torn on her right side, sporting a new scar that could explain the blood all over her leather pants. Her chest was raising slowly but stubbornly, her face caked with dirt and dust. Her hair looked grey from it all and he could spot a few, pale veins on her neck.

He gingerly picked her up, glad that the phasing covered her like it would usually do. A few steps and awkward jumps later, he could see her in plain daylight, taking a deep breath as he turned fully tangible again. His knees were weak from the effort and he sank to his knees, eyes barely acknowledging Luna and Iris as they reached for the former Glaive, hands alight with healing light.

The white veins on Crowe's neck expanded and she twitched and winced as both girls were pushed back by a repulsive wave of magic

"Oh my gods…" Luna sighed, hands trembling.

Her magic had never backfired like that.

"What happened to her?" Iris questioned, looking down at her hands with a mix of shock and fear.

"That's what I'd like to know!" Gladiolus snapped.

"So loud," Crowe whispered.

The white veins receded and they all held their breath as her left hand gripped to Gladiolus's opened coat.

"Crowe?"

"My head… feels like I was in a freaking behemoth stampede."

She tried to blink and cursed as the dust stung her eyes. Every of her movements were tentative and slow. Her limbs were sore down to every bone. Nursing her head in the crook of his shoulder, Gladiolus wiped her face from the soot and dust, a relieved but fragile smile showing up.

"Outside of that, how do you feel?"

His voice was low and hushed, nearly a murmur.

"Alive. And really safe now."

A collective sigh made her realize they weren't alone, but she had difficulty keeping her eyes open.

"Something really weird happened to me while I fought Ace," she mumbled.

"I think we could all compete in the weird department with a day like today," Aranea observed.

They decided to exit the city before anything else happened to them, collecting Cor on the way – Iris's magic worked on him this time- and rejoining with Libertus by the gate. There, they learned that over 4000 refugees had gotten out while they were keeping the swarm and Ottos at bay. The soldiers' runaways had regained some of their courage and gone back after realizing how hard their prince and the rest of his retinue was fighting.

"Well, this might not have worked out as smoothly as we hoped. But given the circumstances, we did incredible work," Monica stated, before to let out a small, weary cough.

Noctis and Luna exchanged a long look. Despite all the chaos and heartache, the main goal of their operation had been achieved. The crown city's people were free from the empire's grasp.

And for the first time since its fall, Insomnia could sleep.

To be continued…

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I've revised the last scene with Prompto, and added a new ending, a scene I was aiming to use in next chapter but that really fitted better in here. This way, things are truly closed regarding the Insomnia's battle arc. Cuddling and fluff is still coming up in next chapter and maybe the one after that.

We have one Otto left, namely Otto-2, but he won't be as much of a danger as the others. Otto-6 died off screen in a battle with Libertus FYI. There's a crowning in the making that will happen soon enough. And then I have only one more arc before we head to Altissia.

As always, I'd like to know what you thought. So please review and stay awesome!


	53. Lick our wounds

This chapter came out way easier than I thought. I tried to cover everyone in it, but it was getting a bit long. We have some character development, a short Noctluna scene and some much needed Ignea. The Fleuret siblings also get time together. Prompto needs a break from all the attention.

I don't really know when next chapter will come out. A part of it is already written, but school is going to need my undivided attention for the next few weeks. I feel a bit stressed out as I look at the daunting tasks in front of me and the last few weeks were far too warm for comfort, my brain put on autopilot for most of it. To make a short story out of this, autumn was late and is really welcome. And I need to catch some advance on school work. My thesis is no less ambitious than this story. XD

As a side note, I saw some pictures from that Ignis' episode. I try not to look at too many things from it, I don't like to spoil myself with the "extra" content if I can avoid it. I hope I can get everyone to Altissia before the episode comes out though. And knowing I'll get to see more of Ravus in-game is a really, really nice prospect. I give him a bit more background in today's chapter. I hope you'll like it.

As a fair warning, Ignis and Aranea are crossing a few lines with some near explicit smut. It's not crude, you know me, but it's veering to a more M rating for the last four pages of this chapter.

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Unexpected

Chapter 53 – Lick our wounds

Ardyn sighed at the mess the capital was in. He'd lost his right-hand man too, but didn't exactly mind. The worst part was to see the Citadel, walls and towers nearly corroded by the passage of his swarm of daemons.

 _Nothing will ever survive me. Unless he can get strong enough._

How he wanted to reach that point, where he'd wait for the young prince, sitting on his throne, rightful owner of the Caelum's legacy. Next to him, Otto-2 didn't utter a sound. The blond man knew it was better not to disturb a mad man during his plotting. He checked for the nth time the commlink he used to share with his brethren. The signals were all lost. 1 had been a fool. And Prompto was still alive. Ardyn had argued the gunman was broken, that no one could get back up from such an ordeal. But Otto-2 had doubts. He knew his place and preferred to keep it, no matter how much anger and hatred fueled his rotten heart. He didn't need to get revenge from Prompto, Ardyn or some stupid prince.

He was getting back at the man who'd decided a clone had no right for a life of his own.

"What's your weapon of choice, Otto-boy?" Ardyn asked, finally taking his eyes off the crown city.

The nickname irked him and his answer was stronger than he'd wanted.

"Why? You need me to fight _now_?"

He was pretty sure that he could have make a difference out there if Otto-1 hadn't been his obstinate dick-self.

"That spine didn't save any of your brothers."

"I have a gun and a sword. But I can fight with anything I get my hands on."

"Well, well, Otto-boy, you're getting a promotion. Would you like a new number to come with it?" Ardyn offered, his smirk insufferable.

"We could drop the number. Since there's not really a point to them anymore."

"Good thinking. I think I made a good choice, keeping you by my side. Now, we have some shopping to do. I need me real clothes."

Otto-2 rolled his eyes mentally, but followed nevertheless. Survival was all about being useful. And the Six knew how far he was ready to go if it means surviving until he could achieve his goal.

…

Noctis hadn't expected the huzzahs from the people still standing by Insomnia's gates. Cor needed support from Ignis to walk despite getting a treatment from Luna and Monica's coughing hadn't calmed down yet. Crowe was still in Gladiolus's arms, despite her few protests. He'd put her down once and she'd collapsed instantly, entirely spent by her efforts. What she remembered from her fight with Ace, she didn't want to share just yet. Prompto and Cindy didn't exchange a word. If anything, Prompto was growing a little more absent with every passing hour. He was slowly realizing what had happened. And what he'd done. Killing Otto-1 out of fear, like he'd done with 15 as a child.

"Boy, are we glad to see you, guys," Libertus declared.

He limped from both legs now, which made his walk awkward, as though he was permanently drunk. Luna instantly offered to treat him, but her face was pale, dark bags under her eyes and Noctis was glad the man refused her help. She'd already pushed herself far enough.

"How's the travel back to Free Crown going?" Noctis asked.

"A third of the refugees has reached our city as we speak. It's going to be a little crowded, but the trucks are coming back to pick up more. And I have one with all of your names on it."

"Driving all the way to Free Crown?" Aranea deduced. "I could drop asleep right here and now."

Cor offered a compromise:

"We need to get away from here, that much is clear. But Monica had her hunter's camp renovated last month. It would only be an hour's ride. Plus, we can check back…"

He went silent as Monica coughed some more, his face turning dark with worry.

"We need a nurse or two, outside of our resident healers," he added.

"Yeah, we all do," Libertus shot back.

He would have gone with them only to get a report about Crowe status, since she looked the worst for wear out of them all, but he needed to stay and keep organizing the rescue part of the mission. Cor and Monica might have tried to stick around if they'd been in better shape, but relented to follow the prince's retinue.

An hour later, they reached the camp, which was more like a tiny village now, with a few tents and three houses instead of the small huts. Everything had been constructed with the dropships in mind, so they were mostly invisible from the sky.

Noctis was careful to check on every of his friends before to allow himself some alone time with Luna. Cindy wanted to look after Prompto and he didn't mind spending some time alone with her for the night. Every of the guys -minus Ravus and Cor- gave him a brief hug as they separated to go get some rest. Iris insisted to look after Monica's cough, taking residence in her headquarters while Gladiolus vowed to look after Crowe to Aranea, which surprised them all a bit. Aranea hadn't expected herself to be this insistent, but she was mad at herself for failing the first woman she considered as her best friend. She still agreed to stay with Ignis, the advisor offering to prepare food for everyone and deliver it to them in two hours or so. Sampling his cooking firsthand was one of her greatest pleasures in life.

Ravus was fine with having his own tent, while Cor was forced into a bed in Monica's house, since he clearly needed rest after his new feats.

Iris helped Monica clean up and extended her check-up to her lungs, trying out the few techniques Lunafreya taught her.

"Breathe in slowly," the girl cautioned.

The hacking sounds in Monica's chest had Iris wonder why Ignis, who'd stay close to the lady the whole time wasn't affected too.

"I'm really sick of this persistent cough," the cat lady groaned. "There were dirt and tons of dust, but it's not a reas…"

Iris had extended her sense, so that the light in her veins could help her understand the cause underlying that cough.

"You've breathed in some metal dust. And a lot of it too. I think I can remove it, but it won't be a comfortable process," the young healer explained.

Monica trusted her entirely and gave her a stern look when Iris insisted to see if she was certain.

"I can handle pain,"

On the first wince, Cor barged right in, like a wolf watching out for his cubs. Or maybe a lioness worried about her mate. Iris had read that lions were lazy creatures, leaving all the work to the females, so she'd rather dub Leonis as a lioness. It seemed to work when she said it in her head too. Gladiolus would have said she'd stayed in Lestallum for too long, but she still gave the Immortal a dark look. Monica was only wearing a bra and a pair of pants, to facilitate the magic operation and Iris felt pretty outraged for the sudden entrance.

"Don't you know to knock first?" she asked.

"It's not anything he hasn't seen already," Monica whispered, eyeing Cor with a dimpled smile.

"I don't care how he's seen you!" Iris protested. "I'm trying to heal her, I'll take care of you later."

"Young lady, I've taken enough elixirs to…"

"Get to bed already, you can barely stand without support!" Iris retorted.

It was quite easy to talk back, she just had to say whatever she would throw at her brother or Ravus. The thought made her frown mentally, but after giving her an annoyed look and a quick glance to Monica, who gestured for him to follow the doctor's orders, he reluctantly closed the door and walked back to his room.

"You're quite on edge, Iris," Monica noted.

"I was blind a few hours ago and my friends are all messed up from this battle," Iris explained while resuming her healing.

The light was drawing tendrils from each of her fingers, which dove into Monica's skin to reach for the pieces of metal lodged in her system. Iris suspected the coughs were due to irritation from breathing them in too quickly. Ignis might have evaded some of the dust, or inhaled less metal. It didn't really matter. She made quick work of the magic and heaved a deep sigh when she was finally done, her strength receding of two notches.

"You look like you need to lie down," Monica worried.

"No, I just need some food. And something for this headache."

"Why is everyone around our prince always pushing themselves so hard?"

Iris shifted her shoulders, unsure if she had the answer. They had all lost so much already. It seemed normal to hurry towards the potential renewal of their nation. If anything, she need to take her mind off things and grasped at the first idea that came to mind.

"What was that with Cor earlier? Are you two together?"

Monica smiled, finishing to button up her clean blouse.

"I guess we could say that. Not that he'll ever made it official."

"And you're fine with that?" Iris instantly pressed on.

The older woman could tell her interest had picked up for personal reason just from the way the girl leaned in when she started her answer: "At this particular moment in time, I don't mind. I don't need a ring or vain promises. We are together when we can and make the most out of it, while trying to focus on every matter at hands. I'm not so easy to distract, so he's got his work cut out for him."

Iris was surprised by the angle Monica took. There was something quite mature about her vision of this relationship. She knew what she wanted and was content with what she had, or so it seemed.

"But you love him?"

"Yes, I do. Very much so," Monica replied without any hesitation. "Can I ask why those questions are so important to you?"

She had her suspicions, which Iris confirmed with a sigh.

"I'm just trying to figure something out. I don't mean to pry, but I don't really feel comfortable asking this to Luna or even Crowe."

After all, the subject of their love was either her first crush or her big brother. It could get really awkward really fast.

"I don't mind. If anything, it's refreshing to have anyone interested in my love life outside of some drunk hunters."

They laughed together at the notion, although Iris would feel embarrassed if she ever found herself in Monica's situation. From the woman's smile, she could tell Monica was over petty embarrassment like this.

"So, how do you know you love him?"

"That's a really hard question. I do love to see him work himself up like he did a moment ago, or whenever he saves someone else from the empire's clutches. The look in his eyes…"

Her attention drifted and Iris gave her some time to collect her thoughts, wondering why it felt so easier to ask these questions to her. Maybe because she looked a bit like her mother and reminded her of her.

"Does he make you feel safe?"

"Yes, every now and then…" Monica admitted.

"Not all the time?"

"Even Cor the Immortal can't pull that off, not in the time we're living in. And I don't want him breathing down my neck at every minute of the day. He has soldiers to train and operations to run. But when our day is over, if we can catch each other on the phone or around a fireplace, we'll forget how the world is ending for a few hours. And I think somehow, while staying as realistic as we can, we give each other hope."

"But how do you know it's the real deal?"

Monica laughed.

"I don't. I never do. I've loved other men before, either soldiers or civilians. They died or moved on, and it hurt every time. Love is taking a chance on someone, and also on yourself. At least, it is to me. It's real, but there's no deal here. I know it's easier being with him and I know I'll miss him and worry every time we're apart. I hope I'm not bringing you down with my answers, by the way. I'm not much of a romantic."

"I don't know about that. You sound quite taken with him," Iris objected.

And she liked the realist side the former administrator gave to the whole thing.

"What about you? Anyone caught your fancy?"

Iris gazed up with a deer in the headlights look, to which Monica grabbed her hand, quite motherly in her gesture.

"You don't have to answer. But I won't say a word of it."

"I… I don't really know what I feel. He's…"

Iris stopped herself, unsure if she was ready to admit out loud she was even considering showing interest in Ravus Nox Fleuret. He looked good, she was ready to bet her friends back at school would have been pining after him with his bad boy attitude and how rough around the edges he acted. But she was afraid of her feelings. Not so long ago, she was convinced her heart would only belong to Noctis. And she'd moved on, but hadn't it happened too fast?

Monica was patiently waiting, refusing to pressure her in giving a name or any clear details. It was evident Iris didn't need prying, but a confident.

"We've been saving each other all the time, so I don't know if I'm just developing feelings because of the circumstances…"

"Well, there's no easy way around it. With the times we're living in, people with clashing personalities might cling to each other in pure desperation. It's not always a bad thing, as long as the relationship is fair and respectful."

Iris pondered if Ravus could remain fully respectful despite being himself. The man wasn't that bad, but their first encounter had implied a broken arm and the blight on her part. She was past it, after seeing him crying and broken and fighting on their side. Now that she thought of it, she'd seen a lot more different sides to the man than she'd done with most guys she knew. Which might be why…?

"How do I know if it's the right thing to do?"

Monica folded her legs and her arms, giving it some thoughts.

"If something's holding you back, there might be a good reason."

Much to her surprise, Iris's first reaction was to protest. There was no good reason for her to stay away from Ravus. At least not anymore. And that thought helped her clear her mind. If it was that instinctive, why not follow her instinct.

"I think I know what might have been holding me back."

The others' protests whenever she tried to spend time with him, most certainly. And despite Gladiolus's suspicion and Noctis's reserves, Ravus had proved to be respectful and agreeable with her. Hell, he clearly cared about her and did an awesome job of keeping her safe. And despite their rocky start as enemies, she felt safe around him. And it couldn't be the same thing as when she was around her brother. Her heart didn't do somersaults when her brother held her hand or hugged her close.

"Thanks for the talk. I'll go check on…"

"Cor can wait till tomorrow," Monica cut her off. "Why don't you grab a bite and have some sleep first?"

In the morning, Iris wasn't surprised to realize she'd fallen asleep on Monica's bed, her patient sneaking off to spend the night by the Immortal's side.

…

Luna had taken some time to talk with her brother, Noctis waiting for her in the small house Monica had given them for their stay. The constructions served more as temporary apartments than anything else and the Fleuret siblings were standing under a makeshift shelter, so they wouldn't be seen by any passing dropships.

Luna held her brother's hands, her eyes scanning his person for wounds. He'd come out mostly unscathed of the whole ordeal. He was fidgety and on edge, but except for a few more mental scars, he appeared well.

"You really want to be alone?" she insisted.

"You certainly don't need me around at the moment. Go cuddle your prince and rest up…"

He didn't sound bitter, but she could tell something was wrong as his eyes shifted away from hers.

"Rav…"

"I need a shower and to sleep for a few days. Outside of that, there's nothing to worry about," her brother offered, hoping she'd drop it.

"But the fighting's over, and you're still…"

She was so shaken, she might have been projecting her own feelings on him. Ravus barely sighed and the tears gathering in her eyes were already falling down. He wished she would confide in him on what had gotten her in this state, wished he could have kept her off the battlefield and that the blood on her hands didn't belong to people she'd killed. The idea of his sister killing anyone was so ludicrous, but she'd crossed the line long before he joined her team.

"Lunafreya, for Shiva's sake, if you cry, I'm not sure I can…"

Her arms hugged him and he held her back, his own pain echoing with hers. She shouldn't have to feel this way.

"I couldn't save a single one of them. My light burned them instead of…"

For a few seconds, he couldn't breathe. The idea she'd even try to…

"They didn't _want_ to be saved. There's no need for tears or self-loathing," Ravus tried to calm her down.

"When I think I was trying to look out for you…"

She sounded a bit angry at herself for not being able to hold it in only a few minutes longer and her brother stroke her hair in answer. He wasn't quite good at giving comfort, but Luna had never make it particularly hard. She'd always been happy only getting the chance to share a hug or a smile. Today, he decided she could use a small victory and gave in.

"By giving my GPS signal to Iris? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're playing a matchmaking game."

"Would it work?" Luna asked, jumping on this occasion to take her mind off her own fears.

"She's too young. And I've already hurt her and kidnapped her once."

"It does sound bad when you put it like that. But while she's young in age, she's been through enough to mature a lot more than you think. I don't want either of you to get hurt."

"You really ought to stop wishing for the impossible. We're at war."

"Ravus, for the love of Bahamut, can't you drop the tough guy act? It's only me."

She took a step back and realized there was nothing tough about her brother now. He was paler than usual and barely containing his conflicting feelings. His eyes told her all she needed to know.

 _If I can't make friends, how am I even supposed to make this work?_

"You can be charming and even chivalrous," she reminded him.

"But in the long run, that ain't me," he strongly objected. "I'm a control freak and a mad scientist. Until I've found a cure…"

"What are you running from?"

He was out of breath and he could barely say why. But he was trying to give Luna what she wanted. And maybe answering her would help him figure out a way to give Iris her own answers without trespassing the limit he'd set.

"You know I've never allowed myself… I've never wanted anything to do with…"

How many women had to die or get hurt because of his inability to protect them? His mother and Luna had been the first victims. Then the lady offered to him as a mean to keep the Fleuret's line alive. To get an Oracle by any means possible. He'd refused over and over. Until Verstael drugged him and his control was taken away. Even Luna didn't know, and he wasn't going to tell her now.

He'd been a teenager yet, a broody, angry but easily manipulated 17-year-old. He should have been glad Verstael didn't simply clone either of the Fleuret. Or that the girl disappeared from his life with nothing but hazy memories. But Ravus wasn't one to let his existence dictated or his memories hazy. He'd searched high and low, hacking and breaking into every classified folder in the labs. The dark-haired lady had died during an experience and there was no child. The following year, Luna had turned out to be the Oracle, which meant they didn't need a plan B anymore and he could focus on refining his fighting's abilities.

"Brother? Are you still with me?" Luna asked him.

He jumped and nearly backed away from her.

"What's wrong?" she pressed him.

His throat felt too tight as his mind played nasty tricks on him. Warning him Luna might have gone through just as bad and never tell him. Replacing the girl he barely remembered with another girl, a girl he _loved_ , although he'd thought his heart had been steeled hard enough to resist anything.

"It's okay to have her wait, isn't it? Just one year or two. To make sure…"

He sounded way younger now and Luna was shocked. She'd never seen her brother caring this much for anyone. And maybe because it was the first time it mattered, he was a mess.

"From what I've gathered, she'd like to know how you truly feel," Luna stated.

"But how am I supposed to hold it in if she knows?"

"Rav, with everything you hold back, I think you're cutting yourself short. Have faith in yourself."

She gave him another hug, saddened by how stiff he felt now and how he refused to hug her back. There was something else, something truly holding him back.

"If you're this worried of hurting Iris, the worse you can do is to reject her."

"I don't want to do that either. But she gets under my skin with a snap of her fingers," he admitted.

"The more you wait, the worst it will get."

His sigh against her neck made her realize how much her brother was still hiding things from her. She'd perceived his affection for Iris, but never suspected how strong and meaningful it was. She wanted him as happy as she felt with Noctis, and Iris owed someone loyal and strong. But she could understand his hesitation. They weren't talking about a mere 4 years gap. And while he lacked experience regarding love, he had more experience in everything else. If he wasn't intimidating enough as it was.

"Be honest with her. If waiting feels better, you can always wait after admitting the truth. Telling her will take a weight off your shoulders, trust me."

He didn't want to believe her, but he wrapped his arms around her and tried to convey his thanks in that brief embrace.

…

"Everything okay?" Noctis asked his fiancée as she finally stepped into the house.

He'd waited for her, sitting on the floor right next to the door and she gave him a frail smile.

"My brother is never really okay. But we had a good talk. You didn't have to wait…"

Noctis stood up and backed her up to the wall, his hands instantly on either side of her face and his warmth melting the ice she'd called in the capital, which had kept her standing for this long. There was a trembling in his arms and his voice shuddered between his tender kisses.

"I know we should always be in separate groups with our powers, but I… hated not knowing what was happening with you."

She pulled in for a dozen more kisses, not caring for the taste of sweat on his lips or how dirty they were.

"What happened to you, Noct? And how many more fights like this one can we take?"

"I'll tell if you tell. But maybe we should grab a shower first?"

"I'd like that."

They helped each other out of their clothes, discarding the ruined garbs on their way to the bathroom. Luna showed more concerns as she spotted new scars and scratches all over him, but her magic was a small and quiet bundle of fatigue and her prince refused to receive healing from any light. All he wanted were her hands. She had enough bruises for Noctis to insist on lathering her with potion, an endeavor that turned out much hotter than they would have imagined.

The shower was mandatory though and tears flowed as the water ran, their hands clinging to each other, heart starved for affection, bodies moving on their own. She refused to let go of his mouth, claiming kiss after kiss, passion and whimpers mixing together. He wanted to hide inside her forever, but she kept him afloat, gently bringing him down to lie with her in the bathtub, hair saturated, flesh nearly numb. Making love had rarely felt as bitter, the water spray turning cold, but Luna refused to part from him even to turn it off.

Connected but unsated, he gathered her close, skin sticking together, hair splayed out, eyes red and their limbs shivering.

"We're both going to get sick at this rate," he sighed against the pulse of her neck.

"I can still feel it. How the light burned them…"

The cold had numbed her feet, but every sensation was still strong, far too strong. Noctis froze the pipes without thinking, stopping the water before to call forth a few fire balls, their glow giving an ethereal look to Luna's skin.

"We did what we had to. Or should we have asked Prompto to kill each and every of his clones? Trap them somewhere to have them executed?"

It costed him to even suggest so, but he didn't see much more way to find peace with their operation since it was so fresh.

"They were so sad…"

"I know. I only spoke with one of them. But I really don't know how to face Prompto now."

She cupped his face, comprehension and apologies in her eyes. They were both open, but it felt safe, no matter if they were cold, sore and shivering. A knock on the door broke part of the magic, as Noctis remembered Ignis' proposition of bringing them all food.

"Anyone home?" Aranea called out from the front door.

"Shit!"

He tried disentangling himself from Luna to get up and find a towel or something, but his princess took over.

"You can drop the food by the entrance, thank you Aranea!" Luna urged their visitor.

"Sure thing. I told you Iggy, we would be disturbing them."

"You kids remember to catch some sleep," the advisor shot back, the amused smile nearly visible in his voice.

Noctis was tomato red by then and sort of glad he noticed a blush on Luna's face as they gingerly got to their feet, the front door shutting off in the distance.

"This was nearly too normal," he whispered, wrapping a towel around her shoulders before to secure one for himself.

"I hope one day, normal can happen to us on every single day," Luna declared.

His heart ached at the remembrance of how abnormal her life had been before. And he pulled her in for another kiss, deciding they might as well get lost together for the time being. It didn't entirely push the lingering pain away. But for now, they both needed the distraction. And to remind themselves they were still perfectly alive.

…

Ignis had made quick work of the 10 different menus he'd planned. He was simply trying to make everyone's favorite, as a way to ease some of the tension the ordeal had caused. Aranea complained about how complicated he was making things, when all of them only needed nutritious food and a one or two night of rest, but she still gave him a hand. They were both feeling guilty for not having it as hard as the others out there. The small cuts and bruises they sported were proofs of their own struggles, but they hadn't had to kill an Otto in a duel like Noctis or Luna, or to face the son of their arch enemy like Crowe.

"Stir it a bit faster," Ignis asked her as he mixed some spices into a sauce and checked on the various meats' cooking.

"I think I'd like to stir you out of your autopilot cooking mission."

The phrasing made him look up with one raised eyebrow. He washed up and kicked off his preparations while she took a quick shower. She'd slipped into a pair of jeans and a light shirt, feeling a little better in normal clothes than she used to do a few months ago. She was bare-foot and Ignis couldn't wait to ask her how things had gone on her side, but he was still turning the whole situation with Otto-1 around in his head.

Prompto had explained his capture and what appeared to be Ardyn's plan. The curse had been strong and convincing, but it was still a mystery why Otto-1 had decided to join such a large group of Prompto's friends instead of finding a single one of them and using isolation and the chaos to his advantage. But maybe did he want to keep an eye on Prompto? No matter what the reason could have been, Ignis was convinced he could have done better. From the single test with Monica's name, it had been clear who they were up against. So why not take out the fake? Because he had Prompto's face? Because he couldn't bring himself to follow through with logic, like he usually did?

A timer rang, soon followed by three more of them and he quickly finished preparing the various meals, focusing his entire mind on the task at hand. Aranea helped make the plates after some cuddling, since her first reaction was to argue she couldn't make them as well as him. They delivered the first plates to Prompto and Cindy. Cindy showed at the door, wearing a long shirt that somehow covered her thighs and not much else. Prompto didn't give a sign of life, but they both knew he was in good hands. Gladiolus and Crowe were next, Gladio appearing at the door with a towel in his hands, which were still damp.

"She's taking a bath," he declared to Aranea's silent question. "I'll make sure she eats up. Don't go and pushing yourself too hard, Iggy. Or you, dragoon lady."

"As soon as we've eaten our own share, I'm catching some Zs," the lady retorted.

Iris was happy to see them and kept them over for a bit, needing an explanation about the whole ordeal she'd missed regarding Prompto. Aranea went ahead to deliver Ravus' food, which he barely acknowledged, lost deep in thoughts after his talk with his sister.

"So he nearly got killed?"

"You fixed his knee yourself, he's walking fine now," Ignis reminded her.

"And all the MTs we fought were… clones of him? Not just today, but before too?"

The strategist grimaced, but gave her the truth.

"It appears so. Although I'd like to argue that despite the advances of technology and what cloning can do, each individual will remain slightly different. Prompto might have a lot more lookalike than the average person. But that doesn't take away his individuality."

"Iggy, I never said it made Prompto any less of Prompto."

"I think I'm just trying to come to terms with it myself," Ignis whispered while replacing his glasses.

"He's going to need all the support he can get," they added nearly at the same time.

"How long do you think we'll be staying here?"

"Not too long. Ardyn was there after all and we have no idea what his aim could be yet."

That clearly got Ignis even more worked up than he already was and Iris nudged him in the shoulder.

"We can worry about this tomorrow morning, don't you think? You had to look after me, and Prompto and Monica. It was a lot to ask."

"Some undercover mission we made…" he sighed. "How are your eyes?"

Gladiolus had nearly broke into a fit when he'd heard what had happened to his sister. He'd thanked Ravus for looking after her and didn't even make a comment on the fact the man had had a way of finding her. At this rate, he only cared of the end results and Iris was grateful that Ravus didn't get more glares from the others. He'd done his part and got out of the whole deal far better than most of them. But that might only be because he wasn't attached to Prompto like they were and that most of the enemy had been wearing his face.

"Iggy, the royals' food will get cold at this rate," Aranea observed.

They exchanged brief salutation and left, Iris bringing the food to Cor and Monica, which were deep in conversations in their shared room.

The final delivery left Ignis and Aranea with a smile and a few ideas of how they should spend their own night alone. The former commodore ate her food with gusto while Ignis mostly observed her, nibbling at his dish and forcing every new bite down. She'd suggested wine, which he denied her. He wanted to stay in full control of his senses to properly analyze their operation and why it had come so close to fail. It was hard to have all the information they needed when facing the empire. There was so many different actors and all of them had different goals. But he still blamed himself.

"Stop that," Aranea asked him.

"What?"

"Stop thinking about it. It won't change what happened. You did well, and I don't know how you knew he was telling the truth, but your decisions saved Prompto. Everyone agreed to listen to your advice, even Monica, who's a senior officer compared to you, unless I'm mistaken."

"Well… I don't really have a military position. I'm Noctis's advisor..."

"And cook, barber, chauffeur, personal attendant and… wait, I forgot one of your tasks… Oh, right! His best friend too."

That brought out a smile and he relaxed slightly in his chair, shoulders dropping a notch.

"What happened to you to get separated from Gladio so fast?" Ignis asked.

"We were much closer to the swarm than the rest of you," Aranea confessed. "Since Cindy isn't a fighter, I tried to give them more time and dove right at the daemons."

She didn't want to mention how flying scared her to death. She doubted he needed to be reminded of their common fear of cliffs right now.

"And then you just flew over the whole city and checked on the refugees?"

Her fork fell in her plate, clattering abruptly and she leaned back in her chair, lips churning.

"I'd rather be able to warp around or jump a bit higher than fly like that…"

"Aria…"

"I'm not going to end up in tears this time!" she decided, clapping her hand on the table as if to show her resolve. "But I would have skewered Ardyn if his arguments didn't make some semblance of sense before you showed up."

Ignis' chair scrapped against the floor as he pulled it around the table and sat right by her side. Their hands linked and the food lay forgotten as their eyes locked together.

"I would have stabbed him if he'd try anything funny. But then that… guy popped in and didn't call me out on the fake name. And instead of getting rid of him right there, I waited for things to unfold," Ignis begrudgingly reminded her.

"It's one thing to spare an enemy, but it's an entirely different one to kill someone wearing your friend's face."

They were trying to hold back all the dark thoughts that threatened to swallow them whole. Aranea was convinced that killing Prompto, even by accident, would have gotten her kicked out of the team. She didn't want any new hard feelings coming between Ignis and her. They'd worked around enough already. If it wasn't enough, the very idea of killing a friend made her sick to her stomach.

"Lingering on it now isn't doing anyone any good," he sighed, taking off his glasses to massage the bridge of his nose.

"Someone looks tense."

"I thought that was my natural state," he quipped half-heartedly.

But Aranea was getting to her feet already, wondering if removing a few knotted muscles couldn't ease his mind and eventually hers. At this rate, he was going to mentally berate himself for the next week or even more.

"I'll do your back if you do mine," she offered.

He looked at her worriedly, not used to such attention, but her hands undid the top buttons of his shirt and freed his neck and upper shoulders, before to turn his head forward again. A single squeeze to the muscles in his neck warned her this wouldn't be an easy job.

"Help me here, concrete man."

"I haven't agreed ye… owww!"

"Don't be a baby," she chided him.

Her hands were strong albeit small and her grip was confident. The calluses from her spear wielding would have most people recoil at the roughness, but he couldn't pull away from her. The cool, refreshing touch soon turned warm and the pain of his strained muscles receded as she worked her way down his neck, one shoulder at a time. Ignis found himself leaning into her hands and wishing for less clothes in the way. He made quick work of his shirt, pretending the wrinkles in it were intolerable. He relinquished a delighted sigh as her fingers trailed up his spine and skidded along his nape to massage his scalp. She soon went back to work on his shoulders, forced to put some of her weight into it, but he relaxed a little more as he slowly gave himself up to her ministrations.

"So, how are we feeling now?" she whispered into his ear, leaning close enough to make him slightly uncomfortable.

He was torn between staying still under her touch or giving her back the attention, with due compensation too.

"Well cared for," Ignis answered. "You know, there's no need…"

"I want to see how long it takes for you to really react."

More than a sigh, she wanted a moan or a whine out of his throat. While it sounded like a challenge, Ignis had to admit he was more sensitive than usual. His flesh was tender, his heart was a bundle of fluttering nerves and taxed brain was begging for a reprieve. Her nails outlined his ribs, following the muscles on his torso, going down his abs and further south. Pressure over the fabric of his pants called him to attention and his breathing quickened despite his best efforts to remain unfazed. As though he'd ever been able to resist her.

"I can almost see your control cracking down, Iggy."

She nibbled at his ear, her breath warm on his skin, happily focused on him and how he reacted to every little touch.

"I won't take this… unequal treatment," he decided, facing her as he stood up, gripping both of her hands in his.

He kissed her fully on the mouth first, claiming the very air from her lungs, before to have her sitting on the table. The plates clattered with the cutlery, but her legs parted to let him closer. He removed her fluttery top and discarded her bra, fingers splayed on her back, lips hungrily coming down on her neck.

"Iggy, that's not a massage…" she objected, although she held his head in place, relishing the goosebumps and shivers he instilled in her with every hungry nibble.

"Relax," he ushered her.

He made quick work of the knot in her shoulders, focusing his hands on her lower back instead. Her first whine was laced with pain, but he eased the worst of it away in gentle and firm motions. The fact she'd wrapped her legs around his waist might have played a role in the breathy moan that escaped her lips, but her tensions still melted away at his touch, replaced with fire and giddy sparks. His hands were softer than hers, which didn't seem fair considering they'd been fighting just as much.

"You'd better not tell me you've learned those tricks at your royal academy."

"Guess I shall not tell you…"

She pushed on his chest at that, eyes slightly wide.

"With what girl did you…?!"

"I learned them in… textbooks. The massage parts at least. I had a really willing practice partner for my other tricks."

Ignis gave her a pointed look and Aranea was left to wonder how she could feel jealous. She'd never tried to have a monopoly on him when they both lived in the capital. She knew there was no need. But he seemed surer, more experienced now that they'd gone past the cliff. And she was starting to regret the years she'd missed. To see the final changes from his teenage self to the man he was today.

He pressed into her a bit more, and she had to brace herself on the table as his kisses trailed down her neck. Something cracked under her left hand and he looked up at her, hair tousled and face haggard with need.

"Did you just break my glasses?" Ignis asked, voice low and measured.

He was fighting to keep a serious expression and she wanted to laugh, but acted offended instead.

"Well, _you_ sat me on this table."

He leant into her, their nose nearly touching while she could feel the heat radiating from him.

"I could do much, much worse on this table."

She raised one brow, clearly intrigued.

"Try me."

Her proper, far from wild Ignis wouldn't usually lay her down on a kitchen table, especially not surrounded by unfinished plates. But he was getting riled up and wilder by the minute and she liked it. He seemed to regain some of his senses when her hair nearly ended up in the garlic and honey sauce he'd prepared for her meal.

"Either I take away the dishes or we take this somewhere else," he started, fingers deftly undoing her few braids.

"Don't kill the mood."

"Detangle yourself from me a few seconds," Ignis asked right back.

"Are you going to wash the dishes?"

He exaggeratedly rolled his eyes at her. He wasn't going to pass up on her half-naked form to wash dishes that might as well wait the next morning. She obliged with a pout, crossing her arms over her chest and pretending to feel dejected, while he made quick work of clearing space on the table.

"I'm cold," Aranea complained when his eyes came back on her 40 seconds later.

He'd taken the time to scrap away the cold food and make a neat pile of dishes on the counter. Order always put his mind at his, no matter how unruly she could be herself.

"Don't be a baby now. Dearest."

"Just get naked already!"

His laugh rang from deep in his throat, wrapping around her as his hands grasped her hips. It seemed so easy to enjoy each other now. To find strength in her arms, in his eyes devouring her. No guilt for enjoying themselves while the world still waited for salvation. If they were to survive all the aches and blows, they needed breaks. And to let out the pent-up anxiety when they could. Her nails dug in his shoulder blades, pulling him down.

"Warm yet?" he asked her, pants discarded and working his way up to her level without throwing them both to the floor.

"I'm warm inside."

She felt his wide grin on her shoulder, in the crook of her neck, under her willful fingers and wondered how far gone he could take her. Her heart fluttered a bit, thoughts scattered. Lost and happy for the diversion. She was ready to soar, ready to burst out of her skin, her life coursing through every vein. Like she could fly. The table protested with a crack.

"We'd better not break this…" Aranea breathed out.

"Since when are you the voice of reason? And what did you do to me? I don't even care for this table."

Time slows down…

She kisses his neck, leaning a love bite here and enjoys the way his breath catches for an instant. His caresses are hungry, his jerks losing part of his usual calculations. Control crackling as the need takes over. She moves upward, tensing all the right muscles. His left eye twitches and she has to guide his head back to her. Half of her body is hanging in the air, linked to his and she can tell new knots are building in his muscles. Love knots. Her smile shifted to a lazy smirk.

"You might regret this tomorrow."

"Never," comes his answer, voice throaty and too warm.

She's never liked that word. But all the nuances hiding inside catch her right in the heart. Never apart. Never in doubt. He's daydreaming to whisper such nonsense. But the daydream is all they have to keep the dark thoughts at bay.

"Nightdreaming," she sighs and he moans with her.

Nightdreaming might just break the table in their temporarily borrowed house. But it's so worth it, they shush the wood's protestation with noises of their own.

To be continued…

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Two more pairings to go, with more Noctluna in the works too, since I realized after rereading this how short their part was. But I had been leaving Ignis to the side lately. And he's as high in my heart as Noctis, so I couldn't really keep that up. We can expect some Promptis bromance too. These guys are still greatly hurt. I think Noctis is holding it in at the moment.

Nearly one half of next chapter is written and you know what motivates me best. I've started a side fic as my fic contribution to the Assassin's festival. You won't see this festival in here. But in Belle and Beller, you get Cindy as a detective in Lestallum, investigating a string of murders. It's a funny AU if you can get past all the crossover stuff. Shameless plug, but it's more to explain why I take some more time to update when I'm not focusing on school. 😉


	54. Forgive, but never forget

This chapter turned out into a lot of hurt/comfort, like expected. No answers about Crowe's new powers yet, it will have to wait for 55. Such a pretty number. I've rarely written as much on a single fic. But I've yet to top my longest story regarding the words count. This chapter includes SilverGold, Crowdio, bro times and not enough NoctLuna to my liking, but still some of it. As for my personal life, I've made progress with school, but I'm not yet out of the woods. Still working intensely, which means next update might also take some time. I hope you have fun reading!

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Unexpected

Chapter 54 – Forgive but never forget

Cindy was still trying to come to terms with everything she'd seen in a single day. During the whole ride, she'd held on to Prompto's hand, accepting his silence and enduring the thousand questions turning in her head. They were all exhausted and worn out by the extreme experiences they'd been through. But from the regular gazes thrown in her and Prompto's direction, she could tell who was everyone's main concern. He'd been tested in the worst way possible. The look on his face when Luna admitted on facing a few Ottos and Cor's confirmation of seeing them too. He was devastated.

As they found themselves alone together, Cindy was expecting all sorts of reactions, but all he gave her was silence. They'd both received a change of clothes from Monica and the mechanic grabbed a quick shower, settling in a comfortable shirt and snug shorts. Prompto washed up and switched his battered uniform for his usual leather and jeans. She couldn't help but notice the missing wristband. It wasn't like there was a point in wearing it anymore.

He was hunched over his phone, sitting directly on the floor, a few sheets of paper with doodles and scribbling on them; a set of printed pictures spread out in front of him. He wasn't quite responsive when she asked him what he was up to, so Cindy stepped around the living room, watching from over his shoulders at his handy work. He was scrolling through his endless collection of pictures, deleting some of them in a meticulous fashion. Every selfie and most of the pictures he was in were erased, one by one.

"What are ya…?!"

He ignored her, refusing to look away from his task. Every smiling, goofy face he'd made had to disappear. Otherwise, the kids and men who could have replaced him might always haunt him. Cindy kneeled by his side, reaching for his phone, refusing to see him belittling his work and keep up the massacre. She knew what the pictures meant to him. He'd even shared the first one ever taken of himself, back when he started his training. Those snapshots weren't a mean to judge himself anymore, but a way to retain his memories, unlike the ones he lost or repressed.

"I don't need these…" He started explaining.

"And you don't have to delete it all either!"

For once, Prompto seemed ready to fight with her, backing away and resisting as she pursued and made him fall on his back. Soon they were sprawled on the floor, pictures and doodles scattered around.

"I can't stand that face anymore!" he pleaded as they tossed and tumbled around, one arm holding his phone out of her reach as he secured his other arm around her waist.

"How can ya say that?" Cindy protested.

"How can I not say… You saw them, didn't you?"

"Only one. Half of his face was burned, I could tell it wasn't… But then I saw ya falling down, taking a bullet to the chest and suddenly it wasn't ya anymore." A hacked sob pulled through as she tried to apologize. "I don't wanna be confused about this, Prom."

Her honesty got to him and he dropped the phone, unsure if he could hold her afloat when he was so close to drowning himself.

"Cindy… I don't know how to even begin… I know some of them might have shown up, but I'd never thought they would all have been... Hell, we were only the first batch!"

Her gasp pained him, although his soul was already overloaded with pain. He sat up gingerly, the mechanic cozying in his lap, hands sneaking up his arms.

"Don't talk of yarself like that, city boy," Cindy cautioned him.

The nickname mended some of the hurt, but he uttered a sad, broken chuckle.

"He needed an endless source of soldiers. How else should I call it? We were cloned, raised like cattle and forced to fight each other. Then my mom smuggled me out, as though I was any different…"

"Prompto! Ya're different. It's ya I love, not any of 'em."

"But what if she'd grabbed Otto-1 instead? Or Otto-8? Why the zero-man?"

"Prom!"

"Look at it!" he hurled at her, waving his wrist in her face.

If Cindy hadn't been as shaken, she'd slap him for even acting like that. Instead, she grabbed the wrist and let her fingers explore the tattooed barcode on his skin. She followed the lines, detailing how some were larger, and read the numbers out loud, one by one, from left to right and then backward. Eleven numbers engraved on his skin, ending with a zero, mirrored on fifteen other wrists, and surely a hundred more. The calmness with which she studied it was like a punch in the gut for Prompto. The apologies that came to him got stuck in his throat when she looked up into his eyes.

"Why does it matter? I have all those pesky moles and that weird scar…"

Everything harsh in his face fell and his shoulders dropped with a mix of relief and the sad, unsure look she might never wipe off his face.

"I want to stop doubting myself so much. But I'm so afraid when I think of what _he_ 'd done if their tricks had worked."

 _Of what could have happened to you,_ he thought.

She shivered, but quickly shook her head.

"I'll have none o' that mister. I'm already scared enough as it is."

Her hands left no place to second guess what she had in mind to erase their present fears. Prompto felt quite vulnerable, but he welcomed the attention, since it meant she hadn't been scared enough to doubt him. If anything, he felt a violent surge of possessiveness at the idea she was one of the rare things neither of his "brethren" had in their life. She was _his_ girlfriend and no one else's. He complied to her caresses with a needy groan as she tugged on his shirt, knowing the scars set him apart instead of drawing him back to the empire. He was safe under her eyes. He pulled her closer, lips colliding in a rush of emotion.

"None of them hurt you?" he asked her in between kisses.

"Nu-huh. The shoulder was all me, when we fell off the bird."

His hands tensed on her hips and she tried to relax him with a mention to his favorite birds.

"I'll stick to chocobos when I'm not driving."

Not blind on her attempt, Prompto tried to tease her some in return.

"Remind me not to embark if you're piloting a ship, though. I saw how that turned out."

"But in the long run, the diversion helped ya, ain't it?"

His hands were under her shirt, grasping and kneading her curves, sending shivers down her spine. They both felt too sore for this, but the electricity in their veins and the rush was so much better than all the panic stored in the last few hours.

They were briefly interrupted by Ignis and Aranea delivering their food, and agreed to eat while their meal was still warm, before to take back where they left out. Their main goal was to run away from all the bad stuff. It resumed on the living room's floor and veered to the futon, where all unnecessary garments were discarded, their moans and wince mixing together. Prompto felt desperate and also rougher than usual, but Cindy simply encouraged him to let it all out. She'd rather he took some of his anger out on her, in ways that made her legs weak and her spine melt, instead of the hard feelings coming down on him in self-hatred.

They staved off sleep for as long as they could, hoping to keep their nightmares at bay. When their energy finally ran out, they cuddled close, picking on the dumbest topics or wondering about the preparations still needed in Free Crown. Cindy asked herself if she could get her paw-paw out of the place or if he'd started to grow roots.

"It'd be nice to have roots somewhere," Prompto whispered against her ear lobe.

"Ya know, ya'll belong wherever ya go, as long as ya're with yar friends. And with me, of course."

"That's… How…?"

"I just have to warn ya, Prom. Don't ever call me blondie, okay?"

"Okay… Can I know why?"

"Cause that's how the bad guys call me. And ya're no bad guy," Cindy stated.

His first reaction was to protest, but her eyes were fluttering close and despite all the blood on his hands, he had to admit to himself that every life he'd taken so far hadn't been out of hatred. 15 had been Verstael's work more than him. Self-defense in a drugged stupor. His mother had been an act of kindness, as much as it destroyed him inside. The one thing he felt bad for was Otto-1. Because he knew deep inside, no matter how many times he would be given the choice again, he'd pulled the trigger. Over and over. He was nearly angry the man hadn't suffered any more.

Cindy's hands wrapped around his. Squeezed his fingers. Pull his arms tighter around her. Somehow, his presence comforted her. Somehow…

 _Enough man, you've been crying on your sorry self long enough. If every MTs is one of them, Otto-1 was only a number along the strings_ , he thought.

And a number wouldn't define him. No matter how many doubts he had to face and the nightmares that were sure to haunt him forever.

…

"I know I could walk if you'd let me…" Crowe offered as he laid her on the couch.

"You were buried under a ton of concrete and couldn't be healed by either Luna or Iris. Excuse me if I'm a bit over-precautious when I handle you," Gladiolus shot back.

She laughed at that, her smile lopsided. On the ride here, she'd been falling in and out of consciousness and he was expecting her to do so again.

"Crowe, you're scaring me."

"I'm sorry. I… I get the feeling I could just drift apart."

Her lips curved downward, fear showing on her face. And Gladiolus couldn't help but remember the mark on her back. Her hand was small in his hand, but he was thankful for the strength he felt as she squeezed his palm.

"Just stay with me, alright?"

"Look who's clingy now," Crowe sighed. "And when I'm still the damsel in distress."

He pecked her cheek and gently pulled her clothes half open, to assert the overall damage. Her sides were tender, but despite the bruising and her new white scar, she fared better than he expected.

"If you're in distress, I don't want to know what that metro station was. Noctis said you destroyed it all on your own. He talked of a light of providence too."

Crowe's eyes snapped fully open at that and her breathing accelerated, the words echoing with something deep within her. Her hands tried to push him away out of pure reflex and it wasn't before he'd grabbed her by both shoulders that she calmed down.

"Oh no… Gladio, I think I remember what… Something took over me. There was light everywhere, but I was in the dark. And this isn't the first time this happened either."

"Took over by what?"

"I'm not sure. My magic went out of control after he stabbed me. I was bleeding and the next instant, it stopped. My head was pounding so much, I thought it was about to explode."

Gladiolus didn't know how to process this. He had half a mind to alert Luna and ask answers out of her, since she was the best reference they had for anything paranormal. But at the same time, he doubted the princess knew what this could be. Kneeling on the couch next to her, he had to force himself not to pull her in his lap right here and there, instead running one hand on her forehead. No fever unless he was burning up himself.

"Are those words familiar? Light of…" he started, only for her fingers to cover his lips mid-sentence.

"Don't say it. I don't know why, but it makes my head throb," Crowe admitted.

"You said this happened before…" Gladio went on.

"When… the other glaives cornered me," she blinked away a few tears, trying to keep the memories at bay. "There was a light in the middle of the night. But I don't… I didn't do any magic back then. At least not that I remember."

"Can I check something?"

"I'm not sure why you'd need to ask…" Crowe observed, frowning slightly.

"On our first night… I saw a mark on your back."

"What sort of… Wait, why didn't you tell me right away?!"

He gulped down, feeling the same unease as that night. The words were nearly stuck in his throat and he spat them out, anger rising as he showed weakness.

"I was… Goddammit, I was terrified. And with everything going on, I sort of blocked it out."

She wanted to be angry at him, but instead, she decided to focus on the current problem.

"I want to see it."

He helped her to the bathroom and had to assist her in taking off the tight top under her coat. They both gasped as the brand appeared, far larger than before. Hiding her chest defensively, Crowe shivered at the notion anything this big could have evaded her attention. She sat on the counter to have a better look in the mirror, twisting her neck on one side and then the other.

The falling star dove past her spine, its head covering the lower half of her back while the tail nearly crossed over her shoulder to reach the front of her body.

"How could I miss…?"

"It was way smaller," Gladiolus reassured her.

"But… What's causing it? The blight doesn't do that…"

He ran his fingertips along the brand, whiter than the rest of her skin.

"It feels the same as the rest of you… But you didn't have it before we took care of Quezacoatlz. Did anything strange happen?"

"You mean, outside of everything else? I don't know… Unless it's the crystal's magic reacting to something since I received it twice… What the hell is happening to me?!"

Panic was starting to take over her and he knew it would be contagious if he didn't calm her now.

"Whoa, so far, you only lost control when you're using your magic, am I right?"

"Yeah, but… What started this?"

They both thought of the violent migraines she had whenever Luna or Iris used their magic. It had started with Iris gaining Bahamut's blessing. There was no need for words and Crowe looked back at her reflection, experimentally running her own hand along the brand.

"It doesn't hurt. But it's not a cool tattoo either."

"You don't need cool tattoos," Gladiolus retorted in earnest.

His hands hovered about her frame and she leaned into his touch, feeling desperate now. She needed answers and had no idea where to get them.

"Aren't you scared of me yet?" Crowe inquired.

"Why would I be? I'm more worried of what could happen to you."

She looked into his eyes, a frail smile lighting up her features.

"Really?"

Her hands slowly slipped beneath his shirt, looking for warmth and he nodded, tongue-tied by the fatigue mixing with his own anxiety regarding her situation. He leaned into her, both of them melting into a long and thorough kiss. She felt fragile under his hands and it terrified him. This wasn't the Crowe he knew, but she had a right to be tired. She winced when he pressed into her and almost instantly, the large man was backing away, only to feel her hands gripping to his shirt and pulling it open.

"Can we take a bath? And first thing tomorrow, we'll get Luna and try to understand what's wrong with me?" Crowe offered.

He agreed, drawing a nice and warm bath for her. The tub was too small for them both to fit comfortably, but she was still sore and tired, which made her feel like a doll between his hands. Nothing like her, but still her in the way she sighed and smiled and tried to help him as he helped her.

He was careful of not putting soap in her eyes, careful of controlling his instincts when his fingers wished to linger on her wet skin. Crowe didn't want fleeting caresses if she couldn't give them back. She already felt bad to be so dependent she could barely lift one hand. Her muscles were so strained…

"You must be exhausted too," she breathed out.

"We'll sleep soon enough."

With the food arrived, he quickly dried her up and helped her into new clothes. She sat in his lap as they ate, both using their hands instead of forks, giving each other a glimpse of their plates. He'd taken off his shirt and seemed comfortable enough like this, as long as she stayed close to him. He knew he could lose her at any time. But it had clearly come close today and his protective instincts were ablaze with the taste of failure.

Gladiolus had merely glanced at Ace's body as they walked past the collapse. Cindy had gasped at it, and the blood everywhere. A few limbs missing, guts scattered and concrete mashed into the skin. But Crowe hadn't been herself. And even if she'd been, could he really resent her for taking out her rage on the spawn of Titus Drautos, who'd basically condemned her to die at the hands of her comrades? No, he couldn't. He'd never gotten a chance to battle Ace before, but he would have left some heavy damage.

"Can I hear what happened to you?" she asked.

His hands tensed as he took a sharp breath, blowing it out through his nostrils. Her fingers had been playing with the pendant on his necklace and halted as she raised her eyes to meet his weary gaze.

"You gathered the fact Insomnia was crawling with Prompto's clones, didn't you?"

"I caught some of your talk on the way back," Crowe whispered.

A deep sigh brushed against her forehead and he replaced a few strands of hair behind her ears. His gestures were slow and she realized that he wasn't simply being careful. He was emotionally and physically spent.

"I fought a guy today. A guy who looked and talked just like Prompto. His face was half burned, his shoulders were larger, he used a freaking gunblade, but his eyes were the very same…"

Gladiolus blinked, finding himself back in the airship's cockpit for a brief minute. _The cloudy sky through the windows. Cindy battling with the controls while he kept Otto-8's attention on him. Sword hitting each other, sending sparks everywhere around. And the questions running in his head. About how much he still needed to learn regarding their chocobo-loving friend. Otto-8 wasn't one to play mind games, although he poured an unhealthy amount of anger in every of his strike. And when the first opening appeared, Gladiolus hesitated, which gave the clone all the answers he needed._

" _So you know my baby brother, Otto-0. I'd rather have a fair fight here, with no holding back. Unlike him, I don't need to be cuddled to win!" Otto-8 roared angrily._

 _His next lunge was strong enough to push Gladio's back against the wall. And beneath the anger and the steel determination, as he held his own, the shield spotted the sparkles of doubt. Out of all the clones, out of every child wearing this face, Prompto had been the lucky one. Some of them were still wondering why, while Prompto himself clearly didn't feel worthy of it…_

"Gladiolus?" Crowe asked him, snapping him back to reality.

"Sorry… I was… I'm just wondering whether we're going to have to guess which Prompto is the real one again. And how bad the guy must be feeling right now."

Her smile was sad but filled with comprehension.

"Hopefully, he's sleeping, and not going through any nightmare."

Her comment reminded him of how much she needed sleep herself and he carried her into the largest bedroom of the house with little complaints from the former Glaive. He was about ready to crash himself and would have snuggled close if he wasn't worried about aggravating her wounds. Laying her down on her back, he considered staying on his own side of the bed, only to hear her whine in protest.

"I still feel pretty clingy," Gladio warned her. "And your ribs…"

"I don't think it's so bad anymore. I'm merely sore. Let's test it, give me your hands."

He gingerly obliged her, gaping as she gently pressed his large hands to her side, no pain showing on her face.

"I think it fixed itself…" Crowe hypothesized, shifting close to his side.

She clearly felt just as clingy as him and her first shiver was inspired only by fear. He gathered her close, one arm under her head, leaning his face in the crook of her shoulder. Listening closely for the sound of her heartbeat, finding comfort in her chest rising under his cheek. The signs he'd look for when he'd sneaked in his mother's bed at night, right after Iris had fallen back to sleep. The signs which had betrayed him and taken her away too soon.

He felt guilty for not looking out for Iris after learning what she'd been through. Guilty for not better understanding Prompto's situation and letting him on the battlefield. Guilty for how shaken his friends were, for how shaken he was himself. Crowe tried to settle closer to him, but he held her in place, his frame trembling slightly.

"Gladdy, are you…?"

She realized how he curled up around her and the way his breathing slowly turned uneven. It was all sinking in. The terror, his helplessness despite all his training. She fought against the fog aiming to take over her consciousness.

"There's no need to hold it in," she encouraged him.

The dam he'd kept around his emotions ruptured entirely. His hold turned stronger, almost painful and she held him back with what little strength she had.

"I couldn't tell you were breathing right away. And all the blood… The brand…"

His shiver rippled through her, echoing her fears but also warming her heart. He wasn't simply scared. He was overwhelmed by fear. And that meant he cared as much as she did.

"Gladio…"

"I can protect you from a lot of things. But I have no idea how to keep you safe right now. And I want more time, more…"

He'd fallen too hard. He hadn't listened to the voice of reason and let his heart decide for him. It was so damn easy to love Crowe. And still, it hurt like hell, as he pictured the changes that would take over her. The blight eating his mother apart was so clear in his mind. Iris barely remembered, but he did. And it seemed the Astrals wanted to test him again. Crowe sobbed next to him.

"I'm not leaving you if I have my say in this," she blurted out.

"I know, I'm sorry, babe, you don't need…"

"No, don't keep me in the dark. I want more time with you too."

His laugh sounded like a whimper and he kissed her collarbone, letting out a heavy sigh.

"No doom talk," he decided. It felt too much like burying her before her time. "You're here, you're in my arms, that's all I need. No more tears?"

She sniffled and swallowed back a sob, her fingers running through his hair.

"If we have tears to shed, now is the best moment we'll get."

His throat was too tight, but he realized a few drops had already rolled down his face. He'd never felt this sort of despair. Seeing himself losing her and knowing there was nothing he could do to prevent it if worse came to worse. They drifted to a bitter sleep, holding each other close, Crowe silencing her fear of not being herself when she would wake up again in the morning. They were together at the moment. Shaken and unsure of what the future had in store for them, but still together and able to understand each other. They couldn't ask for much else.

…

Lunafreya found it particularly hard to wake up. Her limbs were heavy, her body and heart sore from all the fighting and also her extended shower with Noctis. Said man was lying next to her, tensed up even in his sleep. He was having a nightmare. She'd lost count through the night of her own succession of bad dreams. She ruffled his hair, smiling as his arms instinctively wrapped around her and pulled her close. Their bed was old, creaking at every movement, but she liked how the clean sheets felt beneath her skin, and how the mattress was softer than their recent cots.

A look at her phone screen told her it was getting late. She felt the first pangs of hunger and determined Noctis was just as hungry, or even more than her.

"Sleepy head…" she called him, voice soft.

He whined in protest, nuzzling her neck with his nose. Luna retorted by blowing against his ear, knowing how ticklish he was.

"Why don't we sleep more?" he mumbled.

"I'm hungry. And also worried about the others…"

Noctis looked up at that, his face too pale for comfort.

"I don't know what to tell Prompto…"

He hid his face against her chest and Luna felt ready to incline in some comfort cuddling, but fought against her first instinct, shrugging him off with some wiggling.

"I don't know what to tell him either. But I don't think you should wai…"

Noctis cut her off the best way he knew how: with his lips on her mouth. It was sloppy and just as desperate as last night, but the whine escaping Luna's throat as he pressed into her gave him all the permission he needed. Their nerves were raw and he liked to feel her shiver next to him knowing she wasn't cold this time. Last night had been more about rushed comfort than pleasure. Or maybe was he only looking for more comfort? She felt so warm under his hands, warm despite the ice she could call forth with a snap of her fingers.

He held her hands above her head, not caring for morning breath any more than she did. He merely needed to feel something else than the pain. They had talked last night. Talked for hours, about the looks in either of their Otto's eyes. He'd told her what 13 had told him. How Prompto had tried to end his own life back when he was a mere child. And how it terrified Noctis to think he could lose his friend like this now, with everything the gunman had gone through.

Suicide had never sounded remotely possible for either of them, no matter how terrible their future looked. They had the fate of the world on their shoulders. And it was so heavy… Nearly as heavy as he felt on her now. Noctis stopped his kisses and pulled away as quickly as he'd come down on Luna, looking slightly ashamed.

"I get the feeling I'm using you," he confessed.

"You're quite gentle about it. Not as much as I was last night," she reminded him.

It felt pretty crazy that they could still blush after everything they'd shared, but they did. Hands linking, fingers lacing. Lying half-naked in their tangled sheets. Her stomach grumbled, soon copied by Noctis's.

"We really should get dressed. And see who else is awake."

Luna winced slightly as she shuffled out of bed, and Noctis didn't move any faster than her, just as sore from the collection of events they'd just been through.

"I'm taking a warm bath as soon as I've seen Crowe and understood what has happened to her," she declared after putting on a dress and her hooded jacket.

Noctis was taken aback for an instant, seeing her in the clothes she'd worn at the very start of their journey. How many months had passed? Christmas was nearly there, and he couldn't even recall how his last Christmas had felt.

"We met in September for the first time in 12 years. Years of letters, and doubts and fears of the idea I might never really… And now, it feels as though you've been with me my entire life."

Noctis hadn't realized he'd said it out loud until he saw Luna's wide eyes looking back at him. Her smile looked even more fragile than the other day and he felt something shift in his heart as he understood how much he meant it.

He'd come further along in the last three months and a half than in his entire damn life. And it was all because he wanted to catch up to her. Or because his friends needed him to stand tall?

 _Walk tall,_ Regis had said.

"I didn't know how much I missed you until I finally got to be with you. And I'm grateful for every moment," Lunafreya declared without hesitation.

Their feet guided them to each other and their slow, tender kiss tried to share all the words they hadn't told each other yet. The time they spent together never seemed enough, but they both knew their friends needed them just as much. And the hunger was growing unbearable. They hadn't eaten their full plate the other day, and it was catching up to them.

After collecting the scattered clothes lying around the passageway and the bathroom, Noctis and Luna walked out. Monica greeted them, sitting on the stairs leading to her own house. She held her phone in one hand, a spoon in the other; which was explained by the yummy stew fuming on her lap, the dish sitting on a portable platter.

"Did you two get any rest?"

"We did, but not enough yet…" Luna admitted.

"I saw your friends Ignis and Prompto heading a bit further west from the premises. Ignis said they would collect ingredients for lunch, but Aranea brought us enough left-overs from last night to all eat our fills…"

"Aren't you… even slightly shocked by what we saw yesterday?" Noctis asked her.

Monica paused, giving it a serious thought, before to look back at her prince right in the eyes:

"I've seen my home city crumbling down twice now. And daemons hunting down the refugees. I didn't know the chancellor before yesterday and there was clearly something going on with how Scientia treated the situation. I don't want to belittle your friend, but I have seen many soldiers fall down already. I'm glad the real deal is with us."

She frowned a bit and for an instant, Luna thought the older woman would ask them if they were certain it was the real Prompto they'd brought back. Noctis's hand tensed around her palm and the princess gave a curt nod to Monica, hoping she would understand her silent message.

"By the way, Crowe came over to talk with Iris. They're quizzing Cor about some folklore, but I'm not sure he's doing any better than me," Monica said before to lift her spoon to her lips.

Noctis had half a mind to grab some food, but Luna pushed him to the west path with a gentle tap on the shoulder. She wasn't sure what questions she might have to answer, but she knew she owed more attention to the former Glaive. The woman had been ready to give up her life for her before even meeting with her.

…

Noctis didn't have long to walk but couldn't hide his surprise when he saw the camp Gladiolus had set up for them. Ignis was preparing lunch on his makeshift kitchen and Prompto had agreed to a game of cards with the big guy. All three of his friends spotted him from afar, but none looked up for a minute longer.

"Hey guys…"

"Good morning to you, sleeping beauty," Gladiolus retorted.

The usual underlying laugh wasn't entirely there. Prompto shifted his hands, clutching to the cards so hard that a few bent in places. Ignis had prepared his favorite sandwiches and set the plates in everyone's hands. The first bite was harder to swallow than Noctis expected and he heaved a sigh. The silence lingering between the four friends was uneasy and tense. It weighed on every of their shoulders and it wasn't before that Ignis cleared his throat that Noctis finally gathered up the nerves to address the elephant in the room.

"I don't want to go and pretend like nothing happened yesterday," he warned. "But first, I want you to understand that none of what happened was your fault, Prompto."

That clearly shook the gunman, who swallowed hard, shoulders sagging.

"I pulled that trigger knowing full well what every of you were seeing. I just couldn't bring myself to hear him…"

His voice nearly broke and he ran one hand through his hair, clearly looking for the right words to explain himself. Because no matter which way he looked at it, he felt guilty. And wouldn't the others turn afraid of him after seeing him kill people close to him that easily?

"I've always, always been terrified at the idea I could be replaced. That's all we were even meant to be, but in Insomnia… Well, that was my turf."

"You know, if I'd see someone impersonating me, I would want to rip his head off," Gladio observed matter-of-factly.

Prompto let out a long breath, before to admit his main worry.

"Why don't you just say I'm a freak?"

"That would be rather unfair of us," Ignis countered. "As weird as you can be at times, with your obsession for chocobos or photography, I don't believe you qualify as freaky."

"But I…"

"Hell, kid, we've killed our share of people," Gladiolus reminded him.

Noctis raised his head after looking at his own hands in silence for a good part of their talk. Prompto's attention was instantly on him and somehow, Ignis and Gladio knew that the prince's opinion mattered more to their friend than anyone's else.

"I had to face… a kid Otto, and to see most of them lying in a puddle of their own blood," Noctis started. "And while I knew for sure it wasn't you each time, I couldn't help but think… I know you never really cared to talk about your past, but they got me wondering how bad…"

Prompto looked away first, trying to fight against the anger he felt. He didn't want pity from his friends. The silence that followed was heavier still and the gunman couldn't stand it for long, his nerves already raw from his short night and the fact he'd faced his worst nightmare.

"I barely escaped being a child soldier, but Gladiolus was pretty much one while Ignis… Were you ever allowed to be a child?" he asked the tactician who shrugged in answer.

"I suspect I was allowed more than you. But we haven't gathered here to make a contest about which one of us had the most miserable life," Ignis observed.

"I'd win anyway, since I'm older than any of you," Gladio joked.

Noctis was worried for an instant that Prompto was right in his assertion and that he'd missed much more suffering than he'd thought. But could he really blame himself for it? He'd been a child.

"I don't want to make things worse," Noctis stated. "But I get the impression I could have made your life easier if I hadn't been so aloof when I was younger. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry…"

Prompto had often wondered how much things would have been different. If he'd become Noctis's friend way, way before the time he finally considered his appearance worthy of the prince. He drummed against his knee, clearly more nervous than his usual fidgety self.

"I don't blame you. Or any of you, guys. I don't need an apology. You saw that… brethren and how messed up they were. You got number 0 out of the lot, for better or for worse…"

"Prompto," Gladiolus warned. "It's not a lottery."

"Isn't it?" The young man bitterly retorted.

"Dude, your mother got you out for a reason. More than one actually," Noctis declared firmly.

Three pairs of eyes went to him, brows furrowed. Ignis and Gladiolus had little to no information about the Otto. It was clear to the prince his friend needed to know for himself why out of every clone, he'd been saved and placed in Insomnia.

"How…?"

"That Otto-13 told me. About how your reaction to the daemon blood was different and would have made Verstael's research advance faster. How you stayed sane and refused to obey the sick orders given, while the others grew even more violent."

Prompto glared into Noctis's eyes, clearly doubting his claims. But after seeing how his friend didn't waver, the gunman started to wonder; and to question his own memories. Could he remember it wrong?

"13… I think I never really fought with 13. He was so much smaller than the rest of us… We'd give him food and try to keep him out of sight mostly. It's… It's hard to remember anything," he sighed, trying to push away any thoughts concerning his mother.

It hurt even more than when he'd killed her.

"If you've blocked these memories, they might be better left alone," Ignis offered.

Prompto could only nod and Noctis realized he didn't feel better yet, even though he'd apologized. The way Prompto talked about his past, it was clear he'd cared for the other clones. They hadn't always been competing against each other. Except when Verstael deemed it a worthy test and drugged them silly.

"I won't pretend I know how you feel," Noctis sighed. "I don't have the right words to address this… nightmare we went through. But I can't forget his face. Or how I felt when I ended him."

"Good gods, man… I'm just glad I didn't have to shoot at more than one of them," Prompto admitted, voice wavering on the last words. "I freaking _hate_ them, don't get me wrong. But taking them out like trash… That's not who I am. At least not what I want to be…"

"We know that, Prom. As your mother did," Noctis declared.

His sharp intake of breath was his only chance to swallow down the tears that threatened to fall. Ignis put one hand on his shoulder and Gladiolus uncrossed his arms, despite how uncomfortable the emotional display made him feel. They were all shaken enough as it was. It wouldn't take a lot for either one of them to tip over and turn into a sobbing mess.

"How do we know I'm me from now on? How did any of you two know I was me?" Prompto asked Ignis and Noctis with a sniffle.

"I can't explain it," the tactician whispered. "I simply knew. And Noctis can apparently turn off Ardyn's spells, which should prove useful in the future to clear up any similar situation."

"Yeah, I still don't know how I managed that. But I could tell something was wrong right away… You can bet we'll be able to tell again if anything similar happens."

Gladiolus didn't voice his impression that after the Otto-massacre their group had perpetrated, there was little chance for this to happen again.

"If anything, we should be careful of making sure everyone in our group is the real deal, not just you, Prompto. Ardyn can clearly impersonate anyone he'd want too, since he can transform people that well," Ignis observed.

They all darkened at that. Prompto sobered up as he realized what it could mean for his friends and for himself.

"You mean we should always doubt everyone in the team now that we know what that psycho can do?!"

"Whoa, whoa, that can't be right. What's his deal anyway?" Gladiolus protested. "First he's a creepy messenger from the empire. He kidnaps Luna to test her powers on MTs. Then he thinks he's related to Ifrit and gets burned to a crisp only to barge back and mess around with Prompto and the Ottos."

"Thing is, we have no idea what he can and can't do. Can we even kill the guy? Both Luna and Gladio saw him go down in smoke," Noctis reminded them.

"He's quite alive, I can assure you. How he managed that and what he wants… That's another question entirely," Prompto added.

He was still holding down most of his furious emotions, but the fact the talk was veering away from him and his most recent actions helped in containing the worst of it.

"The empire had one agenda, but it's getting clearer that Izunia had his own plans for Insomnia. And particularly for Noctis's entourage. He's trying to sabotage us. And even though we could say we won in Insomnia yesterday, it was more thanks to luck than anything. We can't expect him to stop any time soon," Ignis explained before to go on. "Quezacoatlz was a mess of a mission and we went into Insomnia unprepared."

They all nodded in agreement, even Noctis, although it pained him to admit he hadn't been careful enough, when he compared to how little he cared for tactics a few months ago.

"We got too strong too fast. Ardyn gave us a false sense of security. I hate the impression he's been toying with us, but Ace was getting his orders from him, wasn't he?" the prince asked.

"From what little we've gathered," Ignis confirmed.

"And he was the one giving orders to the Ottos too," Prompto pointed out. "I'm starting to wonder what sort of power a chancellor is supposed to hold."

"Not that much," Gladio grunted. "That's for sure. And his magic makes no sense either. I thought only daemon and royals had any powers."

He didn't even send an apologetic look in Noctis's direction, despite comparing him to a daemon. He was too frustrated by this puzzle in front of them to realize the potential damage and the prince himself didn't really mind.

"What I wonder the most here is… How did they even control that swarm? Was anyone calling the shots outside of Izunia?" Ignis asked, not looking at any of them in particular.

"You know, I think Ravus could help us with that puzzle," Prompto suggested. "He's the most familiar with the empire. I could complain about child abuse for hours on end, but I don't remember much from Nifelheim outside of Verstael's facilities. They were set apart from any big town, in a cold wasteland if my memories from the run are right."

The frown or concerned look they gave him earned them a pitiful laugh.

"Come on, if I don't try to make it sound normal, I might never pick myself back up. I was free from that place for the last 17 years."

"Yeah, well you don't have to push yourself for our sakes," Gladiolus decided, instantly supported in his claim by both Ignis and Noctis.

Throat tight, Prompto struggled to get his point across.

"If you ask me to step down, I will. But I want the empire erased as much as any of you do, maybe even more… I haven't stopped shaking since the gun fell from my hand yesterday. But give me a target or any sort of goal, and I swear, my hands won't shake anymore."

"We're not ever taking you off the team Prom. If anything, we're all stepping down to get our bearings. I'd say we move from camp to camp for the next few days, gather the rest and strength we can," Noctis explained. "We need to make a quick sweep of Insomnia and then meet up with Libertus to see what Free Crown needs. But more than anything, I want to know that you three are doing alright."

They all seemed ready to protest, to which Noctis interrupted, eyes sharp and resolute.

"You're my best friends. My brothers. And you're always looking out for me, because I'm the chosen king. Half the time, I don't even know what that means. But if all the powers I've collected can't help me look out for you three, I don't really see the point in what I'm doing. For the past months, I've pushed myself without realizing how hard I was pushing you all. This can't go on."

Gladiolus furiously blinked away a lone tear and Ignis lost countenance an instant. Prompto was the first one to fully smile.

"We're always going to be there for you, bro," the gunman declared, voice catching a bit.

"And if there's something wrong or if you finally regress to your _actual_ age, I'll let you know, Noct," Gladiolus stated, deeply touched despite all his efforts to hide it.

"I don't see what else to add," Ignis sighed.

"Wordless Iggy?!" Prompto marveled.

"Well, I could observe that Noctis will definitely rush again in the future and forget these good sentiments at the first occasion Lunafreya appear to be even remotely in danger, but that wouldn't be quite appropriate."

"Wow, thanks for sparing us your words, Ignis," Noctis mocked him.

"When do we get the wedding? Or should we place bets to know if it won't be dragoon lady and stiffman first?" Gladiolus teased.

"Stiffman? Stiffman?!" Ignis repeated, mocking insult. "Is that the best you can come up with?"

Their laughs were anything but fake and Prompto joined in on the teasing, before to resume eating his monkey-grease sandwich. A few shoulder's claps and playful pushes were exchanged, the guys realizing their friendship had survived the nth challenge. Prompto was still raw and sensitive, as they all were, but their trust for him was clear and genuine. His self-doubts were the only thing left between him and happiness. And if the people around him refused to doubt, maybe was it okay for him to enjoy his own life. If only to make sure one of the many clones did have a meaningful existence.

To be continued…

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I hope you liked the talk between the boys. I think they addressed a lot of issues, while still not going just as deep as they could have. But Prompto is a lot more honest about his past. And the cold, direct way he addresses it clearly shock the boys. He's going to heal slowly. I don't aim to play too much with Ardyn *stitch in time -coughs- powers to warp his appearance* -chokes and dies- …Thankfully, my chocobo dungeon friend Volke brought me a phoenix down.

No seriously Ardyn, a stitch in time makes it possible for you to alter your appearance?! I know I've mentioned my dislike of this explanation before. But I can't help myself. XD

Next chapter, answers about Crowe's transformation, some Raviris, some planning regarding Ardyn's dangerous capabilities, another visit to Insomnia and more hurt/comfort before we head to Free Crown. I need to stop trying to predict when Altissia is going to start. Since I still need to have Aldercapt screw over the team before the Lucis continent sees his prince leaving.

As always, reviews make me happy! :D


	55. Give us time

So this chapter isn't entirely what I had wanted it to be at first. It took me some time to find the right rhythm for it. And I have no idea if I'm going to leave the raviris as it is. I'm nearly done with that big project, which deadline kept getting pushed back and farther back. Another project showed up, but I'm up for it. Today we have a few answers about Crowe, I swear, more of them in next chapter for real. Also, lots of sibling times, more hurt/comfort and one extensive raviris scene. Enjoy…

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Unexpected

Chapter 55 – Give us time

 _Light of providence._ Those worlds meant nothing to Iris, but they were like a condemnation for Crowe. Luna had looked shocked as she first heard them and now, both women were going through every cosmonology books they had, not giving Iris a second glance, while she felt just as overwhelmed as either of them. Why would Etro want anything to do with their world? Wasn't the goddess of death happy with the recent loss of human lives? As much as she had tried to understand the cult a majority of people held for Etro in Insomnia, Iris had grown with nothing but resentment for the so-called goddess of her country. She doubted her current state of mind would be any help to Crowe or Luna and decided to head out for a bit.

She needed some sense of normalcy and the only person giving her that lately was a brooding, runaway army commander. On her way to his tent, she met her brother, who had clearly been looking for her.

"Is something wrong, Gladdy?"

"I should be the one asking you that," he retorted. "I've been neglecting you an awful lot lately."

Iris could see in his eyes just how much he resented himself for not looking any closer after her and wondered if he really should work himself up for it.

"You don't need to hold my hand all the time now."

"Well, it's not like I can anyway. But you were forced to fight on your own and turned blind. I just wanted to make sure… If you need your big brother, you just need to say a word and I'll come running."

It was a bit mushier than the usual Gladiolus, but she could tell he was shaken. The guys had taken time to themselves and from yesterday's ride and the look in his eyes, he was the one who needed to be looked after. Her throat felt a bit too tight to give an immediate answer, so she walked up into his arms instead, giving him a warm hug.

"I know that. And it's fine that you focus on Crowe right now. She's gone through way worse than me."

He heaved a sigh, his hold on her not as strong as the usual bear hug he'd give her.

"I wish I could always keep an eye on you on the battlefield. We make a really good team and… I need you safe, Iris."

His voice nearly wavered and she was torn between her gratitude for his honesty and how hard it felt to hear her brother sounding this scared.

"I know I can count on you. And I'll stay safe. There are a lot of people looking after me," she reminded him.

Gladiolus took a step back, his large hands heavy on her thin shoulders.

"I've noticed. Are you off to see that blond jerk-prince again?"

Iris didn't see a point in pretending otherwise and squared her shoulders, eyes sharp.

"Anything wrong with that?"

"That depends… What do you want from him? And what is he expecting from you?"

She fought against the light blush that threatened to grow on her cheeks. She knew what Gladiolus was worried about, and while she understood his fears, she also knew that his guess regarding Ravus's intentions might be closer to home.

"I'm trying to clear that up. But I'm not going to do anything rash."

"It's not your actions I'm worried about," Gladiolus warranted her.

"Ravus has done nothing but to look after me lately."

"That and ordering you around. He buried our father as redemption and…"

Her anger spiked up at that, since she could already hear his next warning and she snapped, pushing his hands away.

"Gladio, please! How can we treat any relationship as normal in the times we're living? Luna and Noctis are bound by fate, Prompto is clinging to Cindy for comfort, Crowe might very well be possessed by the goddess of the death…!"

Gladiolus's face fell at the notion, eyes blinking in incomprehension. Iris felt her anger replaced by guilt as he gripped her shoulders, panic laced to his features. She'd never seen him like that. And it was painful to realize her strong, confident brother was so lost.

"She's _what_?!"

"We don't know yet. It's only what Luna suggested…"

"I was trying to focus on you, Iris," he reminded her.

"Well, I can have some privacy too, can't I? Ravus is my friend now, whether you like it or not, he's actually a good friend. If he tries or says anything I don't like, I'll stop him. I was friend with other guys before, I put them back in their place if the need arises, you were the one who had to pick me up from the principal office most of the time."

"I know, I get that you're just as on edge as any of us. I'm not saying you shouldn't talk to the guy either. I just want you to be careful. Not only about Luna's brother. Ever since Insomnia fell… Maybe even before then… Somehow we drifted apart."

And he clearly blamed himself for it. Iris wanted to tell him wrong, but his overbearing reactions during the last few months had made her want to keep her distance and with everything else on her mind, she'd been avoiding him most of the time. She still worried about him, knowing how hard he pushed himself, forgetting sometimes that he was just as human as anyone else.

"Well, it was always clear who was the Shield and who was supposed to enjoy a normal, mundane life between us two," she observed, her lips thinning as he winced at her remark. "But I'm still your sister, no matter who I look for first when I'm in trouble. I know you'll do everything you can to protect me, but I don't think what I need now is protection."

Gladiolus nodded, his crossed arms falling limply at his sides.

"That might be better that way. I'm not too good at protecting anyone lately."

His honesty nearly scared her, but she accepted it with a knowing smile.

"Maybe it's about time you accept to share that burden. We're all aiming to protect Noctis, while he wants to protect us right back."

"Yeah… You're all growing up a little too fast to my liking," he declared, scratching the back of his head. "Noctis is thinking of revisiting Insomnia in a few days. We'll have to visit a few graves."

The notion brought a wave of queasiness through her entire being.

"I barely saw any of them, but there were bodies in every of these buildings, weren't there? Who's going to check on them all? Identifying and…"

"Don't fret about it sis. Monica has already sent her hunters on the case."

"But my friends… I wrote their name back in Free Crown, but what if they…"

He opened his arms to her, hugging her close as he tried to take away her new fear.

"I'll be with you the entire time. If you want to look for them, we'll look for them."

She agreed with him, realizing she didn't want someone else by her side to face the ruin of their home. She was going to face a lot of answers and wasn't sure how well her heart could take the knowledge of every loss she'd simply assumed.

…

It was a mere two days later when Noctis had everyone gather around him and agree on visiting Insomnia for the second time. The place was mostly secure by then, daemons dispatched by either Monica's hunters or Cor's soldiers. It had been many months since the first imperial assault and Ravus had warned them. The smell had been mostly covered by the daemons everywhere a few days ago. But Insomnia was reeking with death at every corner.

"Do you have any notion of what Ardyn's true goal could be?" Noctis insisted, eyeing his future brother-in-law with an unreadable expression.

Ravus had barely joined any group activity, helping with hunting their meals or theorizing with Luna about what the brand on Crowe could mean. He'd even run a few tests on a skin sample, but deplored the lack of good instruments to draw any serious conclusion. Cindy had tinkered on his arm after finding him messing with the prosthetic to take his mind off. Iris was the only one to learn that whenever he took the thing apart, it was because it was itching so bad, he didn't see another way to relieve himself. Something had changed between Iris and Ravus and no one was blind to it. They already shared a bond due to the rescues they'd pull for each other and their regular talks through texts and calls, but something else had changed. It seemed as though they were playing a game of cat and mouse and even Luna had difficulty saying which one was the cat.

Prompto had started to laugh again, but he was still subdued. Luna was only starting to regain her full strength with all the magic she'd used in the crown city. News from Free Crown was the best part of the day, unless Ignis outdid himself with food, which he did for most of the dishes he prepared.

Aranea had spent a lot of time with Crowe, drinking or training, often taunting Ravus into training with them. Gladiolus had been splitting his time between his sister, his girlfriend, his friends and his own training. Cindy was growing restless, having only one or two cars to work on. She'd gotten into a few fights with Prompto, which had surprised everyone, but the gunman seemed to prefer it that way. Being treated differently only reminded him of all the Ottos. Monica and Cor had looked after them as best they could, while still checking regularly on the activities concerning Insomnia. Cor and Ravus barely tolerated each other, Cor unable to let go of the base the man took and the men lost in the violent assault. One could point out that MTs did all the job, but Cor knew who the real culprit was in his heart. The ends might justify the means, but seeing Luna's brother only reminded him of his recent failures. Ravus was almost comfortable in the role of an enemy, but that would shift whenever Luna, Iris or even Aranea started a conversation with him. The guys had hunted with him again, Noctis and him sparring once, managing to keep their exchange almost fully polite.

A fishing contest might have been their next competition if Noctis had felt up for more time off, but Lunafreya wanted to verify something at Etro's church, back in Insomnia and he couldn't really object, seeing as one of their teammates was possibly under the goddess's influence. He wasn't sure what to think about that.

"Ardyn's true goals? Outside of chaos, your bet is as good as mine," Ravus answered him, snapping him back to reality.

"The report says that no trace of the chancellor was found," Cor reminded them.

"What about any guy looking like me," Prompto asked.

The unease was clear, especially since they'd only recently sat down to confer about the Otto situation. It was Prompto who'd insisted on it, having everyone describe the Otto they'd fought, or the numbers they called themselves. On the 11 who'd attack them in Insomnia, only one remained unaccounted for. Number 2 was out there alive and while everyone pointed out that someone else might have gotten through him, Prompto was still convinced.

" _2 was always the most careful out of us all," he'd declared. "If there's only one left, it has to be him."_

They sat together in Cor's truck and braced themselves for their visit of Insomnia. The plan was to head for the Citadel first. Noctis, Gladiolus, Iris, Luna, Monica and Cor had all people they wanted to pay their respect to. Prompto wanted to check on his old place, and Aranea had talked of revisiting a few streets, an attempt Ignis didn't want her to face alone. It had already been agreed that they wouldn't let anyone go out their own. Ardyn's magic was too threatening and Ravus had agreed to forego his lone wolf attitude until they had a proper way of preventing that curse from happening again. After that, they'd locate Etro's church to better understand what was going on with Crowe. She was nervous and no one had the heart to tease Gladio about the way he held her hand during the entire ride.

Hearts heavy and mind heavier still, they rode out, thankful for the sun above their head. Iris sat next to her brother, trying to convey her support to him and reign in her thoughts. Ravus was sitting across from her, between Luna and the trunk's door. She couldn't help but remember their last one on one talk.

…

Ravus had been tinkering with his metallic arm for most of the morning. It had been itching all night and the fact he couldn't scratch at it properly had nearly driven him up a wall. Ravus knew how to be patient, but his sleep had been haunted by nightmares and memories he'd rather swallow back than face at the moment. The scent of burned flesh was all he could smell, and his head ached. He knew he was most certainly concussed from being dragged around by some Uttu the other day and mentally cursed. He should have looked for Luna or Iris for some healing, but he didn't want to bother either girl when a hi-potion could dampen the symptoms long enough for him to think clearly. And align a few more bolts in the mechanism of his prosthetic.

His tent was large, duffle bag folded in four to serve as a chair, the content of his travel bag was lying all over the space. Books and a few notebooks he'd written in during the course of the last months. Writing with his left hand wasn't easy yet, but as anything else he dedicated himself to, it was slowly working. He had left the flap door unzipped to let in some light. No one had walked close enough for him to give a look outside and he was aiming to keep to himself for a little longer if possible. Until light steps halted too close for comfort. Ravus dropped a bolt and swore under his breath when Iris peeked into the tent, effectively making him jump. She was wearing her usual tank top and black skirt plus her travel boots.

"Did I surprise you?" she asked.

He had his back half turned to her and bent his neck to get a full look at her face.

"You should walk a bit louder if it's not your goal," he commented.

"Is that how you greet the first human being you meet every day?"

"Only when I'm grumpy," Ravus shot back, noticing she was staying by the entrance, gazing in, but hesitating too much to walk in. She rarely looked uneasy around him, not since that first night in the cave and he had to fight against a smile. How endearing could she get? He clipped his elbow into place, flexed his fingers and looked around for the fallen bolt, uttering in a gentler tone: "getting in wouldn't look too good, but you can if you're so eager to check on me."

Iris didn't need to be asked twice and stepped right in.

"How often would you say you're not grumpy?" she asked him.

"There it went…" Ravus whispered, wanting to finish his reparations so he could focus on her.

He was wearing a dark tank top and loose cotton pants that Luna had totally forced on him during their shopping spree, insisting he needed proper sleeping wear. His hair was loosely tied, pushed on his good shoulder and he looked a lot more normal than his usual. It still felt new to Iris. She noticed tension in his shoulders and the fact he wasn't wearing any socks. His two-day beard was a golden brown, and she wondered why it didn't turn out as pale as his hair.

"Are you tuning me out on purpose?"

"What?"

"When are you ever not grumpy?" she insisted.

He screwed the bolt back in his wrist and closed the black cover, slowly turning his metal hand into an experimental fist, before to flex his fingers one last time.

"I'm not grumpy yet. I'm groggy if anything."

"Groggy?" Iris repeated, frowning. "Did Luna check you for wounds?"

He blinked at her once, trying to move away slowly when she shuffled closer to him, as though ready to give him an examination right here and then. A wave of dizziness hit, and he slurred a curse as the smell of burned flesh got worse.

"I think I'm concussed," he admitted dejectedly.

He'd taken pride in walking out of Insomnia unscathed for once, but Iris' hands reached to his head before he could feel any sorrier for himself, her fingers and eyes alight with magic. As much as he'd seen his sister healing people, it felt strange to see the small girl use the same power at the bat of an eye. The light bathing him with warmth felt different too. He'd been healed by three different light bearers in his life now and he could tell. His mother was precise and methodical, somewhat cold in her care, where Luna was gentle and patient. Iris was always in a rush to make the wounded feel better. Her light was like a spark of lightning coursing through his veins. Warm and filled with energy, awaking his entire being.

When she was done fixing the internal bruising, Ravus was left light-headed for reasons very different from any concussion's symptoms. He averted his eyes from her, wondering why this tent looked suddenly far smaller than before. Could he let her as close as before now that he'd admitted to himself what he was truly feeling for her?

"Anything else I should worry about?"

"Nothing a potion hasn't already fixed. You didn't come all the way over here only to play nurse, did you?" Ravus tried to tease her.

The sour taste in his mouth was gone, and all he could smell was the scent of the shampoo she'd used.

"Why not? Someone clearly needs to look after you. What was wrong with that arm?"

He looked a bit embarrassed as he declared:

"I can't scratch it. And I'm not very good at sitting still."

"You never showed me how well it healed, did you? Mind if I take a look?"

He'd barely shaken his head, before to feel her hands tugging on his shirt to expose the stump linked to the metal limb. Her touch wasn't softer than before, but there was something familiar in it, something that made his heart swell with more hope. And want.

The scars were white, the flesh looking sane and Iris couldn't help but notice how his muscles had filled up again. There were scars on his back she hadn't noticed before and her curiosity was getting the better of her, while Ravus mentally counted the seconds she spent examining him. When her hands moved away from the stump, he couldn't stand it in silence anymore.

"Never seen a guy's back without tattoos?"

"I've seen you shirtless before," she reminded him, taking a step back. "It just… seems different now."

He turned around to face her.

"Different how?" Ravus asked her.

The blush on her cheeks could have made him gulp down if he had any saliva left. As it was, he felt just as lost as her. And it didn't seem fair to either of them. _Speak up_ , Luna had said. Hell, that had never been a problem before!

"I…"

"I'm going to ask you a question and I'm going to need a straight answer from you," she stated, looking serious.

She waited for a protest and he sounded quite genuine as he relented:

"Anything."

Her eyes softened, and it took all her resolve to voice the words she'd repeated in her mind on her way there.

"I already know you care for me. But do you like me or not?"

For a second, he couldn't breathe, and his first instinct was to run. But she was between him and the only way out, and it was about time he fessed up.

"I'm still pondering why," he blurted out. He was always clumsy when it came to open up and mentally winced as she frowned.

"What is that supposed to mean?!"

"Give me a chance, Iris. The straight answer is yes, I like you. It runs so deep now, I don't think I could carve you out of my mind even if I tried."

Her hands dropped in her lap, and she saw his hesitation as he pondered the next words. They were sitting face to face, knees nearly touching, and it wouldn't have taken much to tackle her into a hug or for her to shuffle until she sat in his lap, but the distance helped with both of their nerves.

"But I don't…" Ravus halted himself, closing his eyes to gather his thoughts and the feelings that threatened to turn his voice unsteady. "It's been quite a while since I've let myself grow attached to anyone. I've done things… You know how far the limits were. First time we met, you were an obstacle in my path."

"And ever since, you've been a thorn in my side," she retorted. "Treating me like some guinea pig for your big science project."

His face turned two shades paler and she wondered how he managed to make her feel guilty with his mere eyes, simply staring back at her.

"But then you started worrying about me." Iris went on. "You called me whenever you thought I was making things look better than they were."

"And you answered every freaking time. Do you have any idea how… You became my ally, Iris."

 _When I had no one, I had you. But can I really have you? In every possible sense of these words? Doesn't that make me a monster to ask for even more?_

"I think we both kept the other sane. You were always ready to consider my opinion. But where does that leave us now?"

He steeled himself, throat tighter than before.

"At first, I thought I could look at you as a spy. I revised my opinion, thinking you could be like a sister to me. I've dealt with Luna enough to know I can _somehow_ handle that. But I don't want another sister. And I need…"

His eyes wavered and his hands turned to fists as the words eluded him. He didn't want to pressure her into anything and had a feeling that was exactly what he was doing. Iris already felt overwhelmed, but since he was finally being open about his feelings, she decided to take a risk too.

"I know I like you, Ravus. Being around you, even arguing with you."

"Don't smile like that," he cut her off, raking both hands through his hair, as though he wanted to tear it off.

"Why not?"

"It makes your eyes shine," he whispered, despair mixing with amazement.

His heart ached at the very idea someone as sweet as Iris could even like him. Was that all he really wanted? Someone who'd love him back? Iris's smile turned even sweeter and her hands gently reached for his.

"I'm not looking for a brother. I'm not looking for a charming prince or a replacement for my crush on Noctis. I think all I'm looking for is you, Ravus. I don't know which one it is yet, between the fallen prince, the runaway army commander, the passionate scientist or the prosthetic engineer. But I get the feeling I've caught a few glimpses of him."

She knew far too much about him. His well-honed defenses warned him, alarms should have been blaring all over his mind, but his heart felt too big in his chest. His body was numb. He felt heavy and light at the same time.

"Who's the real you, Ravus?"

He wasn't sure anymore. The him from before didn't feel anything that strongly, or that many things at the same time, that was for sure.

"You said you'd asked _one_ question. And if you're telling me you're interested in the wreck I am one more time, I don't know how…"

"Is it so wrong?"

"You're still too young. As mature as you've gotten in the recent weeks, we need to remember the circumstances that…"

Iris's heart was a rightful mess by now. Why did he have to make it so much more complicated? She didn't feel threatened by him, she didn't feel scared or even afraid, in fact, all she was scared was to be rejected and if his only reason was her age…

"Isn't every relationship circumstantial? I've already had a thing for older guys…"

"Stop comparing me to that baby prince!" Ravus snapped.

She cringed at that and nearly pulled her hands away, only to feel him squeezing her palms in an unspoken apology.

"So… I'm a baby?" she insisted, not ready to let it go.

"If our only criteria were age, then yes, you are a baby. But it's not… I've got a lot of baggage. You could do much better than... this," he explained, clearly referring to himself.

Iris felt her anger rising again. Why was everyone always deciding in her stead?

"Then, you want me to be with someone else?"

"Hell no!"

His answer was instantaneous, and she felt her smile come back. Ravus couldn't help himself then. His eyes softened. Iris moved forward and backing away from her was the last wish on his mind, but he still did.

"I see one way for this to… maybe work itself out…" he started.

Iris's hands cupped his face and something inside him ached so strongly, he wondered if he'd audibly gasped at her touch. He'd hugged her and held her and clang to her before, but as she kneeled in his lap, their faces nearly aligned, he felt between peace and torture. Could she belong with him? Could this be… not as wrong as he first thought?

Iris stopped with their nose brushing, screwing her eyes to still be able to look into his. She wasn't sure what she wanted. She knew her heart was ready to burst and a mix of exhilaration and fear was claiming her soul. Wasn't she being rash? But this time around, her heart had fallen for someone who could love her back the way she wanted to. She wouldn't know if she was wrong, if _it_ was wrong, unless she tried. And so many bridges had been burned already. She'd bleed, she'd hurt, she'd doubted, but she was still alive. His hands felt too big, one cold, one warm. Like his words, like his eyes, two colors for one mesmerizing stare.

Her heart was beating so fast, he was bound to hear it. Her palms felt sweaty and she was worried he'd laugh at how little she knew, how inexperienced she was, how nervous she felt. But Ravus wasn't laughing or mocking or even pushing her away. He followed the tug of her hands, neck bending, his metal hand following the line of her spine, his human hand slipping through her hair. Cupping the side of her face. His thumb followed her jaw, his index tracing the shell of her ear. His skin felt rough, battered by training and time. She nearly shivered, or maybe did she want to tremble for some reason she couldn't figure out, but he angled her head upward, pulling her just an inch closer. Their lips brushed, the ghost of a touch, before that his voice rang in her ears.

"We should wait…"

"You're always going to be older and it's not my fault," she retorted.

Where she found the nerves to turn the tables around and make him realize that whatever obstacle he was seeing was in his head.

"Two years," he offered.

"Either of us could be dead by then. And my first kiss can't stop like that."

She heard a rumble coming up his throat and this time, the pressure on her lips was sure. She could feel the scratch of his stubble. The warmth of his skin. The way his fingers held her a bit firmer, as though she could vanish from his grasp. She wanted to melt into him. She wasn't sure what to do, but accepted the kiss, surprised by how gentle it felt despite the urgency she sensed from him.

She gripped to his shirt, pinching him through the fabric without meaning to, but it was all she could do to stay sane as the kiss threatened to turn less pure. He pulled away from her as her lips parted, eyes dark from the rush in his veins.

"You feel so damn soft," he whispered.

The blush on her cheeks rose to her ears and she forced herself to blink, not to stare at his mouth. Her heart was up in her throat.

"I don't know what to do…" she confessed.

"You think I do?" he nearly laughed, but he sounded so overwhelmed, she couldn't feel offended. "This… Give me two years."

"If this is about me growing up or larger in places, I must warn you, I think I'm pretty stunt."

"It has nothing to do with how you look, believe me."

He replaced a few strands of hair on her head and heaved a sigh.

"I don't want you to regret this one day. And as strong as I am, I can't take on your brother and his three best friends…"

"So you love me… But you want it to appear legal before we date…"

"You make it sound even worse than it is. I'll give it to you straight, and I have no idea how wrong it will sound… But I'll want more than you can handle before long."

His eyes had never felt heavier on her and Iris find it hard to hold his gaze. She wanted to shift around, but he was too close and his warning was enough to make her hesitate.

"Are you going to order our relationship around too? What if I can handle it?"

"Maybe one year and a half then. I'm not saying I want us to act like total strangers. Just…"

He took her hands off him and held them between them, looking quite conflicted as he tried to decide between pushing her away or leaning right back in.

"I've been on my own for a very long time now. Give me a chance to get my bearings first. I'll be there for talks, I'll always text you back, if we're stuck somewhere cold, I'll keep you warm, but don't… Don't think the man I am now can make you happy. I'd only take twice as much as I'd give."

Iris felt the knot in her throat grow even larger. And as unfair as a part of her found his arguments, she had to admit there was something chivalrous in his desire to wait. Almost everyone around them had paired up, some throwing caution to the wind due to the dire circumstances they were facing. But Ravus was convinced she'd survived and grow older and wanted to give her a chance to decide for herself, maybe when the world was more at peace. He was also conscious of how broken he was himself and didn't want to burden her with his baggage. And while she wanted to tell him a girlfriend was made for that, she could admit, there were steps she didn't feel ready for. Kissing felt good and she could tell why Gladio barely let go of Crowe or why Prompto had sometimes a stupid smile on his face. But how close could she let him before these feelings overwhelmed her? Was she letting her fantasies shine a better light on him? Was she acting rashly, when all she'd come for were answers?

She felt giddy just holding his hands. Even the metal one. Her heart had made its decision it seemed. She didn't want to think otherwise. She took a few steps back, forced to kneel since they were still in his tent, her hands slowly slipping out from his hold. She nearly wanted to run, so she could hide her blush and regain some sort of composure, but decided she couldn't let him have the final word in this.

"Fine then… We'll wait. And I'll make you regret every wasted minute," she declared cockily, before to rush out of his tent, lips tingling, heart aflutter with more questions than before.

What was she agreeing to?

"I'll hold you to that," Ravus sighed, unable to hold back a smirk.

…

It was pretty much a miracle either Ravus or Iris managed to act casual when they next met, and she was slowly starting to wonder if she'd dreamed that heart to heart or not. The road was bumpy and Iris had to rego over the words she'd typed before hitting send.

 _I'm thinking of visiting my old school if it's possible. Would you come with me?_

Ravus had put his phone on silent and didn't check it before meeting her pointed gaze, but he gave her a nearly imperceptible nod, typing a few digital keys of his own.

 _R- Alone?_

 _I- Would that be so bad?_

 _R- Worse. But we can surely get Luna to come along. Although, you'd better keep in mind, what awaits us won't be nice._

 _I- I know. I just think it would help…_

Their eyes met another time and he mouthed the word "sure".

 _R- I just need to find a way to be more of a jerk, otherwise, Luna will have doubts about my sanity._

Iris rolled her eyes at him and the princess noticed their antics, raising one brow at the young girl before to poke her brother in the ribs, effectively breaking their little exchange.

"That was so uncalled for!"

"I owe you a lot more than that," Luna replied.

The rest of their ride was mostly quiet, the four men from Insomnia trying to list the places they should visit and the one they really wanted to avoid at all costs. Luna could tell Noctis didn't want to go quite as much when they got in sight of the crown city.

The wounds were still fresh and while the empire had no hold left on the city, the damage looked irreparable. After a status report, Cor gave them a few pointers:

"The place is 85 % secure. Daemons are laying low. So, you can split into smaller groups to visit whichever place. Recovering bodies or checking for loved ones isn't… It's been weeks and for stepping on enough battlefield in my life, I recommend you avoid it."

"Our radio lines are working all over the city and we'll be a call away if either of you need anything. This way, we can deploy our men in support at the flick of a button," Monica told them. "Don't try to take everything by yourself."

Cor and her were planning on taking their own route to reach the Citadel. Monica wanted to collect more batteries and they might have a few places they wanted to check for themselves, while not admitting it out loud. The first few steps inside Insomnia weren't the worst. Noctis realized that every new step forward would be just as hard as the one before. The sun shone its harsh light on an endless scenery of destruction.

Carcasses of car, corpses piled up next to the buildings by the hunters who worked tirelessly, the buildings either lying or leaning around, all the ghosts of the biggest city in Lucis. Shards of glass threatened their every step, as did the rubble and the few, sticky puddle of blood the rain hadn't washed out yet. It was a disheartening sight if they'd ever seen one. The few hunters they met on their way lowered their head at the sight of their prince and his retinue. Free Crown knew what Noctis had done to help them develop, but the fight they'd join in a few days ago had been the first official business their new king undertook in the name of Lucis. The people knew he was the reason why the dropships had stopped.

Noctis struggled to keep a straight face as he realized the deference in the eyes on him. He wasn't used to that. There was a nervous knot building up in his throat. Walking up the streets and gazing at the destruction was already a lot to take. Knowing that most of the survivors might expect him to fix this? When it was downright impossible to fix the hole in his chest as he imagined what the destruction might have looked like as it happened. How could ever make up for not being there when his people needed him?

There were a few challenges on their way. While Crowe agreed to follow the most direct path to the Citadel, even though it meant walking by the metro station and the traces of her crisis, they hadn't expected to be reminded in more than one way of their most recent visit.

Prompto paled as he noticed one really smile pile a few streets away from the entrance. Blond hair and pale skin in dark, imperial garments. His brethren. Cindy gasped and Noctis felt something in his heart break when his best friend asked him to burn them. The hunters had their hands full already as it was, still extracting more people from the wreckage. Trying to collect name for some, or gather some distinctive features. Breaking down when they discovered someone else they'd known.

The fire the prince called burned and charred, red and blue flames rising in the air. Prompto insisted on going forward, not really keen on staring at a dozen of guys wearing his face while they slowly burned down. They would never be entirely gone, he could never truly separate himself from that past, but he could still try.

A few daemons made them jump, only to be dismissed by either of the fighters. Taking out their weapons actually felt better than the nearly silent walking. Ignis was lost in thought, Luna walking closer to her brother, while Noctis had Prompto by his side, his tactician close on his trail, Gladiolus on the left. Holding hands seemed meaningless and Iris wondered why her feet felt heavier and heavier with every new step. When they approached Prompto's old district, he decided to part with the guys. Anyone he could miss from the Citadel were already among his friends, still breathing and alive.

"If you don't mind, I'd rather pass… seeing that place again," he explained.

"Sure, man. Give us a call if you need any help."

Cindy followed him and after a few more caution words, both groups parted. It was an ordeal to get inside the citadel with the airship Cindy had crashed and Ravus actually guided them, regarding which path to use and which to stay away from.

Walking through the peace treaty room was a sad necessity and seeing the state in which the councilmen were left little to the Amicitias's imagination regarding the state of their own father. Gladiolus had spotted his sword almost instantly and Iris was holding on her brother's hand for dear life as they hurried across the room. Noctis's shoulders were hanging lower than ever and he had to reel himself in not to break into a run. Luna hadn't gone through the details, but she'd seen his father's last moment and the old resentment he'd pushed aside was back. What he wouldn't give to have a few words with the man, different words then that ominous "Walk tall."

Ravus didn't seem too keen on following at that point and while Aranea, Crowe and Ignis followed the prince and the brown-haired siblings, Luna lingered.

"You know you shouldn't be alone, especially not here. They would all be too happy to pretend you aren't yourself anymore," she warned Ravus, only half meaning it.

"Well, I'm out of place being myself or not. But I… I think I should grab Regis's crown. It wouldn't take long."

A dozen questions came to her mind, but instead, she gave him an approving smile.

"I'll go with you," she offered.

"You sure?"

"I think Noctis will be happy to get it back."

"Thing is, I'm not sure where it fell off."

"Just lead the way, Rave," Luna retorted.

She was pushing herself, but so was he. He relented, happy for the absence of questions about the last time he was here. And the times before. A few helmets lied in corridors. They went up stairs and down dark hallways, Luna lighting her trident to better see in the dark.

"They really do love black, don't they?" Ravus commented two floors later.

Despite the gloomy ambiance, he already seemed less tensed since it was only Luna around. Exploring this castle-like manor was reminding them a little of the first time they'd walked inside their home after their mother's passing.

"They used to worship Etro," she observed. "But if Noctis does build me a castle one day, we'll have white walls."

Ravus chuckled.

"Princesses." He grunted, prying the elevator door open, grateful for his prosthetic. "Careful now," he warned her.

The elevator cage was that same empty hole he'd seen on his last visit. The cables were hanging limply at one side and Luna voiced some concern as he stepped in.

"You monkeyed around this with your red arm barely hanging to your shoulder?"

"Which means there's nothing to fear now that it's well attached. You can wait for me here, but I'm pretty sure it had fallen in that room three floors up and the nearby stairs are all broken."

Luna held back a violent shudder at the idea of stepping back into that room. Where she'd seen Regis' life flickered from his eyes. The body might be gone, but her feelings hadn't mended yet. Her brother had always been one agile climber and she barely weighed anything compared to the weight already on his shoulders.

"You really ought to eat more," he complained.

"I don't comment on your waist line, so I won't take your bullying."

He had no comeback for once and focused on the task at hand. Luna's smile vanished entirely as they reached the room where Regis had fought his last battle. The air was crisp and cold, and among the debris lying around, as Ravus had suspected, the Lucian half crown waited. It looked smaller than Lunafreya remembered, but then again, she hadn't seen it too often.

"You just left it lying around?"

"I remember how you treated mother's tiara."

"I was ten!" she protested almost instantly.

Ravus retorted by throwing the crown into her hands and Luna caught it, her outrage growing a little at his impudence. Thankfully, it did take her mind off the horror she'd been living between those walls. Forced to run away from the man she'd considered like a second father. Leave him to die alone. Unable to give him any assurance that things would be better after his time.

"Let's get you to your prince," Ravus declared, refusing to let her linger on dark thoughts.

The ambiance waiting for them down the elevator's shaft and past the council room was much somber already. Noctis had easily located the king's grave. The ground was still turned, but Ravus had done good work, digging deep enough to make sure nothing would disrupt Regis's eternal slumber. Everyone had taken a few minutes of silence for the king, before to leave Noctis alone in front of the gravestone. As much as the young man wanted to look out for Iris and Gladio, who were walking further down the rows of graves to look for their own father, Noctis felt too shaken to move. Luna found him kneeling before the tombstone, gazing at the letters engraved. King Regis Lucis Caelum, the 113th. There was no epitaph and the fact his name was even there, next to Aulea's own grave meant the world to their son.

It felt hard to breathe, and the ring hanging around his neck had never dug so deep in his flesh. Everything was silent, except for Iris's sobs a few meters away and Noctis fought against the tears that threatened to fall. He was half tempted to use his magic to engrave more words on the stone, but none of them felt right. Loving father… Couldn't he show his love in another way than sending him away from the people who needed them, only to keep him safe? Fair sovereign… Wise… His throat was constricted by so many contradicting feelings.

"Here we are, father... I found Luna. Or maybe she found me. Either way, I got your blasted ring now. I don't know when I'll find the strength to actually wear it. I've been trying… to do as you asked."

" _Remember that wherever you go, our line goes with you. Walk tall, son."_

The words came naturally, as though he was alone in front of that stone, as though his father was sitting behind it and lending him his ear for once.

"I know I have a lot to do yet before I can… even consider not running. I can't simply _walk_. Not with how things are right now. But sometimes, I wish it would all just stop."

His fists touched the ground, devoid of strength. His father was cold in the ground and there was no word that could reach him, no magic that could bring him back. Like all the bodies rotting across the city which had been his entire world. And he resented Regis for that.

"How did you do it, dad?"

Facing his fate head on. Standing the people's gaze. Their doubts and their fears. Standing tall when all he wanted was to crumble in a ball of shivers and never come back out.

Luna's hands touched his shoulders then, nearly making him jump in surprise. The tears rolled down then and for an instant he had a right to cry. Then he saw the crown she was holding in front of him. Half a circlet. He held on her hands, his voice breaking.

"Where…?"

"He would have wanted you to have it," she whispered to him.

He took the half crown, turning it around in his shaking hands. The only thought running through his mind was: _it was no horn. Dad wasn't…_

"I wish I could go back and be a better son," he whispered.

Luna seemed ready to move between him and the tomb, but he held her arms in place as more tears rolled down. He wanted to hide his face against the ground. To push away the memories, the crushed hopes, the questions he couldn't ask again. He could hear the sound of his cane on the marble floors. Remember the few times he'd hid under his desk with carbuncle because he couldn't stand being alone. The night they ran from Tenebrae and the empire. The day he learned on the news his father had gotten hurt and realized he didn't have a right to get the news directly from him anymore. The walls they'd build between them to keep up their roles. King and prince before family.

Instead of giving him empty comfort words, Luna held him closer, kneeling beside him. And she cried with him, because Regis had owed a better fate. To see his kingdom standing a definite chance against its enemies. Even to see his son right now, as he allowed himself to mourn the family he'd entirely lost.

Across the graveyard, the Amicitia tried to make their own goodbyes. Ravus looked up to the sky, sitting down on the ground as he silently prayed.

 _Give the living a chance to go on._

From the depths of the afterlife, a being heard all their words. Crying hearts. Broken hopes. And behind it all… Blighted flesh. And she vowed to right the unbalance in her world once and for all. For a tiny, measly price…

To be continued…

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This chapter feels like a bridge and I know that Noctis cried his father back in chapter 2, but it's one thing to face the death of someone you love and to see their gravestone. Mourning is really important to me. And I think it's a needed process for what I have planned next. Our following chapter will include some action, a bit of silver/gold and more Ignis. It's really hard to give Ignis the space he deserves in this fic.

Let me know if you think that Ravus and Iris confessed too soon. I think they're still in a weird place, but I honestly can't tell why this whole sequence left me wondering so much of what I should be doing with them. I think it was about time, but the dynamics are going to be harder to manage from now on.

I'll try to have chapter 56 come out faster. I need to get these kids to Free Crown soon. Please review, it makes me incredibly happy.


	56. Duty, legacy and religion

Today's chapter revolves on Ignis and Gladio mostly. We get a bit of bromance too in there, and we get answer about what's going on with Crowe. Finally. Enjoy your read!

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Unexpected

Chapter 56 – Duty, legacy and religion

Ignis didn't stand still for long as his friends mourned their loved ones. The sight was too hard to bear, and he walked back into the Citadel. Aranea was right behind him, although she didn't say a word. They passed Ravus without more than a glance. The strategist walked with purpose, his back straighter than ever, shoulders held out, his hands clasped behind his back. He knew the citadel by heart now.

Fifteen years ago, his uncle had brought him here to start his "work" as the future prince advisor. At the tender age of 7, Ignis had already proven to be one of the smartest kids in the whole city. The queen had recently passed away and the kingdom was still in mourning, Regis letting his councilors convince him that a child other than Gladio should be around the young prince. Give him a sense of normalcy while he was home-tutored and missing his mother.

Prompto's words were still ringing in his ears. Gladiolus the child soldier. How his own childhood had been barely permitted. And what of the spoiled prince he'd watched growing up? Reporting weekly to his father on his progress with school. Monitoring the child, grounding his mind with foreign concepts to give sense to his strange life. Accepting the multiple hours away from home, the homework and self-study he needed to catch up on at odd hours until Noctis insisted on going to a normal school. His father had died early on and Ignis barely remembered him to be honest. A set of daggers, a place among the king's council, that was about it.

He remembered his mother holding on to his shoulders as they stood by a grave. How she shook, but held on until the last sympathetic strangers gave her their condolences. And when she'd cracked down into sobs, how the tears overwhelmed him. How hard it had been to breathe. His throat had been constricted by painful emotions, tearing at his young heart. Ignis had been forced to create walls, iron-clad walls to protect himself from the other servants, who kept wondering if his role was even needed. Paid friend for the prince. Rented child for the king. Robot-genius. The names had changed over the years. And since his parents had received money for his work, he wondered sometimes where the agreement turned in his favor, outside of the prestige he would have as a grown-up.

His mother had loved him dearly, ruffling his perfectly combed hair, helping him with his tie when his fingers were still too chubby, bringing him some hot cocoa as he studied late into the night. Tucking him in his bed despite his protests when she determined he made enough progress, not caring about the teachers asking for assignments and papers. His father passing had changed her, maybe as much as Clarus and Regis had changed themselves after losing their respective wives.

Ignis had learned the feeling of getting back home to candles dying in their own wax, on the few nights he wasn't forced to stay at the citadel. A part of his mind knew he'd been 9 then, knew his birthday had come and passed without a word. Noctis was still recovering from his wound and Regis couldn't care for anyone's else pain at the time. Gladiolus hadn't known what to say either. He'd lost his mother already and couldn't help but wonder why Ignis had so many rights among royals, while he was a mere bodyguard and trainer.

Ignis and Gladiolus had fought, more often with words than fists, especially when their schedules clashed because of Noctis's dismissal of his duties. Cooking for the prince had started out as a dreadful task. Getting him to eat vegetable had always been a feat and while he considered Noct as a younger brother, the reasonable, always obedient Ignis had felt anger more than once. He didn't have a lot of allies as he worked tirelessly.

As the grown man he now was, he let his steps take him to a side hallway and a few secret passages. His destination was the study room where he'd spent most of his time as Noctis' advisor. There was a kitchenette in a corner, marked with wear. The engine of a dropship had crashed through the outer wall, tearing down most of the furniture, but not removing every trace of his work.

"Is this..?"

He nearly jumped as he heard Aranea's voice, eyeing her with a strange, glazed look.

She noticed the small bed under the debris of metal and couldn't help herself.

"They made you sleep here?"

Ignis was surprised to find more fondness at the memories than the anger he felt as a young teenager for spending so much more time away from his depressed mother. It hadn't been all bad. And being at home every night wouldn't have prevented her getting sick. If he started thinking irrationally, his whole life would look like a waking nightmare. Never a choice regarding his career, except on the day he made his second pledge to Noctis, when he'd turned 15. Knowing all it entailed. Still so young.

Aranea walked up to him, her steps echoing on the floor. Her question seemed to be the first of many and he braced himself, unsure of how well he could hold off the feelings that threatened to take over when he looked at Insomnia now.

Knowing the feeling of watching Noctis grow in a safe, controlled environment… it was all gone. The king was dead. They were all dead.

"Only two to three nights a week," he stated. "When Noctis moved in his own place, I pretty much gave up this room. He learned a great deal of things between these walls. And wrote more than one letter to lady Lunafreya."

"I remember how you never complained about it," Aranea told him. "Any of it."

"It was my job."

"Iggy…"

"I didn't become this serious because of it, you know… I was this drab from day one."

He didn't mention how his smiles had grown rarer as he perceived the underlying tension around him. The impression in the air that they were all living on borrowed time. The worry in his mother's voice the first time his father got back from the front with nearly crippling wounds. He'd grown up too fast, but he didn't regret it. His innocence would have made things far much harder on him, wouldn't it?

"When I met you, you already had been working here for such a long time," she whispered.

Ignis remembered well. His 13 years old self was living on his own already, despite the fact he should have been looked after by someone. He was already looking after the crown prince so well… When his only demand at his mother's passing was his independence, Regis couldn't say no.

"This was… pretty much my real home. Noctis felt more like a son than a brother then."

Saying it out loud made him realize why he felt so uncomfortable about seeing Noctis crying on his father's grave. Regis had been a good father, his true father, but when it came down to supporting the prince, who had always been there? Who always took—nay, always _had_ —the time to come by and check on him when he was sick, to follow his progress in school, to keep him in line and safe and informed about what he needed to know to get by during his princely appearances? It had been him. Him and no one else, except for the rare occasions when Gladiolus would take the initiative, too often because Ignis had suggested it. During one particularly belligerent phase of Noctis's adolescence, the prince had raised the point the advisor was paid to care for him like that.

Why were these memories coming back to him now? Was he jealous of Noctis's pain? He'd respected the king with his entire being, knowing the utter chaos in which their country would have fallen if it wasn't for him. But he also knew that Regis had never achieved anything alone, except for building the second wall. There had always been people backing him up, covering him when he needed time for his son, people taking over the smaller duties, so he could worry about the bigger picture. Regis's death had been unfair, untimely and totally underserved. But the loss he felt right now was very different from what he would have expected. He'd never really learn how to deal with loss on an emotional level. Not when he could help it. It wasn't efficient, and efficiency was…

"Iggy, where are you?" Aranea asked him, pinching his shoulder as she saw his eyes staring off at the books he'd carefully lined up on a shelf. They were now lying on the floor, a few burned, some other stripped open by debris.

Dirt and ashes all over his perfect order.

"I… I think it's finally sinking in. There's no going back. Not here."

 _Was this ever my home? Did I live in some warped fantasy my entire life?_

Aranea heard his breath catching and grabbed his hand just as it was turning into a fist. She wouldn't let him fall.

"You want to get out of here?" she offered.

"I bloody do. But can we really leave with…?"

"We can quickly find the back alleys where we used to meet. We might find the one where I got you to break the law with me."

Ignis was grateful for the distraction and had to admit, revisiting his memories with her sounded better than lingering over the unaddressed emotions of his past. Because somewhere beneath his obstinate loyalty, he held some sort of resentment. Childish, misplaced resentment. Noctis had never asked for a "rented friend". Noctis had never been intentionally cruel. Noctis was the best prince his country could have wished for, ready to sacrifice nearly everything for the sake of his people. And Ignis would put his life on the line for him in a heartbeat.

These doubts and unease were making his skin crawl. Noctis was in pain, as they all were, and no matter what he was going through, he'd always managed to put his feelings aside for the good of his liege. His throat felt too tight as the words ran through his head.

 _More like a son to me. How wrong is that?!_

"Noctis knows he can count on you," Aranea told him, voice sounding raw. "And as much as you want to support him, you have a right to hurt. This was our city as much as his."

He wanted to tell her wrong. He was sad of seeing Insomnia so broken, purposeless, but it wasn't… He'd never considered himself a materialist, always ready to make do with what he had under his hands. But his world, his universe was now smelling of decay, not to mention covered in ashes and broken glasses. It left an awful taste in his mouth. It made his mind think horrible thoughts. Wasn't there a better way to face such a full-scale attack? Couldn't they have prevented more casualties? Why had he been taught so many tactics if the only fights he was to be involved in pitched a handful of fighters against hordes of daemons?

She led him out of the room and back into the streets. Led him past the main streets, up the smaller roads. Down the back alleys, littered with more decay and debris. Shadows covered their tracks, dark spots of blood on the concrete, a few human bones lying around. Victims of hungry daemons or the few wild beasts that were slowly taking over. The eerie silence covering the once buzzling city was nerve-wrecking. Thankfully, Aranea knew where she was going. Her breathing turned a little faster as her memories added the details erased by time and the violent attacks. Letters missing here, a street panel lying on his side, large stones lying deep into ceilings. A road revealed a crater of melted cement, where a daemon had fallen. She gasped as a child's empty eyes looked back at them from the garbage container he'd hidden in.

"Aria…" Ignis tried to stop her.

But she trudged onward. Always forward. Her legs were a bit heavier and she walked faster as they passed by what was left of a park. Burned trees. Ransacked stores. The only colors they could see were crimson, black and grey. Everything else was dull, toned down by dust and stuff neither of them wanted to identify. Stones shifted beneath their feet as they avoided the cars given up in the middle of the street. Some showed the marks of talons and even fangs. A chunk of one building was missing, seemingly bitten right through.

They walked past his apartment block, which had been torn open by strikes that didn't seem possible unless Titan himself had appeared here. Which was impossible. The Astrals were usually bound to a single space on earth. More memories shattered. More broken pieces to mend. _How much destruction could one contemplate before going insane_ , he wondered.

"Aria, please…"

"We're almost there," she insisted.

True to her words, she stopped a couple of steps later. Between an ugly factory and run-down blocks. There had been construction taking place, the scaffolds were still in place. But Aranea couldn't care.

"I don't… Where are we?" Ignis asked her.

"My favorite hiding place," she answered. "I slept in the attic of that factory more times than I can count. I can't believe it's still standing."

Her voice was low and frail, but Ignis felt something shift inside him. More sadness, but also guilt this time for ever feeling resentment. The one memory she revisited of Insomnia was of her nights on the street. Because the entire city had been her home. Not one room. Not even a roof on her head.

"Was it comfortable?"

"More leaks then you can imagine, which is why I never took you here for a night out. You could never endure sleeping in cold, wet clothes."

"Well, you should have tested your theory before to simply assume so," he retorted.

He was the first one shocked at the teasing in his voice. How could they even make jokes? Her smile lifted his heart just enough.

"See?" Aranea gestured to the buildings surrounding them. "They broke down a city. Metal and wires. But they didn't break you. Neither of us."

"I wouldn't think any less of you for breaking just a bit, you know?"

"I know, Ignis."

He pulled her in his arms, glad for her hands on his back, for the way she helped him stay grounded even here.

"I don't know how much more of this we can take though," he sighed against her hair.

"As much as it takes to make them pay, I'd say," Aranea declared.

The anger in her voice gave meaning to his own resentment. To everything ugly he felt and might never let out.

"We will make them pay. But I'd rather do it through constructive efforts. I don't want some empty satisfaction."

"Look at you, always so tame. Your heart sound like it's ready to explode," Aranea observed. "I can tell you're even angrier than me."

"Maybe I am," he admitted. "But if I let feelings cloud my judgement…"

"Iggy, I know you're going to pressure yourself into turning every of our next operations into the perfect missions. But as hard as you try, you can't achieve perfection. You'll get close. But you will never be satisfied that way."

"Then I should revise what I want. Satisfaction might be the wrong goal."

She laughed, a half-broken laugh against his chest. Something snapped inside of him.

"Take pride in our accomplishments," she encouraged him. "Remember the people we've saved already. The new slaves they won't get. And we're even giving them a home."

He gulped down the growing knot in his throat. How he wanted to give _her_ a home. The peace of mind she never had. But as they spoke, their eyes scanned their surroundings, their hands ready to draw their weapons at the first sign of danger. Always in alert. Never at peace.

"When this is all over, I think we can do better than some attic in a factory," Ignis told her.

He was almost ashamed to voice such a hope, but Aranea smiled at him as she took a step back.

"Where would that be?"

"I'd say anywhere but here."

She nodded in agreement. Too much buried feelings among these streets.

…

Iris was the first to talk. Gladiolus felt an awful mix of resentment and pain and his throat was already too tight for sounds to come out. He hadn't visited his mother's grave often. On the yearly anniversary of her death, following his father and eventually only Iris, he'd come over and over, there in body, but not really in his mind. He was used to stand tall, to pretend he was fine and over that loss. But seeing two names on the gravestone hurt so much more than he'd expected.

"Hi Mom," Iris started. "I'm sorry if we missed our usual time this year. I hope you've already gotten reacquainted with your new neighbor…"

Her voice wavered and Gladio was glad for Crowe's hand gripping his shoulder. Anything to remind himself of reality.

"It's Iris, dad… I… We really miss you. But we're doing fine. Gladdy is the best shield you could have hoped for. And I'm more or less a crownsguard now."

Her sharp intake of breath was followed by tears and Gladiolus needed to reign himself in not to wrap her in a hug right there.

"I'd like you to… do something for me, dad. Please, try and be happy out there," she asked him, wiping at her eyes as a sob claimed her throat. Her next words were choked out, making Gladiolus's shoulders sink even more. "Don't worry about either… of us. It's our turn now…"

"Iris…" her brother whispered, his voice as dark as the look on his face.

Why did he feel resentment when all his sister named was worry and love? Iris tried to say something else, maybe to apologize for not bringing flowers or something, anything, but the words got stuck in between the sobs taking over. She turned on her heels and hid in Gladio's arm, only to be held close and safe. The knot in the shield's throat felt so tight, it was almost painful.

"He wouldn't want you worrying about him either, 'ris."

"I know. But we're still family. And I saw his sword back there just like you did… Just picturing him in there…"

Gladiolus wondered how many times his heart could break until the pieces turned out too small to take more. Their imagination worked against them, painting a dark, sad vision of their father in his last moment. Blood splatters on the walls. Had Clarus been stabbed up to one of the wall, like some prized piece in some maniac's collection? While getting closure, Iris couldn't help but wonder how bad things had been in her father's last moments. Gladiolus wanted a revenge he could never claim. The responsible was long gone. He knew taking care of him wouldn't erase the feelings running through him. So he held his sister, trying to channel his inner Clarus. The man who stood unflinching despite the pain collected over the years.

Iris didn't need his tears, even though they were threatening to fall. Would tears be constant companions now? Would their life be nothing but loss and anguish? He might learn to live with that, but he wished his sister so much more.

"Our father would be just as proud of you as I am, Iris," Gladiolus told her.

Her sobs wreaked havoc through his soul, but she let out a small, wavering "thank you" that mended some of the pain. But she had to speak again, to find the words that explained the hole aching deep inside.

"I knew it would happen. I knew he was gone, especially since the king… It just feels…"

"…like we're really on our own now?" he suggested.

Crowe's hand squeezed his shoulder and he silently thanked her for being there, with unshed tears in her eyes, her heart aching for their loss.

Iris needed a few more minutes to collect herself and didn't need any words to know her brother needed sometime alone with that grave. There had always been a heavy weight on his shoulders, for the charge he was born with, for the duty he would fulfill in Clarus's stead one day. Crowe held the girl as they walked up to the exit and the others.

Gladio counted seconds in his head, hoping they would be out of hearing range when he let out the only words on his mind.

"So you went ahead and kept your duty to the end, father. Now I'm supposed to fill in shoes two sizes too small."

His smirk was forced and he crouched down, as though it could help him get closer to Clarus, wherever he was.

"I don't have a lot to say. It's not like we ever really talked before. A good bodyguard stand in the back, keeping his thoughts to himself, doesn't he?"

Gladiolus hated himself for being so angry, but if he didn't throw his venom at him, he was afraid he might take it out on someone from the team.

"I've broken the rules, dad. Iris says I'm a good shield, but Noctis always have me defending the others. I got too heavily hurt to keep up my job. I… even found a girl. I swear, I want nothing more than for her to be your daughter-in-law. Maybe then you'd remember that we were more than just fellow bodyguards in this war."

 _I was your son and you let me leave thinking everything was fine. That everyone would be safe. That our Iris would be safe. You warned our butler in order for her to be in the firsts running away, but you couldn't warn me. Was I that much of a liability?_

"Why did I train all this years if not for something like this, huh?!"

No answer would come and Gladiolus stared at the ground with furious eyes. He was supposed to protect only one person in the entire world. The brother he never asked for, but whom he grew to love like family. And maybe that in his own, flawed way, Clarus had tried to protect his family, just like Regis had wished to safeguard Noctis. Their battlefield wasn't going to only Insomnia. They were waging a war against the empire, against the scourge. And maybe even more…

Angrier words, hateful words threatened to come out, but Gladiolus swallowed them down. Dirtying his father's ultimate sacrifice was the last thing he wanted to do. He'd always admired the man. He just wished that Clarus being Regis's shield hadn't meant their family would be sacrificed too. Standing up, he ran one hand down his face, making sure no trace of emotion still showed.

"I'll do my best for whatever is coming. I'll take the trial if that's the only way to prove you I can…"

Voice too raw, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Duty first, duty first, his father used to say.

 _I'll try to keep our king on the right path_ , Gladiolus vowed to himself. _But I won't let him hurt like this if I can help it._

"I guess this is goodbye, mom." He added as an afterthought, grateful to turn his back on the single gravestone.

There was no word exchanged in the council room. Noctis and Luna had convinced Iris not to linger and Crowe had waited for her man by the door, Ravus staying in eyesight, but keeping to himself. It was hard to tell what the man could be thinking. Iris had thanked him already and Gladiolus realized his own gratitude had yet to be shown. Under all the rage and resentment he felt, he was grateful that his sister didn't have to face their father's corpse. He clapped Ravus on his shoulder, the gesture looking foreign for them both.

"I don't know where you found the strength to do it and I really don't want details either. But for giving a mere shield some peace and dignity…"

The words eluded him and Ravus looked away first. His instinctive answer was to point out he'd only done it for Iris, but it felt wrong. He knew how much it hurt to lose a parent, no matter how close or far you could feel to them.

"I sort of wish I could have buried more of them…"

"Save us from that stench, huh?" Gladio retorted.

It might be the first joke he told the Tenebraen prince. Ravus chuckled and coughed a bit, unsure how to welcome the familiarity.

"Now that would have been a real favor," he cringed.

…

They were all more than grateful to find themselves out in open air a few minutes later. Noctis looked a little more in control of his emotions, though he was still quite raw. He held his father's crown with a mix of doubts and fear. As Ignis and Aranea arrived and seemed ready to apologize, the prince surprised everyone by walking up to his advisor and speaking up first. "I need to ask you something, Ignis."

Ignis frowned before to nod in acquiescence. He wasn't sure how to interpret the young man's voice. He'd looked close to tears when he'd left the cemetery and now…

"Could the rest of you guys just… go on to that temple?" Noctis requested of them "We'll catch up with you in a bit."

"Noct…" Luna started.

"It's fine, I'm fine, it won't take long," Noctis assured her, not sounding quite as fine as he wanted to convey.

Whatever he needed to ask, he was convinced Ignis wouldn't accept outright and he didn't need the added pressure of anyone else. A few looks were exchanged, warning or approving. Aranea squeezed Ignis's hand before walking away with the others.

Both men waited in silence as the others followed a side street toward the only temple ever erected in Etro's name, Iris leading their way. Her brother stood close to her. Crowe showed hesitation for the first time since she'd stepped in Insomnia, but tagged along nevertheless, Aranea by her side, trying to offer her support despite how impossible the situation looked. It was Luna who closed the march, Ravus actually dragging her along a few steps, as though convincing her to give her fiancé the space he was asking for.

Ignis looked back at Noctis, taking in his pale face, his red, puffy eyes and the light tremble in his frame.

"What…"

He was interrupted as Noctis raised the crown in front of him. Neither of them could remember a time when it wasn't on Regis's head or in its case, inside the king's office.

"I know this is too much to ask," Noctis admitted. "But could you keep it for me?"

Ignis took a full minute to consider it. He pushed his glasses a little higher, a clear sign of annoyance coming from him. Noctis knew he wasn't annoyed by the question, but more by the dilemma it brought.

"This… I can't, Noct, you know as well as I do what the crown means. It's yours now."

Blue eyes looked down for only half a second, the prince refusing to back down.

"I'm already carrying his ring around every day. And I can't wear a stupid…"

"You have endless pockets," Ignis observed. "And there's no more pretending possible. You are Lucis's one and only king."

Noctis nearly threw the blasted thing to the floor, but held himself back at the last instant.

"I know that! Hell, I… I can't stop thinking of the risk this…" Noctis gestured to the utter destruction surrounding them. "Is this the fate that awaits Free Crown? And Lestallum? How am I supposed to…?"

"You can do this," Ignis assured him. "Sadly, more people will die on the way, but you weren't chosen by the crystal simply to save a handle of innocents."

Noctis gulped down, his anger turning back into fear as he considered the daunting task before him.

"Before putting on his crown, shouldn't I wear the ring?" he asked this time.

All the doubts in his voice and the idea of what wearing that cursed ring would do to him nearly crushed Ignis' composure. His heart clenched.

 _"You will guide him. Walk with him along the way. Make sure he doesn't stray, at least never too long,"_ Regis had asked him.

 _How far am I supposed to watch him suffer? Can I even take some of that pain away now that he's come this far?_

"The ring is meant to facilitate your link to the crystal before to serve as proof of the royal line, correct?"

They both knew Ignis was right, but Noctis nodded, wondering if his friend wasn't suggesting a longer reprieve before to start wearing the Lucii ring.

"I never got to know whether the ring needed the crystal in close vicinity to work," the prince thought out loud. "There's a tiny shard of it in it too, but…"

"Noctis, you already have far more power than you need with the Astrals and the royal arms. Surely the ring can wait," the tactician offered.

Ignis hadn't realized he was walking right into Noctis's trap. He remembered well enough how the young teenager would stare after his father's retreating form, how he'd immersed himself in books of lore about their ancestors when he should have been doing homework or be taking a nap. How Noctis failed to hide his curiosity regarding one particular ring, and how well Ignis understood his underlying fear. Losing Regis meant far more than losing a father. It also meant losing any hint of freedom he ever had. After crying for his last blood relative, Noctis had to face his responsibilities and it seemed too much to bear.

"Then keep the crown," the prince asked again. "It's not like it changes…"

Ignis loathed himself for the words that came next, but they had to be said.

"Noctis, you can't run from this any longer," he declared, voice harsher than intended. " _You_ are king. The crown should stay with you."

Ignis wanted to add that any other burden he would gladly bear in his stead, but he couldn't tell him a lie. There were a lot more burdens Noctis might have to face in the future, burdens he couldn't even predict yet.

"I don't even look like a king," the prince sighed.

Ignis offered him a smile.

"I had to memorize every face of your ancestors, Noct. In the right garbs, anyone could look like a king. But you don't need to pretend anything."

Noctis wasn't sure why he felt all these doubts right now. Maybe because the pain was too strong. Because he had always believed that he would feel ready when the day for him to take over that role finally arrived. It only felt as though the weight of the world had been dropped on him all over again.

"I've done a pretty shitty job so far," he mocked himself. "You've seen Lucis with your own eyes. Everything is in shambles, we have two safe cities left. I'm up against some immortal lunatic…"

Ignis raised an eyebrow at him. "I remember you disrupting his spell."

"Well, I have yet to know how I even managed that…" Noctis whispered disgruntledly.

"We can surely…"

"How can you keep believing in me so much after everything I've done wrong?! I couldn't even understand what was going on when my father sent us out. It's been nothing but me ordering you guys around, pushing you, forcing you to fight and…"

"We're happy to help, Noct," Ignis cut him off, raising his hands to signal him there was no need to get this worked up.

"Then just take that stupid thing!" he pleaded.

"Noctis…"

"I'm getting so sick of this, Iggy."

Ignis blinked at the use of his old nickname. Noctis hadn't used it since… forever. It wasn't the man he had in front of him right now, but a terrified child. He'd been taking everything in strides, but maybe were they reaching his limits? He needed to remind him to take more time. To walk instead of run.

"You will always have a right to be human, Noct. And I will always be there."

Noctis tried to nod, to control the feelings fighting over his heart. He wanted to keep a straight face, but seeing how much Iris hurt, how shaken each and every of his friends were… Knowing he was supposed to succeed where his father had failed… Talking to a pile of bones and rotting flesh hiding beneath dirt, knowing the only word he might get from Regis now where memories. How could he push away the shattered hopes that made his throat tighten a little more? He took a step forward, lips thinning, the trembling coming back.

The crown cluttered against the pavement, but Ignis didn't motion to collect it, acting on pure instinct instead. He broke the distance between them—and pretty much every rule he followed as an advisor— to give the orphan prince the one thing he needed. It should have felt awkward somehow, but it was like restoring a little piece of home. Closing his arms around him, letting Noctis hide for an instant, for just an instant, dropping the protocols and acting like the friend and the brother he was. Giving the child he remembered the smallest of reprieve instead of what he begged for.

"What if I fail, Iggy?"

"You will _not_ fail."

Noctis could hear the certainty in his voice. Utter and entire faith. And if the ever-logical Ignis was so convinced of it, couldn't he believe it too, no matter how daunting it felt? He sniffed, his breathing shaky, trying to contain the worst of it. He wasn't going to put snot and tears on Ignis clean shirt now, was he?

"But what if…"

"Noctis, how many royal arms must you collect?" the strategist asked him. "How many more daemons must you kill before you understand how far you've come?"

They stood in silence, the prince slowly gathering his composure, slowly letting Ignis's conviction become his.

"I've got your back," Ignis told him as the prince took a step back.

"And I've got yours," Noctis promised. "I'm sorry for asking."

He wiped his nose on his sleeve, which earned him an unimpressed eyeroll.

"And I'm sorry for sounding so harsh about it. I've watched you working and shirking work toward this single goal long enough. Also… you'd better prepare yourself for when we'll get to Free Crown. The people already look up to you as their king."

"I had noticed! You'd better not try to dress me up with some crazy get-up!"

"Perish the thought," his advisor whispered with a light smirk.

Despite the more easy-going exchange, Noctis had to force himself to pick up the crown and made it vanish in the blue light, sending it with the rest of their stock. But his heart somehow felt lighter. Voicing his doubts had taken most of their weights away.

"Sor…"

"Don't," Ignis objected. "You will never have to be some godlike king around me, Noct. I changed your sheets till you were 9."

"That's…! That's not…!"

Their phone buzzing at the same time cut short the embarrassed prince. Prompto was warning Noctis he might just skip the church entirely. Aranea was asking Ignis to get a move on.

…

Etro's church was a dark, tall set of marble, reaching out to the sky. The destruction hadn't entirely spared it, a hundred of glass shards from the nearest skyscraper embedded in the ceiling and the entire park surrounding the church. Luna had brought everyone up to speed regarding the goddess of death.

"The gods were at war with each other. They all had the power to create, except for one. Her blood was used by her fellow gods to create the humans, back in our darker ages. The gods kept fighting and Etro destroyed them all, settling in the Afterlife to give balance to the various human souls reaching it. The remnants of her brothers and sisters turned into the Astrals."

"The crystal of Lucis was her _gift_ to humanity," Noctis added.

"Let's be honest, guys, who among us has ever entered that church before?" Aranea asked them.

Gladiolus and Noctis were the only one to give her the positive.

"I wouldn't say Lucians are quite religious," Ignis observed.

"We learn of Etro in school, but honestly, she always sounded more like a myth than the Astrals," Iris explained.

Lunafreya and Ravus exchanged a look, the princess biting her lips while Ravus wanted to roll his eyes at them. The Fleuret siblings had been raised with nothing but religion, their very family line depending on it to even claim any royal rights.

"Your king can zap around, channel swords, pretty much teleport due to the powers of gods, and you're not even a little bit…? Figures," Ravus commented.

Noctis seemed ready to take offense at that, but Crowe cleared her throat.

"Goddess or not, if I'm possessed, I'd like to know why and how I can have it stop. So can we argue about theology later?"

That effectively silenced everyone. The rest of their walk towards the impressively large church's doors was silent, except for the shards crackling under their boots. Gladiolus wanted to pull Crowe to the side and tell her the words that would put her at ease, but he didn't know if these words even exist. While Luna and Iris were blessed by Bahamut, it seemed that his girlfriend had been cursed. They came to a second halt as Luna turned to the former glaive, Noctis leaning against the entrance door.

"Now, Crowe, before we go in…"

"I know you'll be looking over me, Luna. I just want to get this over it and have some sort of answer…" Crowe cut her off, a bit sharper than her usual.

Iris shivered as the door parted, revealing more dark marble and the blue flames burning on either side of the altar where the kings of old used to pray for their people.

Both fire had never stopped in the last hundred years and Noctis himself wasn't sure who had lit it. It had always been there, burning blue, frostbite warranted if anyone tried touching it. The church was an empty hall except for the altars and the paintings alternating with tapestries on the wall. Columns kept the cathedral ceiling up, words in the ancient tongues engraved all over them. The flames grew larger as Crowe took her first step inside, sending an eerie light all over the place.

The former glaive felt an instant pull from the altar, wondering why the magic in her veins was suddenly tugging at her heart.

 _Let me free_ , it seemed to whisper.

She wrapped her arms around herself, swallowing down the knot in her throat.

"Did it always feel like this in here?" Luna asked Noctis.

There was a magic in the air, alight with dark intentions, nearly malevolent, or at least, that was how it felt to her. She tried summoning her trident and realized that even calling for her powers was painful. Frowning, the raven-haired prince slowly shook his head. The church was just as he remembered. Cold, dark, drab.

"I don't… Luna!" he called out, catching her as she faltered.

"It's negating me…" she gasped.

Ravus didn't know which girl to keep his attention on. Iris remained by the door, feeling the same repulsion, her energy threatening to fade. She looked paler than ever, nearly as pale as a Tenebraean and he didn't like that color on her.

"Iris?" Gladio asked.

"The pressure is really… really strong," she answered.

Crowe felt it too, but it wasn't hurting her for once.

 ** _Come to me, child._**

She followed the voice, trying to hold on her consciousness, trying to take the step herself and not let that thundering will take over like it'd done the other time. Noctis flinched as he heard the voice, which was not unlike the Astrals, but he could barely understand the words. Aranea, Ignis and Ravus were left to wonder what was going on.

"Crowe?" Gladiolus called.

 ** _Crowe_** , the otherworldly voice repeated. **_I wish we could have found each other sooner._**

"What… do you… want?" Crowe asked, her steps stopping a few feet away from the altar.

The dark statue seemed to be looking down at her, eyes darker than her hair, which were engraved with white lines. The woman depicted by the stone had an ethereal beauty, too perfect to be real. Crowe had always thought a goddess's face shouldn't be known to men. And the magic in her blood was howling.

 ** _You saw my light twice now. The shadowlight. When a soul leaves this realm to reach mine._**

Crowe tried to repeat her question, but the blue flames rose again, expanding from the sides of the altar, drawing a circle around the stone.

 ** _Shadowlight gives you power. Your lifeforce was always… wild. And that night, my light kept you alive._**

Crowe blinked and when she opened her eyes again, she was back in the woods, back in Duscae, running for her life. She heard their voices. Looking down at her hands, she could barely make out the mix of grime, ashes and blood on her run-down gloves. Except she wasn't wearing gloves, not in the church, not… Her heart stopped. They were closing in. She could smell them.

"No, no, no…"

 ** _You should have died_** , Etro explained. **_But I needed my own… messenger._**

Luna gasped, drenched in a cold sweat, the push against her magic intensifying.

"We need to get her out of here…" Ravus decided.

"No, Crowe is…" Luna protested.

"What the hell is she even doing?" Noctis asked.

Crowe seemed to be simply standing in front of the burning altar. The flames were growing and threatening to engulf her, but she remained frozen in place.

"Messenger?" the former glaive repeated.

She couldn't see the flames. All she could see was the dark earth under her feet. The screams echoing in the night. And then her voice again.

 ** _You are far more than a messenger, Crowe. You will help me right the scales._**

"What scales?" Iris asked from the entrance.

"We should all get out of here!" Aranea called out, hoping Crowe would snap out of her trance.

 ** _You are my light bearer now._**

Crowe's light headache turned to a throbbing migraine and when she blinked, gripping her head, she finally saw the flames. She called forth ice and the aching took over. The flames vanished inside of her, her hair turning white, eyes dark. Crowe was gone.

Luna sensed her white magic recoiling. Iris screamed and at the sight of blood coming out of her ear, Ravus ordered a retreat.

Gladiolus's hands were hard fists by his sides as he covered his friends' exit. He resented Etro for taking yet another person from him. For threatening Iris too. Crowe turned around, facing him with those foreign, almost inhuman eyes.

She'd been terrified of turning again. Of losing herself. Every morning, for the last three days, she'd greet him with a good morning kiss and the largest smile she could muster. On every night, she'd been shaking like a leaf, snuggling as close as she could. And she'd fought against sleep, in fear of not being herself once she closed her eyes.

He wanted to stop this never-ending chain of loss. Couldn't he keep her? Not for ever, but for at least a few years after this war?

Something shifted to his left and next thing he knew; a daemon was materializing in the church. A mindflayer. The creature screeched, tentacles reaching out for his head. Gladiolus barely had the time to take out his sword when a light hand pushed him aside. Gently, like she would do if it was still her.

Crowe let the mindflayer attack her instead. At the first touch, the daemon howled in pain, blue sparks running on the skin it'd touched. And the sparks multiplied, covering its gooey flesh, burning the very darkness out.

Gladiolus wanted to grab her and pull her away from the monster, but it wasn't clear which one was more dangerous.

Iris and Luna stood back, but they could still see what was happening, like all the others.

The daemon dropped to the floor with a thud, a shivering mess of limbs that were slowly discarded by the magic exuding from Crowe. Her arms were trembling, her mouth mouthing silent words, as foreign as her look. But for an instant, Gladiolus could have sworn the words were aimed at him.

 _Get me away from her._

As the daemon's screams died down, the magic fell back and the king's shield took his chance. He lunged himself forward, grabbed her by the waist and threw her on his shoulder, not even waiting to ascertain whether she was retaliating or not. The only thing on his mind was to get her away from the altar, maybe far enough for the influence to lose any claim on her.

"What are you…?! Gladio!"

Iris sounded terrified.

He ran out of the church, ran past his friends, skidding on a few shards as he looked for a wall, a tree. Crowe didn't talk or use magic against him. He wasn't sure if he felt a heartbeat from her or not. His mind was screaming for him to check on Noctis, his heart was torn between Iris and the woman he'd grown to love. But he kept running, evading a hole in the concrete and coming to a halt half a mile away from the church, letting Crowe down in front of him, making sure he had a firm grip on her.

 ** _Let…_**

"Crowe, please, snap out of it. I know you're in there."

She blinked, but seemed ready to object.

"Come back, okay? I'll say all the lame things you don't want to hear, just…"

His voice nearly shattered when she snarled at him, but since no magic came, he insisted, half pushing her, half dragging her out of the street.

"Please, Crowe, come back to me," he begged.

Her back hit the brick wall, the dark veins receding a second before to look even sharper on her skin.

 ** _Don't…_**

The voice didn't make sense in his head, but her fingers scrapping at his chest as she tried to push him away did. Etro wouldn't let go of her. Not so easily

"Leave us alone, whatever you are!"

Footsteps caught up with him, but he didn't look back, pressing himself into her, wishing for a miracle.

"You said you wouldn't leave yet."

The scratching stopped, her fingers closing over his necklace. And the skin that felt like hers slowly regained colors. The veins turned back to green and blue and slowly faded. Her hair shifted to brown. Her breath reached him. He could feel a pulse under his hands.

"Gladio?" she asked. Her voice, raspy and scared, but _her_ voice.

"You asked me to get you away from her…"

He wanted to make sure he'd been right. That he didn't imagined it.

"You heard it?! I couldn't move. I could barely see through my own eyes…"

Tears swelled up and neither of them could tell which one was shaking more. Gladiolus simply held her closer, in the hopes it might erase the fear that clung to his heart.

"What did I…?" Crowe started to ask.

"That daemon…" Luna explained. "You pretty much cured it."

"I what?!"

Crowe pushed Gladio away, if only to get a good look in Lunafreya's eyes. Everyone had dark expressions despite the fact she was back in control and Gladiolus dreaded the explanation just as much as her.

"How is…?"

"I think that by scales, Etro meant… the balance between both worlds," Luna explained. "The daemons are people contamined with the scourge. When the daemons die, the soul of the human must be somehow corrupted."

"So she wants to cleanse them… through me?" Crowe deduced. "But that mindflayer, if I healed it…"

"The host was already long dead. You freed him of the corruption more than you healed him," Ravus intervened.

Crowe turned whiter than a sheet as she tried to process the news.

"Well, balance is good, but how do I stay… myself?"

Luna's shoulders lowered two inches. She didn't need Noctis's help anymore to stand, but she still lean into him as she considered this new discovery.

"No magic. And maybe… no exposition to daemons either. I honestly don't know, Crowe. This has never happened before."

"We'll have to run tests. And hope your boyfriend can snap you back to yourself if this happens again…" Ravus added.

The former glaive found herself nodding in agreement despite her fear. Gladio's hands held her and she could still hear his words. _Come back to me, Crowe. Don't leave yet._

 _I should already be dead_ , she thought. _But I'm not leaving. Not when I have found somewhere I belong._

To be continued…

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So, it's astonishingly late, I have a cold, I have deadlines, but I really, really wanted to finish this chapter so I pushed through it. And I'll regret it in the morning. I had difficulties with Ignis's scene with Noctis, but I pretty much like how it turned out. I might correct a few things in that last sequence with Crowe, but it mostly get the Etro's arc on track.

Next chapter, silvergold for real, we'll try to temper down the drama with Crowe and Gladio and I desperately need some NoctLuna and maybe some Raviris too. I hope I can get the team headed to Free Crown, because I intend to give them lighter chapters with less hurt/comfort if possible. Sounds pretty impossible right now.

As always, review makes happy. :D Each and every one of them.


	57. I think I shoud leave

Heya guys! This chapter took me forever to write! I'm so sorry for the wait! I rocked that seminar last week, then my week was derailed by time at the hospital because one of my friends wasn't feeling so well (more fear than anything, thanks god) and then my sister was moving to a new place… Let's say things have been pretty hectic. I kept coming back to write on this chapter, kept getting angry with the pacing and pretty much everything about it. I'm finally satisfied with it. I poured in some fluff, let me know how you find it. The chapter is super long. 25 pages and 9400 words or so. O-O' I have a few more deadlines before I can catch up on writing, but things should get steadier as for updates pretty soon.

On another note, I have tried that Comrades DLC thanks to a friend. I really, really don't like that side of the game. I guess I just miss Noctis. So before any of you ask, Comrades won't be in this fic. I have already decided what will happen with the ten years gap, not saying anything right now, we need to get these people to Altissia first. I might borrow one character from Comrades and I ship Cornica even more (what are those rumors with Dustin?!) but oh well. One last action arc, Gladio's episode, and we can finally talk about Altissia in this fic. I can't wait to be there! XD Have some Silver/Gold, severe angst, Crowdio, Noct/Luna and Raviris. I hope you'll like it!

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Unexpected

Chapter 57 – I think I should leave

His apartment was perfectly intact. Unlike their hearts and worried mind, but Prompto simply thanked the gods for having a door that still locked and gave them some false sense of security as they entered the small studio. Cindy had been silent for most of the walk, not even gesturing to hold his hand, but the brief sight of normalcy made something shift within her. She pulled on his collar with both hands, her nose bumping against his as she demanded a kiss. Her lips were soft under his and the kiss promised him so much more, he wondered if they weren't losing it. Was it really the time for…?

"I'm the first girl you ever brought here, ain't I?"

His throat tightened at the idea. Not because she would be the last one. If he could be loved by her for many years to come, it was more than he'd ever imagined he could deserve.

"I want a quick tour," Cindy told him. "And to make sure your bed sees some real action before we leave."

He blushed despite how much the suggestion interested him. They'd been clinging to each other and it seemed the adrenaline and the fear had still to die down.

"What's gotten into you?"

"If we don't pretend for a bit that things are normal, I don't see how I can face this place. I feel like I'm going crazy."

"Me too," Prompto admitted.

He wanted to dive back in for another kiss, but Cindy interrupted his train of thoughts.

"Was there anything you wanted to pick up in here?" she asked.

"Not really… I think I just wanted to get away from…"

He was cut off by her eyes tearing up and her sharp intake of breath.

"Prom, please… Give me half an hour of normal. No clones, just pretending there's no daemons or corpses all over the streets outside."

She was so much more shaken than she wanted to let on. He had a feeling she was reaching her limits. She'd gotten crankier with every passing day and he might just get a better idea of what was eating her up if he gave her the time she asked.

"Okay. I'm good at pretending. Although, you'd better be genuine if you like the sex."

"Brazen. My city boy is growing."

The smile they shared was somehow comforting, until they looked away from each other to consider the place where they stood. Prompto's throat felt too tight as he slowly remembered how it was to live in here. His small, minimalist kitchen, the open bedroom down three steps, his photography desk, all clean with a few stacks of fresh film waiting for more pictures.

His wall of pictures took over a lot of space, showcasing Insomnia in all its former glory. There were people in the pictures, but their eyes couldn't see them, the room was dark, blinds drawn over the windows, power out all over the city. And here it was, lively, bright and not quite as dark, despite using black as its main color for everything.

"Dammit!" Cindy chucked out.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm tearing up again…"

He wrapped his arms more tightly around her as she tried to sniffle away her tears.

"I thought I'd be tougher than this," she started, her tone apologetic. "But the more I try, the less I… You lived here for all those years, mostly alone…"

"Cin, don't… I'm not here to have you pity me."

How could he ever regain any sense of dignity that would make him feel less pitiable when she looked back at him with those teary eyes? Compassion mixing with the ghost of fear. Was he reading her wrong?

Cindy blinked and clapped her cheeks a few times, trying to get ahold of herself.

"None of that, Prom… How about that tour?"

He gave her a sheepish look, trying to swallow down the knot in his throat.

"It's a very small place…"

Her eyes pleaded with him and Prompto accepted to play along, knowing she was forcing her cheerfulness and hoping that sad impression would soon leave. He wasn't sure his smile could be real if she stayed that way.

"Very well, pretty lass. Try to forget what you've seen so far," he asked her, grabbing her shoulders to gently angle her to the kitchen side of the room. "Here we have the kitchen and eating area, which Ignis Scientia commented as lacking in everything from space to the right cooking tools, although I've prepared a great variety of meals over the years. I hope you're not hungry today though, food will have to wait until we get back to camp. If you turn to this side, we have my exposition gallery, which needs some refreshing. Those pictures are quite old already. Now, turn just a few degrees east," Prompto asked, gently steering her in the right direction. Cindy laughed and held his right hand, leaning into him, spirit lifted by this little game.

He went on. "You're in my office, home to despair, homeworks and a lot of doodling. This door leads to the bathroom. I bet the water isn't running anymore, so we'll have to review the shower at a later time…"

Cindy felt a shiver running down her spine when he leaned his head next to hers, lips brushing against her ear. A shower would have done them both wonders, but instead, she followed the instructions of his hands, looking to the last "room" of his studio.

"Intact bedroom to finish the tour. You can sit on the bed if you will, but no searching through the drawers."

"Why not?"

"Most are empty and I didn't come here to reminisce… I'd rather the past stays in the past, you know?"

Cindy felt her throat tightening all over again and stepped out of his arms, hands clenching nervously at her sides.

"How can I help with that?"

He blinked, taken aback.

"That's not what I'm expecting of you, Cin, you already help me stay rooted in the present. It's more than I could ask for."

She didn't seem quite comforted and found the right words to voice what had been on her mind for the last few days.

"Is that all I can be to you? A nice distraction?"

She sounded sadder than resentful, much to Prompto's shock. As though she had failed him… Was she conscious that he couldn't see why she hung out with him with everything he dragged her into?

"You make it sound like I'm using you somehow. And while distractions are nice, you're much more than that."

"But I still get the feeling I can't… do enough. Learning how to fire a gun was supposed to…"

Prompto shook his head.

"I taught you so you could defend yourself, not so you could join in on a battlefield. Most of us were trained for this. I don't expect you to…"

"I know that!" she snapped, pinching her lips as he winced. "I just wish I could do more. I don't want to be the pretty gal waiting back home for her soldier boyfriend. But I've never really seen me in a relationship before."

It was just as new for her as it was for him. Prompto's shoulders dropped and he offered her a weak smile.

"What would you want?"

She hesitated for an instant, before to walk down to his bed and take a seat. She patted the space next to her and held his hand right as he sat down.

"I need to tinker on some stuff. It helps me stay sane. When nothing else is working, at least, I can keep the motors and gears running. If yar team needs an airship, if ya need new guns, I can do something. But that's my only field…"

"You're selling yourself short. You're good at other stuff."

"Like beating paw-paw at poker?"

He squeezed her hand, noticing how her eyes darkened at the mention of her grandfather. She hadn't seen him once since his attack.

"You miss him, don't you?" he asked her.

"I do. But when I'll leave, I'll be missing you and worrying myself like crazy. As long as I stick around, I can make sure you're my city boy and not…"

His heart broke a little as he realized why she was so cranky but also clingy. She was terrified of meeting one of his clones. And of not realizing who was in front of her. Could he really blame her? The prospect scared him too.

"We can make up some secret handshake or password…"

Her following smile seemed genuine despite its frailty.

"I have an idea, but ya might not like it."

She lied back on his bed, pulling him down after her, to which he instantly responded with a kiss. The familiarity was still new, the casual feel of getting closer, sharing love through gesture instead of words. But he craved it even more than he expected himself to. When he stood above her, weight sustained by one arm, one hand lost in her hair, he finally understood what she was thinking.

"If we agree on a special kiss, that would mean you'd kiss anyone looking like me?!"

"Only if he calls me GG," Cindy told him, running her hands through his hair, eliciting a shiver.

Was it wrong that he wanted to forget himself in her arms once more? Were they both using each other? Wasn't it the worst time, considering his friends were mourning their family and that daemons ran along the street? He still parted her jacket and was too happy to help her out of her top to feast on her naked flesh. The bruises on her shoulder pained him and his hands were careful to avoid putting pressure wherever she still ached. She kissed away his doubts, eyes sparkling with a mix of love and lust.

"Make me feel normal," she pleaded. "The first girl you take home. We can go over any fantasy you have."

Much to her surprise, instead of sending him in a frenzy, that made him pull away from her, to look at her bare chest with hungry eyes. Her cheeks flushed and she tugged on his waistband, getting goosebumps from the cold air reaching her skin. Prompto resisted her, eyes heavy, one hand grasping her hip.

"Can I take your picture?" he asked, bashful and still so boyish, she felt ready to melt.

She let out a gasp as he pulled her jeans and underwear off her legs, leaving her effectively naked.

"I… Take it with your eyes, babe."

"The light is so perfect…" he observed, following the shadows threading on her skin.

Cindy wasn't sure how to answer. She wanted to purr at the caresses, to pull him back next to her and also to bathe in his delighted gaze for as long as possible. But it was nerve-wrecking all the same.

"Prompto, I only want _you_ to see me like this," she admitted, voice wavering.

"Same here. I just… You look picture perfect…"

She giggled at that, undoing his belt and running one hand up his chest.

"I'm a mess, Prom. Tousled hair, sweaty 'n bruised up and flushing like crazy."

"And this is what normal should feel like, Cin. This is more than I ever wished for."

"I'm getting cold here, sweet talker."

She didn't have to ask twice. The next kiss was tender and sweet. For an instant, they would pretend the streets looked as fine as this apartment. That things weren't changing for Lucis. Or for them. When he was almost lost in the haze, Cindy asked him if he would hate her for leaving. She cupped his face, kissed him between her words, moved with him, but somehow, she was still grounded. Still facing reality. Leaving only meant staying in a world she controlled. A world that wouldn't make her feel as inadequate as she did among his team. She wished for him to follow her but he belonged to this hectic place, he'd been bred and raised for ripping bullets and bloody encounters.

"No more battlefield for you," he decided, breathing against her collarbone.

"I wish it could be true for ya, Prom."

"Once we end that war, I'm hanging up those guns. But until then…"

"Hold me, baby."

Bittersweet love, but love all the same Prompto told himself.

"As long as you stay mine, the distance shouldn't matter," he reasoned.

She could hear the doubts in his voice, the fear in his hands.

Something deep inside was tearing up as Prompto realized he might never gave her the "normal" she deserved.

…

Their steps echoed on the floor. Empty hallways, lined up with metal lockers. The stench floating all over the city wasn't as strong in here. Gladiolus had voiced concerns, but Iris assured him she wouldn't stay long. She wasn't aiming to torture herself.

This whole visit to Insomnia felt like torture after a few hours among the streets they used to know. But Iris was convinced healing could start in the ashes. Maybe could she get some answers of her own? Her highschool had been close to the Citadel, one of the highest ranking establishments in Insomnia. The hunters hadn't entered it yet, but there wouldn't be many corpses in here, since the attack had happened after school hours. Luna and Ravus accompanied her, the first accepting to leave Crowe's side this soon, since the Glaive insisted that she didn't need cuddling. Gladio was already all over her, and Noctis, Ignis and Aranea had met up with Cor and Monica to check on the situation. They would head out soon, picking Prompto and Cindy on their way out.

The Fleuret's siblings had to admit they both felt out of place in a school. They had been either tutored or trained and the empty halls and classrooms creeped them out.

"I don't think you should be leading the way, Iris," Luna commented.

"I know the way. I just want to check a few things."

Ravus wondered if the young girl wasn't pushing herself. The whole ordeal with Crowe was fresh on each of their mind. Much to their shock, Crowe's first reaction to the news had been to turn around so she was facing Gladio and raise both of her shirts up to her shoulders. The action revealed a white brand running across her back and a darker spot along her spine.

 _"Anything different?"_

 _Luna gasped and Gladiolus fought against his instinct to hide her from everyone's wide eyes._

 _"It's as though you absorbed its blight into that brand…" Luna stated after describing to Crowe how her back was looking._

 _It was the king's shield who rolled back her shirts, which earned him a fleeting smile from the former glaive._

 _"Can anyone explain what that brand mean?" Noctis asked._

 _"It's Etro's mark, apparently," Crowe explained. "It grew a little more every time she manifested. And I guess that the darker spot you saw was due to that daemon. It's a wonder what will happen when the brand is all filled with it. Unless it's still growing?"_

 _She looked up at her boyfriend who shook his head._

 _"I'll give you a full inspection later, Crowe," he offered, the teasing not quite strong in his voice. "Let's just get away from this place."_

 _They had all agreed and settled in a park close to Iris's school, so the young girl could take the time to visit it. Crowe refused to let them change their plans because of the ordeal she'd just went through._

And surely enough, Iris had answers waiting for her. While the school had been mostly empty on the night of the imperial assault, one of her friend was here, working on a special project in the sewing room. The texts she'd exchanged with her were still clear in her mind. Pictures and layouts. Thread colors. Vain, mundane details. She hadn't sewn together anything else than skin and flesh lately.

The stench hit her right as she pushed the door open. Ravus and Luna both reacted with the same reflex and tried to pull her backward and away from the potential sight of a known corpse, but Iris rushed inside, with both Fleuret on her heels. The ceiling had been pierced by the fangs of the largest octopus in the history of octopi. Luna recognized it's greyed scales and stepped closer to her brother, instinctively looking for comfort as the memories rushed through her mind. She hadn't seen its corpse from the outside. Had it fallen here?

Under the fallen ceiling, the debris of concrete and a few desks dragged down with the four floors over their head, there was a mix of flesh and material. More dried blood than anything at this point, but Ravus was certain worms had settled in there and he gripped Iris's arm firmly.

"Don't."

It didn't sound like an order, but Iris looked back at him with anger in her eyes.

"Camelia was supposed to be working here. She'd just send me a picture from her progress when…"

Her voice was sucked out when her eyes noticed the phone lying just a few feet away from the pile of debris and blood. Recognition was instantaneous. Luna turned paler and Ravus reluctantly let the girl pick up the smartphone. The screen was cracked and the battery almost dead, but the text that showed up was enough proof for her.

 _I- Cam, you need to get out of here. Something's really wrong._

Unlocking it, she discovered the beginning of Camelia's answer.

 _C- What's wrong? This better not be some…_

"Iris, you're only…"

"We were friends for as long as I can remember. We first became friends in kindergarten because we were both named after flowers…"

Deep in her mind, Iris wondered how lame it could sound, but the loss overwhelmed her as she held the phone to her heart.

"I hadn't written her name in Free Crown. I kept hoping she'd gotten my message in time…"

"Why didn't you say anything…?" Luna asked, tears welling up in her eyes.

Ravus cut Iris's potential answer off with a bear hug, which seemed to be exactly what she needed. She gripped to him and wept into his shirt as she let the hurt take over for just an instant. With the state Camelia was in, there was almost no way for someone else than her to recognize the poor girl. But while the answers meant mourning and no more doubts, it didn't stop the ache. And how many broken-hearted girls like Iris had lost a best friend, a father or a mother or even a sibling to the destruction waged by the empire?

 _At least, we can prevent this from happening ever again,_ Luna thought.

It was ludicrous, she knew it, but if they lost sight of hope, it wasn't clear how they could even get through all of this. Ravus started by carrying Iris out of the sewing room, giving her some time to collect herself, and ended up carrying her in his arms the whole way back to the entrance. Despite her tears he was glad she didn't oppose him for once. Luna felt bad for not insisting any more on keeping her away of that place. Iris demanded to be set back on her feet and forced her tears to stop before to cross the door. She didn't want to add on her brother's worry with new tears when they'd just said goodbyes to their father.

"Don't push yourself," Luna asked her, only to get a pointed look from the teenager.

"What's everyone been doing around here other than pushing themselves?"

"While you're right, it doesn't mean this team will do better if everyone breaks down at the same time," Ravus observed.

Iris held her arm, unable to hold his gaze. For an instant, he couldn't tell if she was thinking of how he'd broken her arm. How he was alive when every last one of her friends had died. A bark broke the heavy silence settling over them. Pryna was walking up to them, ears raising as Luna managed a frail smile at the sight of her loyal dog.

"Any news for us, pretty girl?"

Noctis, Cor, Monica, Ignis and Aranea weren't too far behind and answered the Oracle.

"It's about time we head to Free Crown. Looking up to the future instead of the ruins from our past," Monica declared.

…

Gladiolus and Crowe had taken refuge on a bench park where the chaos was less apparent. A few trees were dead, but the area was mostly quiet. The hunters were working a few streets deeper inside the city and one could believe he was the last human on earth with the deafening silence. It had taken some convincing to even get time on their own, but Crowe needed to process what she had just learned. She'd repeated the word "vessel" a few times already and was now lost in thought, Gladiolus left to wonder what could be going on in her head.

He wasn't sure what to think himself, but welcomed the hand that carefully reached out for his.

"You must regret not leaving me in that bush back in Duscae," she teased him.

"Don't say stuff like that," Gladio objected. "I just wonder if things would have been different if you hadn't tag along our team. Didn't we drag you into this?"

"I was dragged into this when my fellow glaives tried to kill me," Crowe corrected him. "Etro said… This sound so crazy… She said I should have died that night. She likely kept me alive until she had a way to establish full contact and take over."

He had no word to give back, no word to express how scared, angry and somehow hopeful he was. She might have been possessed twice already, but she was still herself right now. A hint of doubt sparked in the back of his mind.

What if Etro was only pretending to be gone? Could he really dare to think that way? Shouldn't he wonder whether Crowe had been herself on the very first day? He'd been raised to doubt and question everything in order to protect his charge. But he didn't want to doubt her. Anything but her.

It wasn't like pretending to be someone else from this early on only to reveal her power and a possession scheme would get Etro what she wanted. She might as well have kept pretending the entire way, which had to mean Crowe was genuinely Crowe and no one else. Libertus would surely have realized something before, since he knew her far better than Gladiolus did.

 _Am I supposed to ask something like that?_ The idea pained him.

"You don't know how to look at me anymore, don't you?" the former glaive suggested.

Her deep brown eyes were tired and resigned.

"What do you want me to say, Crowe? I don't regret picking you up with Iris. I don't regret taking a chance with you, not even now that we know why that brand is growing on your back."

Crowe swallowed, holding back on most of her fear to keep a straight face.

"But I'm a liability now," she whispered. "My magic… It's negating Luna and Iris's powers. I hurt them."

"Only when Etro is manifesting. And they've been hurting you every time they used their powers," Gladiolus pointed out.

"Which heals the living. I can only cleanse the death."

"Who cares?! If I have any say in this, we won't let you fall under _her_ influence again."

He wanted to pull her closer to him, to grip to her flesh, lean the truth of his words on her with his hands. She was right for him. It couldn't only be about looking for comfort and warmth in the middle of the chaotic battles they were fighting. After all, Crowe had been there whenever they took breaks too. The month spent in Lestallum with her had been enlightening. He liked her smile, the way her eyes lit up with anger or laugh. How she'd snuggled next to him in the morning, naked or clothed. She never let him get away with something, never bowed to him, but she supported him too, in her own way. Only a few hours ago, she'd been by his side to visit his parent's grave.

She'd shed tears of sympathy for him, when she had no family of her own, no one to remember but ghosts and the figments of her imagination. He squeezed her hand. So small between his fingers, but still strong, willful, steadfast.

"I still think I should leave before I cause you guys trouble. I don't want to endanger Luna or your sister. Earlier, you could have been hurt by that daemon and I'm still not sure how that thing even got there. What if she lured it out there just to get started with her goal?"

"We don't know anything yet. Leaving on your own in that state would be the perfect recipe for you to get lost for good. And I am not losing you."

She didn't know how many times he told her these words already, but they still reached down to her core. Did she owe that much conviction, when she wasn't sure of still being fully human? Her voice stuck to her throat as she tried to question his resolve. To make him realize that he might be better off without her.

She wanted to run. To run far enough she wouldn't end up hurting anyone without meaning to. It was as though her own betrayal as a Glaive had caught up with her, despite the fact she'd been a 100 percent behind Regis. Lucis was her home too. Why did she have to be a puppet for the gods, when she'd already been a puppet for Drautos? For the men before him, who didn't care about her feelings.

"How do you…?"

"We can figure this out," the king's shield insisted. "Luna already has a few ideas and her brother might think of something. Moreover, you wouldn't be leaving just me… Iris likes you a lot."

"I know that, but… Gladio, you saw what I did down in that subway."

"What _she's_ done. And if it means you're alive…"

"But what if the only thing keeping me alive is being her… host… or whatever I am to that goddess?" Crowe suggested. "What if as soon as her balance is settled again, she draws me back to the afterlife where I belong?"

They looked away at the same time, overwhelmed by how little they knew about her situation. But when she motioned to move away, he gripped to her wrists, his eyes sheltering her with warmth, longing and a mix of fear and determination.

"I went at this the wrong way," Gladiolus sighed. "If staying around us is only going to provoke the transformation… If you want to leave, let's say… to stay in Free Crown with Libertus or to get a job in Lestallum to have a quieter life, I won't oppose you. But don't leave saying you're protecting me. That's my damn job."

"You need to stop thinking like that," Crowe warned him.

"And you need to tell me what you're thinking. Where would you go? I don't want to think of you on your own."

She realized she was trembling and wondered if she would ever feel grounded again. Ever feel herself, not this ugly pile of doubts and fears. But how could she be sure when a goddess was trying to take over her consciousness and body? Gladio got off the bench and to his knees, his hands on her thighs, ready to pull her into a strong embrace if she allowed it.

"Do you want to leave?" he asked her, eyes serious, jaw set.

A whimper tore up her throat and she shook her head and his brief smile wasn't enough to subdue the terror in her heart. Staying was wrong, wasn't it? Or could she better help here, despite…

Crowe wrapped her legs around his waist so he could hold her fully, not caring how small his arms made her feel, not caring if this was the third or fourth time in three days she ended up in tears. Her answers had created more questions. These questions threatened everything she used to believe in. The nightmares haunting her from that night where she'd fought her brothers were all true. She should be dead. Should she be grateful? Consider this as her second chance at life? Did she ever really have a chance?

"I don't want to turn into a burden," she whispered against his chest.

He kissed her hair, kissed her ear, fighting against his urge to lift her in the air. Have her realize he could carry whatever burden she felt on her shoulders. He tried to keep an eye on their surroundings, tried to keep one feet in reality, but her touch was pulling him in. Her fingers crept up his nape, up his hair. Nose brushing, digging into a cheek, lips ghosting, stroking. Soft at first, as though either of them could break. Or shift into something unknown. What if this kiss was the last she could feel as herself? What if her eyes turned dark again?

She tugged him closer, panting, desperate, his mirror image in every gesture, in every silent plea. Their kisses were promises and tests at the same time. No touch foreign, no sign of the goddess that wasn't her. He dried her tears, kissing away any sob, finding strength in the way she answered him and clang to him. Gladio might have thoroughly ravaged her mouth if a throat clearing a few feet away hadn't made them reluctantly break apart. Crowe kept a strong hold on his waist with her legs and the intimate gesture wasn't lost on either of the newcomers.

"Sorry for interrupting," Prompto started, looking sheepish.

"But it sounds like we missed something," Cindy added.

…

The prince's retinue left Insomnia an hour later. Their faces were long and pale, Gladio relinquishing Crowe just long enough to check on Iris and give her a sympathetic shoulder as she explained what she'd found in her school.

"She was a good kid…" he deplored. "Sorry for not being there with you…"

"You were with me for dad. And there's no need to apologize. We should all focus on Crowe now that we've said our goodbyes…"

Ravus and Luna were already focusing on the former Glaive, the prince having a few ideas regarding the tests they could run.

"I'll start with a few skin samples, then we should see what triggers the transformation; magic, exposition to daemon…"

Ravus didn't voice all his other hypothesis because causing strong emotional changes, wounding her or bringing her back in front of an altar dedicated to Etro all sounded a bit too extreme even to him.

"I don't want to transform into her again if I don't have to…" Crowe told them.

"Me neither," Luna reassured her. "But to have a better idea of Etro's rules in this, those tests are actually our best chance."

She remembered the tests she had gone through herself back in Tenebrae and hoped that things wouldn't be too rough for Crowe. She was taking things in stride, but it wouldn't take much more for the woman to crack. They were all close to the breaking point at this rate. Even Cor and Monica had dark looks on their face and they stopped at the nearest camp, so they could shower and get changed into clothes that didn't smell of death.

The news from Free Crown was good. Cid had kept himself busy during his stay and helped in the expansion of the city and the development of permanent living quarters. Two thirds of the refugees were relocated, people had been reunited and the hall of memory was slowly updated. The wounded were getting cares in the hospital wing, which had grown four times its previous size. Libertus wanted Noctis to visit to give at least one speech to the people, and give them more hope regarding the future of their country. They were slowly organizing themselves, but the information wasn't running smoothly yet. Lucis was trying to get back on his feet and everyone owed to know their young king was slowly but surely kicking the empire out of their country.

When they settled around a large campfire, Cor gave Noctis a pointed look.

"I called you king a few months ago, but you've reached the point where we should make it official. As soon as things are fully settled in Free Crown, we'll prepare your coronation."

"Do we really have time for this?" Noctis questioned, his face darkening at the prospect.

Ignis crossed his arms and Luna shuffled closer to the dark-haired prince, linking their hands together in support.

"We'll need a few weeks before to consider it," Monica remarked. "But it's high time Lucians get something stable. You're young, strong and you've been winning every of your battles, fighting with a handful of people to take back our home."

"I don't want to hear that Insomnia was a victory."

"You freed over 4000 persons, Noctis," Aranea shot back. "If that's not a victory, I don't know what is."

His friends nodded and Noctis was left wondering how he was going to face those thousands of people.

"Just try to prepare yourself mentally for it," Cor added. "Libertus has been insisting on it for a few weeks already. Each of your visits to Free Crown boosted the moral and we _have_ retaken Insomnia. There's no questioning your lineage or if you're fit for the crown. You are the king our country needs. As long as the fighting is still on, Monica and I will take care of the administrative parts as much as we can."

"But we're trying to plan ahead," Monica explained. "We need a real army instead of the volunteering hunters and civilians. We're rebuilding from scratch, but it finally looks possible. Soon, it will be possible to think of rebuilding Insomnia, or new cities all over Lucis. Irrigation efforts over Leide have been in talk for a while and Duscae is safer than ever. There is only one imperial base on our continent, still in Cleigne and Cor will be hitting it in a few weeks. Lestallum's hunters are keeping us updated as to the situation. Exoneris is ready to give us a team of engineer to start a new powerplant…"

Noctis blinked for the nth time and Monica pinched her lips, realizing she might have been too detailed in the news. But it was clear from the look on both the Immortal and her face that they were eager to see Lucis flourishing again.

"There is a lot to consider and keep in mind," Noctis sighed, running a tired hand across his face. "I'm glad you're here to help, all of you," he added as he gave a look to the rest of his teammates.

"You can always count on us, man," Prompto told him. "I mean, your highness."

They all approved the gunman with a nod, a smile or a light bow.

"I'll have none of that, guys!" Noctis protested, his laugh contagious despite the dark mood. For a few hours, they all pretended together that life was as it should be. Because they were all alive despite the ruins they had seen. And as long as they were alive, the things that really mattered could be changed.

After dinner, the guys exchanged a few words before each going back to their other half. Iris refused Crowe and Gladio's offer to stay with them for the night. They had overdone themselves with as many tents as possible to give every couple some sense of intimacy. Monica was more than happy to share her tent with the young girl, while Cor decided to sleep under the stars, insisting he'd be fine with it. Everyone knew it was a defeat to evade Ravus, since both men could barely tolerate each other in the day time, they weren't quite ready to share a tent.

Lunafreya had sensed some anxiety in her brother with all the talk of heading to Free Crown. He hadn't been quite comfortable in Lestallum, but no one had reacted to his presence. In close quarters like the underground city, it was bound to be different. Ravus promised her not to disappear in the middle of the night and kissed her goodnight, leaving her in Noctis's good care. He had his own, private tent, a bit further from all the others, and Pryna followed him, since Luna couldn't help but worry about him.

Crowe had taken Noctis to the side and inquired if he considered her a liability to the team, seeing as they barely knew what was happening to her.

"Well, if we're honest, everyone is a potential liability. And while Etro took care of that daemon in a pretty impressive way, you didn't seem ready to attack either of us. If anything, she just doesn't care for our cause. If you leave, my shield won't be able to focus at all and I don't think Iris, Luna or even Aranea would take it very well."

They hadn't talked much in the last few weeks, but Crowe couldn't help the relieved smile that came to her face.

"Thank you, Noctis."

"I should be the one thanking you," the prince objected. "We've been dragging you around and postponing your answers about this to focus on our own problems..."

"Well, with what I know, I think the postponing wasn't so bad. Try not to worry too much about me. You already have enough on your plate."

Noctis wanted to check on every of his friends, but he soon found himself sitting in a tent alone with Luna, after listening to Ignis's advice of turning in early. There was a moment of uneasy silence as Noctis looked at Luna, neither of them feeling quite ready to talk. The Oracle focused on combing her hair, her mind adrift. It wasn't weird for them to be together, they always preferred having time alone on being apart, but after spending three days in a small house, the small space reminded them of how precarious their situation was. No roots, no house, always borrowing their living quarters, making due with camping…

Noctis was in a daze as he contemplated all the things and emotions he'd been through in a single day. The fear, guilt and remorse; the pain, anguish and despair. Not to mention the shock and surprise when Etro took control of Crowe out of nowhere. How Crowe could now remove any trace of the blight from daemons, while Luna couldn't heal them at that advanced stage. This had to be quite a blow for her.

Catching himself staring almost mindlessly at the woman of his dreams, he looked away and prepared their sleeping bags and sheets, wishing he didn't ask her to sleep on the ground so often. The silent stretched out, eating away at his nerves and he broke it first, noticing Luna was switching clothes, all of her moves a hint too sharp. She was deep in thought and he wasn't sure those thoughts were any good to her.

"Luna?"

"Hmmm?"

"Are you… okay?"

Luna bit her lower lip before to answer with the negative.

"In time, I'll be. But all of these challenges. The fact we lose something for every small victory. It's starting to wear me down," she confided.

She seemed ready to apologize for not being any stronger and Noctis halted her right there, chest bare, eyes filled with the mirror of her pain.

"Thank you for telling me the truth, Luna. We need a real break. And as soon as I know how things are looking around Lucis, we'll be talking about a few months of rest. I'm sick of running around."

She sat down next to him, gripping his hands, following the instant tug of his arms. He didn't want a kiss, not right away, only for her to lay next to him, for her warmth to cushion the worst of the ache. Questions were rushing through his mind, most about his father' s last moments. The death she had witnessed while he remained blissfully unware. But he was tired of crying, tired of the dull throb in his throat from all the sobs he permitted himself. Closure was far from being obtained, even though that had been his main goal for visiting Insomnia one last time.

"Was this part of your private talk with Ignis?" Luna asked him.

Guilt was back somehow, and he wondered if this guilt could ever leave him…

"Haven't we moped around enough?" Noctis wondered out loud.

"In all honesty, I don't believe we've given ourselves enough time for it. But I won't push…"

With a deep sigh, he gave in. "Did you ever had the feeling it would be better to simply drop all of this?"

"Oh Noctis, you have no idea how many times… But we can't, can't we? We're the last chance our world has…"

He swallowed, hard. His strong Lunafreya had wanted to give up too? The idea comforted him as much as her last words weighed him down. He hugged her closer, glad for her hand in his hair, her breath on his cheek.

"Ignis believe we can do it. He's the most rational person I know, so he must be right."

Her light chuckle reverberated through him. Hope in front of their unclear, impossible future.

"I know you can do it, Noctis. We just need less ruins and gravestones."

"Yeah… I'm sorry for taking you back to the Citadel. It was hard for me trying to picture how bad things looked during the attack, but reliving it…"

"It's okay," she cut him off. "I wanted to be with you. As I'll want you next to me if we ever visit Tenebrae."

He squeezed her shoulder, letting her know he would support her right back. For a moment, they just lied in each other's arms, mind reeling, trying to find comfort in their mutual presence.

"You know, there's something that has been bugging me ever since Cor and Monica started talking of my crowning. I don't have a crown for my queen."

The way he said "my queen" sent Luna's heart aflutter. It was possessive, reverent and so soft at the same time.

"I don't need…" the princess tried to protest.

"I'm serious. I couldn't get you a ring made with you in mind, it's all been family heirloom… But what would you like? A tiara? Or a half tiara to fit with my half crown?"

This time, her laugh was full and lasted long enough to mend his heart. Shuffling backward so he could see her face, he relished her sweet smile and the blush on her cheeks.

"Are you embarrassed? It's a legitimate question."

"I just.. never really saw myself becoming a queen."

He cupped her face, heart swelling as she answered by stroking his jaw with hesitant fingers. As though he could falter beneath her touch when all he wanted was to kiss her palm and fingertips.

"My queen," he repeated.

Her blush intensified and Luna decided to pay him back, uttering the words "My king, my love."

Their hearts could have burst open right there. All the tension and fear vanished when he pulled flush against him, kissing her with abandon. And relief. Luna's hands instinctively looked for skin, her body fitting with his. The kiss shifted in another one, and one more, a dozen more, till the shifts of lips and tongue threatened to turn into desperate moans that would alert their friends. Neither royal was up for desperate love-making, but cuddling and snuggling was more than welcome.

"I love you so much," she sighed as they looked for their breath.

"I love you too," he whispered, voice hoarse with emotion.

 _I love you enough to ache at the thought anything… Never let me look down at a stone to see your name engraved on it._

After a few more kisses, she accepted to lay down on her back, so he could hide his face against her chest. She stroked his hair while his fingers drew shivers along her sides.

"You still haven't answered my question," Noctis observed.

"Which one? About that crown?"

He kissed her collarbone in assent and she held back another shiver.

"I know you said it has all been about family heirloom, but… My mother had a tiara. If we can find it, maybe…"

Her voice gave up on her as she wondered what Ravus would think.

"Of course," Noctis told her. "It'd be perfect."

"Sometimes, I wonder how Tenebrae is doing. I haven't seen a newspaper in weeks."

"We'll find out in Free Crown," he assured her.

"Can we check on the orphans? And take time to seriously sit down with Libertus, Cor and Monica? I get the feeling we've been so close to everything happening, we barely…"

"Luna, stop. We're both anxious, but right now, all this planning will not help us. Can't you talk to me as though we were writing to each other? Small stuff. Your latest dream. A wish you have."

 _Let us be normal, if only just for a few hours,_ he thought.

Lunafreya pondered his question for a very long time.

"I wish we were still in that house, just you and me. Dancing to music for hours. Lying back on a couch to talk. Looking at Prompto's pictures. Going on a trip by the sea. You could teach me how to swim…"

"You don't know?!" he repeated, shocked she only told him so now.

For an instant, he hovered above her, finding her blush endearing as she explained herself.

"Ravus meant to teach me, but he never had the time."

Noctis couldn't help himself but to imagine how a swimming lesson could end if Luna let him have his way and pushed the naughty thoughts to the back of his mind.

"Well, consider that wish granted, Luna."

He held her close for the rest of the night, their talk only dying down when Cor's voice asked for silence, effectively shutting down the various muffled voices coming from all over the camp. The immortal wasn't exactly well placed to complain, since Monica had been sitting with him by the dying fire camp, talking the night away in a hushed tone. The youngest Amicitia had switched tents when the man wasn't looking. They all needed comfort tonight and she felt far too scared to remain alone or ask Monica for comfort.

If anything, Iris simply wondered whether Ravus would let her in. She was ready to wait. But she couldn't picture herself on her own when the only thing in her mind was Camelia's last message. She snuck into his tent, not too surprised to find him scribbling angrily in one of his notebook.

"This better not become a habit," the Tenebraen prince remarked as she closed the tent behind her.

The only light inside came from his phone's screen.

"I'm sorry, alright? I just… I need to feel safe and I don't think I'll get a chance to stop by in Free Crown."

His face darkened and he put down his notes.

"I shouldn't have let you walk into that school," Ravus sighed.

"Maybe was it a wrong idea, but I needed to know what had happened to my friend."

He couldn't help but wonder why she hadn't mentioned her before, but he had his suspicions. Iris had been working hard on not being a burden for anyone. She'd fled with refugees and focused on looking after other people. During her time in Lestallum, she most certainly had looked all over the place for either of her friends. She surely had in Free Crown too. They were mostly if not all dead, and she'd accepted as much already. Checking on Camelia had been a way to torture herself, or maybe to clear her conscience. He wondered if he understood her well enough yet to even speculate as much. The young girl was kneeling on one side of the tent and all he wanted was to shelter her from all this pain somehow. Visiting her father's grave should have been enough. Watching on as her friends suffered, as her brother despaired… She was so damn young to go through all that.

"So… You want to sleep here?" he asked.

Iris held back a sigh. Why couldn't he just let her in? Did he really want her to spell everything out, or was he just being his usual, awkward self? She felt so wrong and she couldn't even tell why.

"If you don't mi…mind…"

Her voice seemed ready to shatter and Ravus let his instincts take over. He wasn't good with tears. Never had been. But he didn't want to wait until she started crying, his own unease be damned. He erased the space between them, steeling his heart as her hands reached out for him. Could he ever get used to that impression? The idea he –of all people– could help her? That when she felt this vulnerable, she'd come to him?

Her fingers gripped to his shirt, shoulders shaking, her tears too far, a hiccup escaping her lips before that his arms settled around her. He pulled her in, far closer than he ever let anyone, letting her kneel in his lap and hide her face in the hollow of his neck.

"Iris…"

"I just… feel wrong. Why couldn't she get out in time?"

"You mustn't blame yourself for surviving. None of your friends would have wanted that."

"But…"

"I know. It still feels wrong. But remember the people you brought safely to Lestallum. That was more than you should have ever been asked to do."

"She didn't believe me. If she'd listened…"

"Ifs won't change how you feel," he cut her off.

It was a harsh thing to say, but Iris didn't insist, her whimpers taking away her voice for the next few minutes.

She barely sensed his human hand in her hair, cupping the back of her head, but she felt safer in his arms. She liked the sound of his heartbeat under her ear. The smell of foreign spice that always followed him, the dark fabric under her trembling fingers. He kissed her left temple, his touch gentle and soft. Throughout the pain, a burst of warmth eased her heart. Despite everything she had lost, she found him. Camelia might never have that, but she would have been happy for her, Iris knew her friend well enough to be certain of it.

"Can I stay here?" she pleaded.

"Of course, you can," Ravus replied almost instantly.

She tried to thank him, but the words stuck to her throat. She just wanted to make herself as small as possible and for her mind to stop turning. For the sick pictures to vanish from her memory.

"How does it ever go away?" Iris asked him.

She knew he'd seen his share of corpses. But sadly, Ravus had no magic word for her.

"You need to let them go first. It will take time and it might not work every day. Don't expect it to work right now either."

Her hands snuck up to his shoulders and her brown eyes met his, red, but tearless. She looked somehow younger than usual when she tried to swallow back another sob, shivering in his arms. Sadly, the pain in her eyes wasn't young or even innocent.

"I want to forget right now."

His heart missed a beat when she pulled on his shirt, her pink lips pinched together as she let doubt and misery guide her actions. Everyone around them seemed to hold on by clinging to their other half. Couldn't it work for her too? Ravus wanted nothing but to get another taste of her, to pretend he could help her forget. But he had sick pictures of his own in mind. He gently but firmly pried her hands off.

"You can't forget, Iris. All you can do is forgive her and forgive yourself."

"Why should I forgive her?!"

"Shhh… You have a right to resent her. For not listening to your warning. For not being somewhere else, somewhere safe."

"But I don't…"

Iris paused mid-sentence, realizing he was somehow right. She wasn't simply sad. She was also angry. Not only with Camelia, but with her father too. With the king who had let things go that far… Taken aback, she looked back up to him, wondering how he could have predicted her feeling before she'd even realized it.

"How did you…?"

"Just talking from experience. I haven't done a lot of forgiving yet. But according to Luna, it helps… As for resenting people, you might just have a worldwide expert in front of you," he explained, looking a little sheepish.

She did smile at that, feeling more grounded, almost herself. Out of impulse, she laced her fingers with his metal ones. The way he frowned as he noticed only made her smile more. This might just help her forget, although she felt nervous when she thought of what could happen if she followed her line of thought.

"Why do you always do that?" he couldn't help himself.

Iris knew he wondered why she only focused on his metal hand.

"Give me your other hand."

He obeyed, albeit reluctantly. He seemed ready to pull away as she kissed one of his knuckles, before to guide his hand to her face.

"I don't want that prosthetic to be a barrier between us, but it seems I can keep my distances if I only reach out to you through it. As though it's less of a risk, but… At the same time, I feel closer to you when I hold that hand. It's pretty much how we started to see each other as anything else than enemies. That doesn't make much sense, doesn't it? My point is… I've come to trust you and you can touch me with either…"

He paled, throat too tight, his imagination running wild despite his best effort.

"Don't talk like that."

"Ravus, I'm not trying to skip any step. I don't want to linger on Insomnia anymore…"

"And the next best subject is how and where I can touch you?!"

She blushed, but kept a hold on his human hand.

"No, but I don't want to be alone. And I'd rather you hold me with both arms tonight."

Which had never happened on either of the two nights they'd spend together. He'd always removed or lacked his right arm. The thought helped him realize he had felt safer that way. Incomplete. Less threatening. He'd set himself limits amidst all the horror he accepted to inflict without even realizing it. But there was nothing impure in the way she said it right now. Ravus still felt overwhelmed, but he feared insisting would only make her self-aware or worse, scared.

"You'd better get back to your tent before anyone wake up," he warned.

"I will," Iris promised. "You'd better not try anything weird," she added, hoping to repay him the crimson blush she felt on her cheek.

"Vague terms. I guess it's only fair."

He rolled his shoulders, thinking it might help him get rid of his nervousness, but he was a jumpy pile of tensions when she moved to open his sleeping bag. He forced himself to get over it and was rewarded with a gasp from Iris when he wrapped his human arm around her and laid them both on his makeshift bed.

"I didn't bite you the last two times," he reminded her.

"You just surprised me," she defended herself, turning around in his hold to hide her face against his chest.

He turned off the light on his cellphone, letting her use his shoulder as a pillow, wondering how she could feel so right next to him. Her voice tickled his skin and he found himself whispering back, stroking her back or her hair as the bad feelings kept coming and going. He made it his mission to keep her distracted from bad thoughts until sleep claimed her. Then, he wondered if sleep could find him, flustered and overwhelmed as he felt.

He barely thought of the harsh welcome he should expect in Free Crown. Her small hands on him, her steady, even breath and the occasional snore that escaped her as she dove deeper into sleep lulled him to peace. He might never want to go back to sleeping on his own if it felt that comforting.

To be continued…

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Fewwwww… So that scene at Iris's school might leave, but I like what it brought in the end of the chapter with the raviris part. :D Let me know what you think. The self-destruction antics of the team with the whole "let's face our broken hometown" is over. Time for a fluff arc and some politics, with Noctis's crowning, Crowe's new powers and the social rehabilitation of Ravus. Also, I need to have them celebrate Christmas. I hope I'll be able to bring next chapter faster. I'd like to get to chapter 60 before the end of the year.

Reviews always make me immensely happy! Have a good day/night and stay safe!


	58. Catch your breath

I'm so sorry for taking so long before updating. I was sidetracked by school, and a few crisis. I'm finally done with that big paper I was working on and should be able to relax during the holiday. I have played Ignis's episode, and can I say that the alternate ending gave me the one thing FFXV hadn't given me a while? I call it HOPE. Not the kid from FFXIII, but oh well, bad jokes aside. That episode was worth it. And I'm glad I haven't reached Altissia yet in this fic. I'm remodeling a few plans, although things are set on a good track to somehow include both sides of this episode into the fic. Alternate ending is close to my new headcanon, but I don't want to spoil you. You can check my more elaborate thoughts on it via my tumblr, which link can be found on my bio.

This chapter include fluff, a bit of slice of life and more fluff, although angst is lying here and there. We have Raviris, Noctaluna, a bit of Crowdio and Ignea. Also, Crowe's transformation is explained a bit more. I couldn't delay the rules surrounding this. Needed to lighten up the atmosphere around the group. The first sequence is a bit… intense. But after trying three different starts for this chapter, it's the one I stuck with. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!

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Unexpected

Chapter 58 – Catch your breath

She was too close. Or was he too close? Her hands were pushing against his chest. Scraping at his arms. He held her wrists down, grunting over her whimpers. A voice deep in his head told him to stop, or at least to be gentle, but he couldn't control his body at all. It was like watching himself moving, trapped behind his own eyes. A minute ago, he was barely lucid, missing the moment when he'd pushed her down on the bed. Now, all he could do was feel her shaking and crying as his feverish body looked for release. Her hips shuddered against his and he felt her teeth digging into his arm, right under his elbow. Hard enough to draw blood. For an instant, their muffled scream melted together.

"Please stop," she begged.

His throat was tight from the words his brain tried to form. This should have never started.

She pulled on his hair, yanking off a few strands, putting up all the resistance she could. Why didn't they drug her too? Give them the excuse of this haze? Or was his memory playing tricks on him? Everything felt foreign. The sweat that made her hair cling to her skin, the urge to hide his face against her neck, the muscles and bones he could guess under his hands. Could he only hurt people? Was it truly all he was capable off?

"I'm…"

 _Sorry, sorry, so sorry, this isn't me, if it was me..._

Spots of color filled his vision and blinking only made him dizzier. His heart was up in his throat as he tried to retain his consciousness. To control his own movements again. But he faded in and out, catching glimpse of more tears, more nails trying to push him away.

Ravus woke up with a gasp, his breathing too quick, legs kicking off the covers. Iris was startled awake and instinctively shifted closer to him, which only fueled his panic more. As she realized he tried to back away from her, Iris grabbed his hands.

"That was a nightmare," she told him, voice sleepy, her eyes already softening with kindness.

He wanted to dismiss the memories, but his heart couldn't beat right with Iris this close. He needed space, needed cold air and maybe a few fights against daemons to remind himself he was no monster. Not that kind of monster at least. His face was too pale and the young girl insisted in comforting him.

"Look at me, Ravus."

 _No. No she might see it in my eyes,_ he thought, logic eluding him.

But pushing her away was over, so instead, he pulled her into his arms, if only to reassure himself. This space next to his heart would always be safe for her. Her face would never show in that dream and he wouldn't…

"What's…wrong?" Iris asked, alarmed by the frantic way his human hand stroked her hair.

And how his metal arm kept her close, how his body seemed to fold around her. As though he was shielding her from invisible foes.

"It's…" He really didn't see any way to explain himself without scaring her off. He looked up at the ceiling of the tent, focusing on calming his breathing and pushing away the sickening impression. A part of him wanted to check the inside of his arm for the bite scar, but it had been his right arm. He shivered as the thought brought back even more bad memories. "Sorry for waking you up like that."

"It's not like you can control the dreams you have."

He couldn't help himself but think that if he had been more careful, the event giving roots to this nightmare would have never happened to begin with.

"Still, I'd rather not give you the impression I wake up screaming every morning," he tried to joke around.

"If it makes you cuddly, I don't think it will be a problem."

He chuckled at that, even though the underlying meaning made his throat tighten. They were both wishing for something long-term and it was a whole new way to look at life for him.

"Let me get this right, you want me to have nightmares?"

"No, I just… like hugs," Iris explained, fighting against the blush that slowly covered her cheeks.

Ravus squeezed her just a bit tighter, leaning his head down her neck to breath her in, just to make sure he was fully in control. And maybe because he knew he wouldn't have her this close for a while. The feel of her arms around him pushed most of the nightmare away and he allowed himself to relish her presence.

"When did you get this cute?" he whispered against her skin.

She shivered down to her very heart. This unexpected side of Ravus was so sweet.

"Don't call me that. Makes me feel like a little kid," she pouted, trying to shuffle away from him only to be held back.

"You could be an old granny, and I would still think you're cute, so don't take it badly."

"But what if I don't want to be cute?" Iris shot back, managing to catch his eyes as he sat straighter.

Much to her surprise, there was a glint of fear in his eyes when her arms slipped up and settled around his neck.

"Iris, I'm not good with words. Or cuddling. And we should check the time before someone starts looking for you."

"Are you going to brush me off even when I'm in my right mind? Waiting doesn't mean we have to act like strangers when we're alone."

Ravus had to admit, he had forced her to take the reigns far too often when it came to getting closer, but he didn't feel comfortable yet to take initiatives. His nightmare was so fresh. But he couldn't remember kissing that girl without a name. Did it make it less wrong?

"Two words of caution. Morning breath."

Like she could care about morning breath after everything she'd already been through!

Her eyes shone with her smile and the sight was enough to let go of any hesitation. She trusted him enough to sneak into his tent at night and he wasn't going to break that trust. He cut off her laugh with a kiss, far more intense than the last one they'd exchanged. Her hands pulled him in, some of her despair from yesterday resurfacing. It wasn't sure which one of them needed this embrace more, but Ravus discovered that she could be just as demanding as him. Iris switched from tentative tries to a fire she didn't even know was hiding in her. The three first kisses were far from enough and by the fifth, he felt like a teenager. Her hands were cupping his face and he wasn't sure how to hold her. His hands kept shifting from her waist to her shoulders and her head, as though he couldn't grasp all of her. Their nose brushed and bumped, but their movements were too slow for it to turn uncomfortable. If anything, Ravus felt far too comfortable.

Iris's phone buzzed from her alarm, the small noise pulling them apart, panting, faces flushed.

"You didn't caution me about the right thing," she whispered, bringing one hand to her swollen lips.

He gulped down, hard. Her hair was a mess and she looked beautiful, no matter how young she was.

"This is not what I had in mind when I said we would wait," he admitted.

His hands were still on her waist and she seemed torn between stepping right back into his embrace and the fact she had to sneak back out.

"I don't know if I like the idea of keeping this a secret from the others," Iris told him.

"Well, no more sneaking around then," he decided. "We wait."

He sounded less convinced than the other day and Iris gave him a brief peck on the cheek, despite the few days beard.

"We wait," she repeated. "Until the next time I miss you too much to stay away."

For once, Ravus had no witty comeback. He just smiled at her, a full, honest smile. The look they shared lasted a very long time, long enough for the blush to fade, but their smile remained. She was thankful for his comfort, and he was thankful for how much more alive she made him feel.

"Get going before I decide to kidnap you and take you back to my castle or something," he teased her when the urge to steal another kiss from her became too strong.

Iris managed to get out of his tent and back to Monica's tent undetected thanks to the fact Monica has spent her night with Cor, sleeping next to the campfire, wrapped closely to him, which earned the Immortal the full attention from the rest of the camp. If anything, the hardest part was to act normal around Ravus. She felt even closer to him than before.

…

Ignis was positively furious.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

"Borrowing a cauldron," Ravus bit back on the same tone. "It's not like you're going to use it right now."

"And for what purpose do you need this cauldron?", Ignis insisted.

"If you have to know, I need to collect a specific specimen of flan."

"And what…" Ignis halt his inquiry, unable to keep his usual collected tone as he snapped. "Forget it. You are not using any of my finely crafted kitchen tools to collect daemons!"

"I am not taking orders from you Scientia," Ravus retorted. "You can ask your friend Gladio to come up with a new cauldron in case this one is beyond repair after I'm done. It's not like I would go out of my way for a flan if a member on our team didn't need some answers…"

Ignis's anger died down at that, but Ravus didn't wait to hear what the man had to say, taking off without a word for either Luna, Iris, or the lady he was collecting the flan for, Crowe. Noctis barely caught a glimpse of the white chocobo his soon-to-be brother-in-law left with.

"Why is he in such a rush?"

"He can't wait to ruin one of my cauldrons. We might not eat stew for some time," Ignis explained, keeping a straight face, but the annoyance not entirely absent from his voice.

"Someone's on edge," Prompto commented.

"Aren't we all?" Gladiolus added.

"Why don't we head up to Hammerhead?" Cindy suggested. "This truck needs some serious revision," she continued, giving a condemning look to Monica.

"I wonder if that garage of yours would be up for one of my inspections," the older woman scoffed at her.

"Oh, oh, ya're on, lady!"

Crowe had tried to keep to herself, still feeling like an intruder as she wondered when Etro would try to get the control over her again. She couldn't pretend it wouldn't happen. And as much as she wanted to hope, she couldn't help the feeling that they had gotten through too many desperate situations mostly unscathed for things to remain in their favor.

"Hey," Aranea called out to her as she neared the spot where the former Glaive was sitting, lost in thoughts.

"Hey. How are you holding up?"

The dragoon looked surprised.

"Me?! I guess I'm doing okay in the circumstances. Insomnia was dead to me a long time ago. I could have been sent out to attack it if Ardyn or Caligo had decided so. It's never fun to walk in a destroyed city, but you've been there already."

Crowe was taken aback. She'd been so focused on the Damocles sword hanging above her head that she hadn't realized that looking at this broken version of Insomnia reminded her of Galahd. But it had been in the back of her mind. In the back of her heart. Weighing her down.

"I always thought that hardships made us stronger, not…"

Crowe shrugged her shoulders, gesturing as though she was ready to give up. Aranea sat next to her, a knowing smile on her face.

"For that, you need time in between these hardships. Bones get stronger after getting broken, but not until they heal."

"That's really wise coming from you," Crowe observed. "I'm just worried time isn't a luxury we have."

"I get that you're stressed out, especially since you don't really know where you stand. But we've won enough battles against the empire to have some time. If anyone can figure out the rules Etro has set for her little possession game, it's Ravus Nox Fleuret." Aranea looked alarmed after realizing how she'd phrase it, but Crowe actually laughed and shook her head to tell her there were no hurt feelings.

"That sounded far less ominous than everything I've heard lately. Thinking I could be possessed again by the goddess of Death herself… Well, I don't like thinking about it. You know Ravus a lot more than the rest of us do. And I think you're not as partial as Luna or even Iris when it comes to that guy. So, do you have any idea what sort of test he could have in mind for me?"

"He's pretty much been raised by the imperial army, so you can expect a few traps here and there. By traps, I mean that he won't explain everything outright. He liked to throw recruits into the unknown to see what were their weaknesses and strengths. I had to mend things a few times for his squads. But I can tell he's going to be careful with you. Iris likes you too much. And I think he fears Gladio a bit, although he won't ever admit it."

"I wonder who would win if Gladiolus and Ravus were to go all out against each other. Although I really don't want to see that. Ravus is so…"

"Ruthless? He really doesn't know when to quit," Aranea admitted. "But enough about that guy. I've heard you were thinking of leaving the team."

"Noctis and Gladiolus are both against it and I can guess what Luna and Iris have to say. But when I have a clearer idea of how much of a risk I am, I will make a decision. Don't think badly of me if I do leave. I have lost enough comrades as it is. I won't be the cause of it."

Aranea crossed her arms over her chest, a disappointed expression on her face.

"You're quick to dub yourself as a danger," the dragoon warned her. "So far, you being possessed means that you can destroy daemons in the bat of an eye and incredible magic that you have used against the empire. You've done nothing but help us, as yourself and possessed."

Crowe heaved a sigh. There was truth in her friend's words. But she was afraid to start hoping and see it all crumble afterwards.

"I should already be dead," Crowe pointed out, as though it was her final argument.

"I really should show you the cliffs I fell from. You're not the only miraculous survivor around this team."

"You're right. I can't give up before putting up a fight. And I can't fight without knowing what I'm up against."

"That's the spirit!"

…

The ride to Hammerhead was uneventful. Gladio shared his bike with Iris, while Crowe and Aranea drove right after the Regalia. Ignis was in higher spirits as soon as he sat behind the wheel. He'd missed driving during the last few days. And he'd also missed the Regalia more than he was willing to admit. Noctis and Luna sat on the back seat, while Cindy was driving her truck, with Prompto as her passenger. They made quite the long convoy actually, with Cor and Monica bringing the rear, but for once, they weren't interrupted by a single dropship.

Cindy immediately had Monica's truck brought inside the garage, Ignis letting Prompto convince him to play game of poker, to which Noctis instantly joined, soon copied by Aranea and Crowe. Gladiolus insisted of spending time with Iris, even though he was far too big to help her and Luna in the kitchen and kept kicking stuff over with his large frame. Monica having set on inspecting the garage, Cor supervised the poker game, soon joining in and losing far more than any of the guys would have expected.

It seemed weird to act as though nothing had happened, but life couldn't stop because Insomnia was a pile of ruins. Ravus showed up in time for lunch, Ignis turning livid at the sight of his cauldron. The topper had been melted to prevent the daemon from coming out and the thing was clearly beyond salvation, or at least, never seeing a kitchen again. Luna instantly chided her brother for leaving on his own.

"Would it kill you to ask for help?" she asked him as she finished her sermon.

"As a matter of fact…" he started with a smirk, only for Luna to give him a light whack on the head with her trident. "When did you turn so violent?"

"I followed in your footsteps," she quipped right back. "You are my big brother after all."

Their exchanges had grown warmer and the rest of the team had to admit, it was nice to see the Fleuret siblings losing their composure. It gave Noctis the impression Luna was getting back part of the life the empire had stolen from her.

"I'll still go off on my own," he warned her, earning himself a few pokes in the ribs.

"It's time for lunch," Monica called out.

They enjoyed a relaxed meal, leaving any planning or questions about their next action to the side. Crowe was too impatient to wait much longer for her tests though and the Fleurets escorted her and Gladio a mile and a half from Hammerhead to start. Ravus had warned it might take more than a day to run all his tests, but since he had to do with a transportable lab, he was more intent on gathering new results for him to analyze when they'd reach Free Crown.

…

Ravus started out by having Crowe use various degrees of magic. There was no possession despite how much fire, lightning and ice she used. Only when he insisted for Crowe to cast her wind magic did changes appear. The dark veins started showing and Crowe instantly stopped, the transformation receding as soon as the magic died down.

"Okay… The wind magic comes from your connection with Etro," Luna determined. "But you had it before that encounter with the Glaives in Duscae."

"It corroborates with my first hypothesis," Ravus stated. "Etro had set her eyes on you far earlier. You might have encountered her before and she reconnected with you in Duscae to step up her game."

Crowe was left to stare blankly at them as she tried to see when she could have encountered a goddess…

"I was an orphan, Libertus found me on the street. Could it have been from this early on? And if so… how can I get rid of this?"

Gladiolus darkened and mumbled something to himself that sounded like "not helping with what matters", but Ravus dismissed him entirely. He was keeping him along only in case Crowe fully fell under Etro's influence.

"Gods can be hurt by mortals," Ravus declared. "We have books in Tenebrae that should help. And it seems you can control the transformation if you're conscious enough when it starts. Time for that flan…"

Being exposed to the daemon had resulted in an instant reaction the other time, when she was possessed. Now, she felt a strange tug in the back of her mind, and realized it turned into a migraine the closer she got to the daemon. Ravus was surprisingly good at containing flans. Luna had offered using her white magic as a barrier, but the tests they'd ran before proved that Crowe didn't react too well to the princess's magic. It didn't trigger a transformation, but the headaches were pretty handicapping.

"How long do you want me to stand next to that daemon?" Crowe asked after half an hour.

"Longer," Ravus shot back.

If he dared, he might have tried attacking her to see what would happen if she felt threatened. He was pretty certain it was a condition for Crowe to lower her guard against Etro. But he couldn't do something like that. He had Crowe sitting down with the flan nearby, keeping it far enough for the headache to be tolerable. Luna was growing through all the information she could find on her phone about Etro. She was still having a few difficulty dealing with the thing, but she'd collected a lot of encyclopedias and had Ignis and Prompto help her gather any hidden information. Reading on that small screen was a new challenge, but she was adapting.

After precisely one hour and a half of being nearby a daemon, Crowe felt the tugging sensation shift. And before she could react, Etro took over. As if she had reached her limit and couldn't wait to right the unbalance by purging that monster back to a corpse. The brown hair turned white, the veins popped out on her skin and she hovered more than she walked toward the trapped flan. Her magic cleanse the blight from the daemon, turning it into a child, skin white and black, hair half fallen off.

"Oh, for Bahamut's sake," Luna whispered.

"Bahamut, huh?" Crowe repeated, her voice strangely disformed. "Why do you always pray to those lower versions? When I'm the one who waits for you in the end?"

Ravus didn't like the way Crowe's eyes stared at his sister and stood between both women. Gladio was already standing next to Crowe, grabbing her by the shoulders in order to bring her back to her senses. Neither of them knew if it could work, but it seemed safe to assume it would, since it had already happened once.

"You…" Etro started, anger ringing in her voice even stronger now.

But as she turned around, the anger seemed to fade and it took only one "come back, baby" from Gladio to turn her back. Maybe because the link had been established on something far weaker than Etro's very temple.

"What did I…?

One look around was answer enough and for a second, Crowe wanted nothing but to hide in Gladiolus's arms. Except she couldn't. This was her fight, and while she needed his help, she didn't want to turn into someone entirely relying on the people around her.

"So if I followed all of this correctly, I can fight daemons, as long as the fights don't drag for too long. And I can use magic, just not wind magic," she concluded

"And I wouldn't recommend using magic when you're particularly stressed out or emotional. Let's say, in mortal danger," Ravus explained.

Luna elbowed him at that, but couldn't speak fast enough. Gladio was already reassuring Crowe.

"I won't let that happen if I can help it."

…

Upon regrouping in Hammerhead, the team agreed that they all needed more time off before to get to Free Crown, which would be incredibly crowded from what Libertus insisted in his last call.

"Monica and I will go first, if only to make sure you can have a quiet entrance," Cor offered.

"Try to be gentle with that truck," Cindy cautioned them.

"And the lady too," Gladiolus added, earning himself a glare that would have made even King Regis tremble behind his armiger.

Monica cut off the exchange. "Watch yourself kids, that lion bites. And you don't want to know what I do."

They watched the older couple leave with dumbfounded looks, before to quickly determine their plans for the night. Noctis was pretty keen on taking Luna all the way over to galdyn quay to give her swimming lessons, while Cindy wanted to tinker a bit more around the garage. Ravus actually needed to run an update on his arm and Iris suggested shopping, if only to get new phones or replacement pieces for their few broken phones. The project got Prompto's attention, if only to dress an inventory of what they needed and what they could get here in Hammerhead. A visit in Lestallum might definitely be the answer to their problems, but for the moment, everyone agreed on staying in Cleigne before going on their merry way.

…

"How are you doing?" Crowe asked her boyfriend as they parted from the larger group to sleep in the RV. Ignis and Aranea had left right after dinner for the small motel of Longwhyte's peak and some real privacy. Iris had challenged Prompto to reprogram Takka's computer so they could enjoy games and Ravus had vanished somewhere.

The king's shield had held back on the tests and their results, getting the impression Crowe wanted him to give her space. He sat his large frame on the bed and forced a smile as she eyed him with the worried look that was becoming too familiar to his taste.

"Messy," Gladiolus sighed. "But you came back to yourself way faster this time. And while you still need more answers, I can't help but feel that we're getting somewhere."

"As I do."

She walked up to him, her face lighting up with playful expression.

"I can't get the way you kissed me back in that park out of my head."

"That was intense," he admitted, flashing her a full smile.

Her hand pushed on his chest and he lied back, his arms instantly pulling her in.

"I'll show you intense, big guy."

It felt like coming back home. For a night, they could reclaim their usual confidence and let it slip away with all the fears and doubts they'd been crumbling under lately. And it was exactly what they needed. Not only to let off some steam, but to reconnect, if only to make sure that it still felt right. There was almost no light in the caravan, but the shadows played tricks on him as he held on to her. Her hair almost looked white for an instant, and when he blinked, it was his girl again. He brushed the doubts aside, wondering why a prayer was burning the back of his throat when he'd never prayed before. Their whispers and sighs died into the night.

…

Lunafreya had objected at first to the drive up to Galdyn quay, but the prospect of spending some time alone with Noctis was too good to pass up. The afternoon was well advanced as they reached the resort, but they still had enough light for a few hours of lessons. There was something surreal about stepping on the sand, under a cloudless sky after all they'd been through. Luna still blushed as she stood next to Noctis in her swimsuit and felt his eyes on her. His stare was warm and she stared right back, blushing just a bit more when he raised one brow at her.

"What?"

"I'm just happy to be here with you. Relaxed…"

"…and nearly naked," he added, stealing a really brief kiss from her. "If you keep looking at me like that, we'll skip that lesson and just enjoy ourselves."

"Tempting. But I'd like our excuse for being here to hold a bit of truth."

She regretted it a little at first. The water was colder than she'd expected, and while she resisted well to the cold, she felt a bit nervous about this lesson. So far, Noctis had almost always been the one learning from her.

"Don't tense up like that. Even if you can't swim, you can float naturally. I'll show you."

She tried to follow his instructions and panicked, splashing and struggling to get a hold on him whenever he let go of her for even a second. It was a side of her he hadn't seen yet.

"Luna, it's okay, we still have footing."

"Maybe I don't need to learn it right now…"

"You suggested it. And it's just water."

A light wave crashed into them and Luna gasped when a second one followed suit, dragging them just a few feet further away from the beach as it moved back. Noctis held her closer to him, her back flush against his chest, leaning his head next to hers so his voice could ring right into her ear, his breath brushing against her neck.

"I won't let anything happen to you, Luna. Not here, not ever."

"I know," she whispered back, trying to control her beating heart. "I don't even know why I feel this scared. Those waves look so strong."

"I can warp us away at any time," he reminded her.

"I didn't expect myself to react like this. Unless… I had these nightmares before."

When she closed her eyes, she could see the Sylleblossoms floating around her as clear as day, everything behind them a deep blue without ends. Without air. She forced herself to breathe, wondering why she was only remembering this now.

"What nightmare?"

"Do you remember the game we used to play in Tenebrae? That the Sylleblossoms around us were an ocean, moving back and forth as we drifted?"

Noctis was taken aback. Their games had been really limited by his crippled state and most of them had been stories they told each other, Luna being the more inventive out of them both. Drifting with the breeze, away from worries, in a world of flowers and light. It had been the intent of their game back then, but somehow, it had left a different impression on Lunafreya.

"I do remember. But how…?"

"A few years ago, I had this dream where the sylleblossoms were the only things I could see in a dark ocean. I couldn't move, I kept sinking down, till I drowned."

She stated it without fear in her voice, matter-of-factly, but she felt so tense next to him, Noctis could guess how hard those nightmares had been for her.

"That's… really dark. You never told me… Not even in our letters," he observed, trying to hold back the resentment in his voice.

How many more fears was she hiding?

"Those nightmares stopped when I became the Oracle. And I had far too many nightmares to write about them all. I can't even remember them all…" His hold on her turned even tighter and she bit her lips, hating herself for making him worry more. "I mean…"

"Oh Luna… I thought those flowers made you happy."

"They do. I can get over this. I will get over this!" she vowed, her hands turning into fists, her voice as determined as if she was facing an Astral.

He loved her so much, his heart ached. He tried to turn her around, which meant temporarily letting go of her and her panic rose right back.

"I only want to kiss you. Take some of that darkness away. I'm not letting anything happen to you."

"I trust you, Noct. Can we just take a few steps back?"

He obliged her, stealing her lips before their feet were out of the water. His kiss felt like diving deep, knowing with certainty his arms would be there to catch her. There was no despair, no rush. Their bodies shifted closer and a few murmurs could be heard, because they weren't exactly alone on that beach, but neither of them really cared. They grounded each other.

It was only a dozen kisses later that Luna offered him a light smile, feeling a lot less tense next to him.

"Take two?"

"Only if you're sure," the prince insisted.

They went slow, Noctis making sure to keep her comfortable, while building up her confidence. She would squirm at every stronger wave, but her reactions were growing more under control. Floating scared her more than swimming since it looked too much like drifting away. After a few hours, she got the hang of it, just as the sun receded on the horizon, painting the sea with gold and dark blue.

"It's so pretty," she mused.

"Almost as much as you," Noctis added without hesitation.

"Smooth. While I must look quite shriveled up."

He laughed and kissed her fingertips, gently tugging her back to the sand and ground. They felt heavy, but also quite relaxed. Their dinner was so elaborate, Lunafreya hesitated before taking her first bite. There was no debate as for their sleeping quarters. They both wanted a comfy bed and from the way they ate each other up with their eyes, sleep wasn't high on their priority list. They wanted to use the time they had together to the fullest, since Free Crown might not permit as much intimacy.

After love, Noctis was happy to feel Luna instinctively curling next to him, her head just above his heart, her hair fanning out on his chest. She toyed with a few hairs, tickling him just enough for a content laugh to escape his lips. They felt warm and sated and free.

"Are you nervous about tomorrow?" she asked him after some time.

His hand followed her spine, all the way down, the young man relishing her shiver and goosebumps.

"I don't want to think about tomorrow," he admitted.

"Well, I was wondering how it would sound when I can finally call you… my king," she tried out, raising herself one on elbow to see the look on his face.

Noctis was shocked. And quite flustered. His blush made her heart melt. Where was the bold, confident man who'd held her up a few hours earlier?

"You don't have to call me that…"

"But I like it. And I owe you for calling me your queen," Luna observed.

"Get down here, pretty queen," his voice a little hoarse from the emotion she could see in his eyes.

If wearing a crown and carrying the sake of an entire country on his shoulders was the price to have her in his life, Noctis was ready to say it was worth it. He wanted to protect her so much, he couldn't help his next question, in between kisses.

"No bad dream tonight, okay?"

"How about we just skip on sleep?"

Their kisses tasted like smiles. Like sunshine and clean earth. His hands wouldn't let go of her, wouldn't let any place untouched or uncared for. Every shiver she created through him mended the hurt collected on that past few days. There was so much time to catch up on, so many wounds and fears to replace with love, one night couldn't be enough. But Luna promised him a thousand more nights like this one, if he was ready to bear with her.

"I've fallen far too deep now. You shouldn't ask."

"And miss on you being sweet?"

He laughed on her skin. Warm, soft, maybe too pale.

"I'm setting myself up for failure, raising your standards to something impossibly high," he teased her.

"There will never be a standard. I'm happy with you, Noct."

Passion's frenzy took over, their names echoing into the night.

…

Ignis wanted to be sweet, but Aranea cornered him right as they entered their room, tackling him to the door before he could even lock it. They hadn't talked during their ride, hadn't gotten to speak much since their exit of Insomnia. The last night had been quiet, both of them too tired to stay up late. He could tell his girlfriend was worried about Crowe and had been holding a lot of things back because of how much everyone else on the team was affected by the state of Insomnia.

"Ari…"

"I don't want to talk Iggy. Not with words."

Her lips and hands were pretty clear about what she wanted from him and he felt just as frantic as her, although that very frenzy was scaring him. Were they always going to settle into rushed comfort? Wouldn't he be able to give her anything more stable than a few stolen moments here and there?

Her hands moved along the sides of his face, until her fingers were ruffling his hair into a mess of strands and he felt her thumb linger on his forehead at some point.

"You're frowning," she stated, pulling away to look up into his eyes.

"I'm worried."

"Well, stop it," Aranea commanded him playfully, before to add as an afterthought. "Please?"

It sounded childish, but he couldn't help the smirk that grew on his face.

"Doesn't it feel weird to rush off to some hotel to have time on our own?"

She licked her lower lip, tentatively slow, drawing one hand down his shirt, deftly undoing his buttons.

"What are you worried about? Noctis? Lucis? Little ol' me?"

He heaved a sigh, taking his glasses off to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"I don't think I could make a full list right now. Today was good. I simply… have the feeling you kept things to yourself for all of our sakes."

She eyed him with one raised eyebrow, a smug look on her face.

"Am I the main concern on your list?"

"Do you still need to ask?"

She didn't want to, so instead, she pulled on his collar until their lips met again. And Ignis let her impatience intoxicate him, helping her out of her clothes, not minding if they were noisy or if she made a tear in his pants with her rush. He tackled her on the bed, ready to show her just how focused on her he could be. The frown left his forehead at her first whine and they vied for control, fingers intertwining, breath mixing, the sheets tangling around their legs.

When she seemed ready to turn to pure softness, Ignis surprised her by demanding more. For the nth time.

"You can't get enough, huh?"

"I feel like I can't catch up," he whispered back.

"I thought we were over catching up," Aria pointed out. "Enjoy the present, Iggy."

"What do you think I was doing?"

"It's our second time managing not to shed a single tear, so I must commend you."

"You were counting?!" he exclaimed, despite having to admit he'd been doing the same thing.

She laughed with him, holding him close, kissing his collarbone in such a loving fashion, he wondered how he could accept the idea of not sleeping with her in his arms for the next few weeks. He nuzzled her neck, deducing from how slowly she moved that she needed to rest for a moment. She'd pushed herself a lot more than she had let on. They slipped into easy silence, snuggling close, Aranea grabbing his hand into hers with a peculiar expression. The way she worried her lower lip was painfully familiar.

"There was something on my mind, nothing bad, don't worry," she quickly added, seeing his face falling. "I have been thinking of what you said. Having a place to live, just the two of us. I don't think about the future usually. I go from one paycheck to the next to get by. But since Noctis sometimes feel like a son to you…"

"Oh, please, don't ever tell him I said that," he begged, face darkening a bit.

She patted him on the shoulder.

"Your secret is safe with me, Iggy. I was just wondering. What you would think of being a legitimate father?"

He blinked, gaping at her and Aranea pushed on his chin until he closed his mouth.

"You're brilliant," she complimented him. Tell me you understood what I meant."

"I think I did," Ignis started. "But we never ever talked about… You want us to have kids?!"

The stupor in his voice was amusing, but Aranea was already nervous enough about breaching the subject and lost her smile at that.

"I want to know what _you_ 'd like. It's not something I ever really considered before. But as dire as the situation was in Insomnia the other day. I'm starting to think we could win."

Ignis wanted to give her an answer, but he hadn't really given this question any thought. His life had always revolved around his work. Learning, teaching, supervising, organizing. And cleaning each and every mess Noctis left in his wake.

"What do you want? Wouldn't it be dangerous, I mean with…"

His hands brushed down her thigh, the words eluding him. It wasn't the right way to ask this, he knew how proud she was, but his mind was already wondering on the potential risks.

"Well, if the amount of metal in my body proves to be a problem, we'll forget about it," she decided, eyes hardening. He stroked her back, swallowing back the apology coming up as she went on. "I don't want to always be on the receiving end of this relationship."

"Aria, you're everything I want."

"But what if that could be more?"

Ignis tensed next to her, hearing a dozen underlying questions despite his best intentions. Because he never asked for more. He never allowed himself to be selfish. There was too much at stake, too many people depending on him doing the right decisions and keeping Noctis on the right path. Except Noctis had Luna guiding him too now.

"For someone who never gave it any thought, you're insisting a lot."

"I don't want half-truths. If I can give you a family…"

Her voice shifted and he realized why it mattered that much to her. She barely had a family and had always been on her own. Had seeing Insomnia given her the impression she lacked something? Or someone?

Being around the others had helped her realized what it felt like to be surrounded by friends. No just allies. Friends. Her hands trembled against his chest and Ignis carefully replaced a strand of silver hair behind her ear, stroking her jaw as he went, till his fingers travelled down her neck.

"You'd be ready to bear my children?"

She blushed furiously, quickly trying to regain her composure, but he kissed her objection to his phrasing silent.

"I'm honored," he told her, genuinely touched.

"By the gods, Iggy, don't make it sound so formal. Babies are monsters."

That sounded more like his Aria and he wanted to laugh, but he held it back for as long as he could.

"But you want my babies?" he insisted, unable to help himself.

She rolled her eyes at him. He was gloating.

"You moron! Answer my question already."

"I want what you want," Ignis explained, leaning close enough to kiss her ear. "As long as it means I can have you in my arms on a very regular basis."

"Well, if we have kids, you'd better not let me raise them on my own."

"I'd never do that," he promised her, tracing a trail of kisses down her neck.

Aranea gave up on the question, seeing as his answer was to show off his skills at driving her crazy with lust and longing. Having the shadow of a plan for the future gave her hope nevertheless and the smile on Ignis's face was worth some mild embarrassment. With him by her sides, everything she never dare to dream about seemed possible.

To be continued…

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I am not quite sure about that nightmare I gave Luna, but I like playing with the imagery we all know too well -sea of sylleblossoms-. Free Crown is in next chapter, plus the coronation and some much needed time off for everyone. I don't think the time off will last quite that long though. I'll see how I like the pacing. I was close to a writer block lately, because I've been working so hard lately with this school's term coming to an end. I also spend a lost of time watching some animes and taking my mind off the stress. I want to thank every new reader who manifested and all of those who have stick with me for so long. I'm pretty psyched about this story and I want to bring it to chapter 60 before 2018 if possible.

Can you believe this story is one year old now? I started it back on December 13th of 2016. One year, 666 reviews, 58 chapters and over 400 000 words. So I guess it should be finished by December 2018 ? XD I hope I can write a lot during the holidays. Although my thesis will still need some work. And the next term is going to be pretty chaotic too.

Anyway, please review to let me know what you think. It's much appreciated! :D


	59. Long live the King!

This chapter took me a while to write, but it was more because I couldn't find time to sit in front of my computer and write on it. I was away from my computer ever since Friday afternoon too. XD It's a belated Christmas gift, but it does count as a holiday gift, doesn't it? We have some fluff, but mostly progression and the coronation. Also, Fleuret's sibling time. I hope you'll like it and that you are all having a nice holiday time. I wish you all safe travels and happy times with family/love ones!

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Unexpected

Chapter 59 – Long live the King!

 _Make sure you look like a king_ , Monica had warned Noctis in an early text.

It was the last day of the year and while the prince wanted nothing more than a quiet return to Free Crown and to enjoy himself with his friends and fiancée, he knew his duties were catching up. It was time for politics and he dreaded the various reactions of his people.

Noctis was also wondering how this would influence the rest of his travel in Lucis. So far, he had somehow managed to lay low. Lestallum was pretty independent from Insomnia and its inhabitants never seemed surprised to see the prince walking casually among them. A few heads had turned, a few people worked up the courage to ask, but everyone had been understanding. Everyone old enough in Lucis knew he'd been a shy, closed-up individual and his father had done everything in his power to give him a normal life, away from scandals, tabloids and the people's eyes. The break he'd gotten from all these matters during the few last months was coming to an end. And that scared him almost as much as the idea of his coronation.

Ignis and Monica had discussed and ordered a few suits and uniforms for their team. The women's versions of the crowsguard uniforms had been refreshed, somehow closer to Crowe's original glaive suit. They included a cape, lots of leather and protective gear that made Crowe and Iris look both graceful and deadly. Dino actually dropped by Hammerhead with the end results. Insomnia had seen them with a prototype version hastily thrown together. Aranea was intent on keeping her dragoon armor, not minding Ignis's comments on the impracticality of some parts of it.

Right now, the royal advisor was too busy with last minute adjustments on everyone's uniform to worry about how his girlfriend dressed. Cindy had refused the uniform, adorning a modest black dress with a jacket and some flats, earning herself a whistle or two and at least ten snapshots from Prompto's camera.

"I'm just tryin' to be presentable," the mechanic tried to defend herself. "Ya all haven't seen the princess yet."

Ignis had to berate Noctis for being a fidgety ball of nerves.

"This was made before your two years crystal-induced spurt, Noct. Move again, and this needle will sew skin instead of fabric."

Noctis rolled his eyes, pulling on his collar, which felt too tight, almost seeing the physical manifestation of Ignis's impatience.

"I know this feels trivial to you, and I know we still have much more important matters to worry about. But decorum is still important. Look the part and the people will believe you twice as much."

"It's hard to breathe in there," Noctis complained.

He knew better, but it was his only way to handle his nerves. Ignis absentmindedly patted his shoulder, straightening folds and deftly sewing up the second to last adjustment on his sleeve.

"You're nervous, Noct. But this is just a few hours of being regal and dignified; and then we can unwind with food and cards."

"I'm going to make a fool of myself. Do you think they'll want a speech?"

"I wrote four speeches just in case," Ignis replied with a smirk. "I have a fifth one underway…"

Count on that man to be always prepared. Noctis hunched over, thinking he was pitiable for how much he still depended on his advisor.

"Straighten up!" Ignis warned him, his needle held up.

Noctis complied, fighting against his own embarrassment at how childish he was acting.

"If I read something, I'm afraid it won't look too good. You know how I trip on my words when I have a crowd before me."

Ignis drew a knot and tested his work with a light tug, looking at Noctis from over his glasses.

"I remember you doing exceedingly well a few weeks ago, when we were visiting the camp that was Free Crown. Those written speeches are a potential source of inspiration for you to think of your own speech. Otherwise, we would have written a single one of them together."

Noctis seemed reassured for a moment and let him work in silence until a new worry popped in his head.

"But what if they're angry with me? What if they asked what took me so long?"

"Would you stop fretting?! If anyone blames you for things you couldn't change or control, I'll give them a talking to," Ignis vowed without batting an eye.

"And they can have a taste of my fist," Gladio chimed in. "Are you making any progress? I can't feel the blood in my hands thanks to these stupid handstring."

"They're called handcuffs," Ignis sighed.

Not too long later, Iris asked Gladio if he could help her with her hair. She hadn't cut it in a while and thought the complicated hairstyle with braids ending up in a chignon would be more fitting for a crownsguard than her usual look. She was halfway done with it, but her brother had gotten really good with all her favorite hairstyles. Crowe was witness to the adorable scene and couldn't help the warm feel it gave her to see her giant of a boyfriend carefully braiding and arranging his little sister's hair.

"Don't use too many pins," Iris asked him.

"You want it to fall apart in the middle of the ceremony?" Gladio shot back through the few pins he'd pinched between his lips.

There was a sudden flash and the king's shield looked up at Prompto's bright smile.

"This is funny to you?!"

"Oh, come on," the gunman started. "I needed that. For posterity's sake."

"Oh, can you please send me a copy?" Crowe asked him.

"Everyone on this team is getting a copy," Prompto declared.

Gladiolus couldn't decide whether he should feel embarrassed or not. He didn't really mind being called a softie when it came to his sister. Iris gave him a hug as thanks and he held her back, happy she'd come to him for help. It was a really small gesture, but it made him feel normal. And it gave him hope that his younger sister was on the right track to heal from all the ordeals she'd been through. As she went off to check on the other's preparations, Crowe asked him. "How about doing my hair?"

His smile grew almost too big for his face.

"No way. I've never worked with hair that long."

"But all I can manage are very messy hairstyles," she admitted.

"And it suits you," he instantly replied.

"Not sure if that's a compliment," Crowe whispered, her eyes turning thoughtful.

"I swear it is."

"Not."

"Yes!" he insisted.

No one among their teammates could describe how comforting it was to hear the pair laugh together.

…

Luna had almost ordered Ravus to stay with her to make sure he was properly prepared. And maybe also to help her calm down about her part in the visit to Free Crown. She was wearing a black and white dress, with a deep purple wrap that hung from her left shoulder to her waist. She'd let her hair down with only a few bangs held back with a delicate comb. The only thing she lacked was their mother's diadem, and she would look like a younger version of Sylva.

"You look wonderful, sister. I don't think anyone will find something to say against you," Ravus told her.

He could almost taste her unease in the tensed air around her.

"It's not about how I look. Although, maybe this is too much."

"You _are_ a princess, Lunafreya."

"I'm the Oracle," she reminded him. "And I haven't healed people except when we got out of Insomnia with Libertus. I've been focusing on nothing but myself lately."

Ravus scoffed at her.

"Do you expect _me_ , of all people, to tell you that's wrong? You should always put yourself first."

She smiled at that, before to take a step back, taking in his own variation of a uniform. Ravus couldn't wear a crownsguard uniform. He still resented Regis too much for giving up on their mother. And he preferred white to black. Also, the gesture might be badly interpreted. His old uniform from his time in the army had been refreshed to its former glory by Monica, -without Cor's knowledge and with a lot of prodding by Luna, obviously. The woman added a few modifications at Luna's request and the full suit was now more useful for ceremonies than battle. White and purple were still the main colors, but silver treads mixed into the white and a black half cape, similar to their father's usual garb completed the set.

Ravus was clean-shaven and wore a glove on his prosthetic hand, convinced the green would clash with the rest of the ensemble his sister had but so much thought into.

"Are you absolutely certain my presence is necessary? Some of these people won't be happy to see me."

"I asked for your help to make sure you wouldn't run away. I know it won't be easy, but I also know that you being there at Noctis's coronation will be the best proof of your support to his cause."

Luna had a point, but Ravus couldn't help his apprehension. He knew the focus would be on Noctis. That was fine by him. He wasn't a social person and large gatherings had always meant an actual battle or some form of humiliation or even a competition of wits against Verstael… and the few nobles Aldercapt deemed worthy of his banquets. Crowds made him uncomfortable. And facing Free Crown's citizens meant facing the accumulated guilt for everything he did in the name of his goal.

Away from civilization, he could pretend to be normal. But normal and him were two different things.

"I support your cause, Luna. Some may see my presence in a better light, but most will be annoyed or even feel threatened."

"All the more reason for you to break the ice. What will you do when we get back to Tenebrae? Pretend like you're not their prince anymore? We could free Tenebrae and I'm sure our people would be happy to have you as a king."

Ravus stared at her with wide eyes, surprised by the very notion of being a king. Tenebrae hadn't been free for years. And was he the right person to try and fix their home?

"Having our mother wasn't enough," Ravus stated. "And all I did for Tenebrae lately… Have I really done anything? I trained and had our men fight a war they wanted nothing to do with. We tried to keep things under control, to make sure the casualties were at a minimum. But if anyone is going to resent me for siding with the Niffs, shouldn't they refuse to even have me around?"

Luna heard the fear mixing with hurt in his voice, and her own heart twisted in her chest. Had they forgotten the state of their home country in favor of the world? She gripped his shoulders, forcing her voice to remain steady.

"What do they think of me then? I healed their wounds and the wounds of the empire's people alike, preaching peace and for them to keep their heads down. I put on a smile as I was hurt, as though I felt nothing. Telling them to feel nothing. If I think of home, all I see is that room where they kept me locked up. Shouldn't I be thinking of the people in our cities? Of what might be happened now that no one's in charge."

"You can't think like that. They knew you were going through hell. I heard so many apologies from everyone, they were all concerned about you. Our people love you, Luna."

A single tear rolled down her face and for the first time, both siblings finally took in the full measure of what their very recent freedom meant.

"Am I a fraud for wearing our colors?" She asked him. "For still… taking pride in Tenebrea, even though I haven't…"

He pulled her a step closer, hoping he would find the right words to calm her.

"No, Luna, you're not a fraud. Maybe I am, but not you…"

She hid her face against his chest, despite the creases she would create on his nice suit. He kissed the crown of her head, holding her tight.

"It's either we are or we're not, brother. I won't let you bring yourself down. Not you alone."

Ravus wanted to tell her wrong, but he had been too focused on his research and how bright the present looked with Iris around. Now he needed someone on his side. Someone who knew why he'd done what he did. How looking back at Tenebrae hurt more than it should.

"A part of me misses home… and the rest really, really can't."

"I know," Luna told him.

"I don't want Tenebrae to become a burden dragging you back," Ravus continued.

"Me too. I don't want that for you."

"So what do we do?" he insisted. "Let them govern themselves?"

She took a step back, cupping his face as their eyes locked. They both felt so lost, despite having found something worth fighting for outside of their old duties.

"Why don't we worry about what we can control right now?" Luna suggested.

He leaned his forehead against hers, like they did as kids when they would agree on something really important. Sometimes, they'd nearly headbutted each other, because the agreement wasn't quite settled yet, but the gesture felt soft and familiar now.

"We can send Pryna to Tenebrae and worry about it when she gets back. Now, let me see if you have red eyes from crying," he added, voice turning analytic.

He was teasing her.

"I've ruined your shirt," Luna observed, her tone apologetic as she pulled on the fabric to straighten it back to normal.

"And we need to fix your hair," Ravus went on.

"Don't touch it! Worry about yours instead."

Ravus frowned at that. "What's wrong with my hair?"

"It's the same as usual," Lunafreya explained.

"I'm not going to change everything because _your_ prince is putting a half crown on his head!"

"What if Iris liked it?" his sister suggested.

He almost considered it for an instant, before dismissing her claim altogether.

"My hair is going to stay like this. Even for your wedding, it will be like this."

A knock on the door reminded them they were supposed to hurry and after a last check, they joined up with the others. Noctis had difficulties not gaping like a fish as he saw Luna in her dress and high-heels. Gladiolus gave the princess a thumbs up and Iris looked away from the Fleuret siblings, a light blush on her cheeks.

"You two clean up quite nicely," Aranea commented.

"Thanks. I hope this isn't too much," Luna admitted.

"Are you kidding? After today, I'll have to come up with excuses to get you to wear this again," Noctis told her.

He looked extremely dignified, with his hair styled back, wearing the black and golden trim suit Ignis had adjusted. The sleeves were full, with button cuffs, the three pieces suit making him look slick and sophisticated. Luna gave him a long hard look, trying to be subtle about it, but Ravus rolled his eyes at her.

"Careful sis, you're drooling," he whispered to her.

She shot him a glare, hoping no one had heard what he'd…

"What did Fleuret said?" Prompto asked.

"I don't know, but the princess is blushing like crazy," Gladiolus smirked.

"This is all good and fun," Ignis interrupted," but we really need to get going."

They borrowed a rented car for the ride, Noctis and the guys in the Regalia, while the girls were driven by Aranea. Noctis was growing a little more nervous in the backseat, while Gladiolus struggled with his need to fidget around.

"Are you going to survive an entire day in this outfit," Prompto asked him.

"I'll try, but I'm honestly not sure."

"Come on, dude, if I can do it, surely you…" Noctis started.

"Of course, _you_ can. You're puny."

Ravus chuckled at that and instead of falling into an awkward silence, the guys started to chatter even more. They reached Free Crown far too soon to Noctis's taste. He'd barely gotten through two of Ignis's speeches!

…

"Why are the streets empty?" Aldercapt groaned.

The words were hacked through and the scientist grumbled something, before to spit dark mucus on the floor, his skin itching furiously. The blight was catching up faster than his mind could test the solutions. His emperor had slashed through his arm the other day in a fit of rage and the pain barely registered to his brain. He hadn't dressed the wound yet. Dark pus had dried up all over the blood and he relished every cracking sound as he moved. The beast was slowly winning over reason. The injection he was working on was his own chance to preserve his thoughts and make sure his plans would stay on track.

"Answer me!" Iedolas bellowed, his wings unfurling so violently, they pulled on the stitches of metal.

Putting him back together had been a puzzle Verstael didn't want to do again. He shrugged his hair out of his face, scratching at his face. A scab of dried blood stayed in his hand as he forced his throat to muster out his answer.

"The citizens are hiding. And with good reasons. Daemons… every-freaking-where. I have one thousand soldiers left for your petty…" his throat burned, and he coughed and hacked until the burning was right under his tongue. The blight tasted awful. "…war. And we will hit where it's going to hurt the most. The cities still standing."

"I want that prince's head." Iedolas muttered, his face warping a bit.

"I think someone else is going to claim it. But you can still obtain your revenge."

 _We should have known Ardyn was too docile. Too knowledgeable. But I had what I wanted. And I'll get my own revenge in due time._

Verstael had created a dozen traps and hundreds of sentries for the scenario in which the opposing army would get close enough. He still had the mechanized elite at his beck and call. And he'd be damned if he couldn't make fire rain from the sky on the darn Lucians another time.

"We got cocky with all our victories. But it's their turn now…" Aldercapt gurgled despite his shifting face.

"Be patient, my lord. We need a few weeks. And then we'll rip their heart out."

…

Cor and Dave were waiting by the door for them, both looking impatient, although Cor's expression was harder to read. Noctis wondered how the man felt, seeing Regis replaced so soon. It was necessary, but it had to hurt. He was fighting against very contradicting emotions himself as he stepped out of the car and took the lead of their little group.

"I know we mentioned a quiet entrance, but Libertus barely has everyone under control in there and they really can't wait to see you," Cor explained without a greeting. "We've kept a clear path for you to cross among the crowd in the first cave. You'll be taking the door on Monica's right and step into the main hall."

"When is the coronation…?" Ignis started, seeing as Noctis couldn't find his voice right away.

"In the main hall," Dave answered.

"He's been acting like a king for long enough," Cor went on. "This is just about giving you recognition and raising everyone's moral. We might have temporarily lost Insomnia, but the empire was sent running and things are looking up."

The team quickly settled in order, Noctis and Lunafreya going first, the others falling in line. Gladio closed the line with Cor and Dave and the procession started, Luna squeezing her fiancé's hand to give him courage. He squeezed right back, exchanging a brief look with her.

Thanks and encouragements of his own. Steeling their heart, they stepped forward. The clamor that welcomed them inside was surreal. The entrance hall had been filled to the brim with people. Some were still wearing rags, but most were dressed in fresh clothes and the eyes that stared at them all weren't starving for food or revenge. They wanted answers and reassurance. They wanted stability. And most of all, they were smiling. Noctis barely perceived a word as the crowd screamed and clapped and cheered all at once at the sight of him. Libertus's voice boomed on top of everyone else, via a megaphone.

"Don't make our chosen king deaf yet!" the former glaive warned. "But Free Crown would like to welcome Noctis Lucis Caelum and his fiancée, princess of Tenebrae, Lady Lunafreya Nox Fleuret."

The crowd cheered even more and Noctis couldn't help the smile as he saw tears of joy on faces and recognized a few familiar persons among the people kept in line by Cor's soldiers. The old lady who'd thanked him for his effort was there. The guy from his favorite arcade too and he blinked, hopping his mind wasn't playing tricks on him. He'd seen nothing but death lately and the thought some had survived. Not just strangers. People he truly knew. His heart swelled, threatening to burst as the cheering rang through him, the sound far too strong to be ignored from the outside.

It took him half his steps to the other side of the cavern to raise one hand and wave, hesitantly at first, only to see kids waving back and hear the cheering growing even stronger.

"We're all going deaf at this rate," Prompto told Ignis, the advisor scoffing at him, keeping an eye on the crowd, as though someone could jump out.

Gladiolus was equally weary, but that was the men's job after all. Cindy and Iris were more interested in discovering the changes in Free Crown, spotting dark tapestry hanging from the ceiling, amazed at the flat tiles they walked over and the checkered design to the walls. Libertus had really gone out of his way. There were a dozen tunnels, with actual doors wide open, leading toward the various levels of the budding city. Lights followed Noctis's path and he couldn't help himself, staring up at all the changes every few seconds, until Luna pulled his attention back to the people still cheering or laughing warm-heartedly as the prince discovered their home. They reached Monica's side without trouble, Libertus exchanging a strong handshake with the prince.

"It's good to see you here, Noct. I hope you have a speech ready," he added with a smirk.

The prince did his best not to falter at that. He already felt beyond overwhelmed, but Monica was holding the door open and Libertus led the way down a few stairs, into an even larger room, with metal columns and what looked like the entire population of Free Crown standing in front of the rock sculpted stage Noctis was standing on. The wave of people raised their hands over their head and Noctis couldn't see where it ended.

 _Oh gods…_

His eyes instinctively went to Lunafreya, who offered him a warm smile, gently letting go of his hand.

 _These are your people,_ she seemed to say.

He took two more steps forward, Monica standing to his right, Libertus and Cor to his left. Through a single look, he understood what the administrator expected from him and called forth the half-crown, summoning a blur of blue light that materialized in his hand. A heavy silence covered the crowd and from the corner of his eyes, Noctis noticed his friends being ushered along the people of Free Crown through a side door of the gigantic hall. He took a deep breath, holding the crown too tightly in his right hand.

"I have no words… to tell you how glad I am to see… this many people gathered here," he started, gulping as over a thousand pairs of eyes focused on him all at once. "I don't know what you've heard in the past few months. I can't pretend to know how hard things were for you, and I can only imagine how difficult it will be to put Lucis back on its feet. But Lucis is nothing more than an idea. As a child, I thought… Heck, I better not ramble already," he paused, thankful that the smiles and laughs weren't sneering or threatening. There was something peaceful in the air, something that put him at ease as he looked at all those refugees. His voice was even stronger when he went on. "The thing is… Lucis is nothing without its people. My father was nothing without you."

A few heads nodded and a quiet hum of approval gave Noctis the strength to keep going. He didn't need Ignis's speeches or Cor to whisper in his ear the right words to say. If he did now, all the challenges he had overcome had been for nothing.

"I resent the empire for how they took our homes, how they hurt and took away the people we loved. But I resent myself more for not reclaiming Insomnia sooner."

Luna gasped behind him and he heard ushered whispers throughout the swarm of people, as though ghosts were listening to him too. He wondered what Regis would think. If Ignis was staring at him with furrowed brows, calculating how damaging his discourse would be to the future. And it might be the wrong way to do things, to start by admitting guilt. But he felt humbled when he thought of how three quarters of these people had survived for weeks in the city he called home, despite the daemons and the MTs everywhere.

"Some will say Insomnia is a broken shell. A graveyard even. But _you_ survived. And Free Crown won't be the only city I'll see rising in the years to come."

"You tell 'em Noct!" Gladio agreed, barely preceding a roar of approval from the entire crowd.

They weren't rats or cowards hiding beneath the earth. They were survivors, each and every last one of them. Libertus patted the prince on the shoulder.

"Don't excite them too much, your highness. I'm still the one trying to keep this place in one piece."

"Okay, sure."

Noctis tried to relax his grip on the half crown and raised his free hand, calling for a silence that came almost instantly. It looked too easy and the power these people were granting him was almost just as overwhelming as the thoughts running around in his head. But he pushed all the fears and self-doubts aside as best he could. Be honest. Be strong. Walk tall.

"I know I haven't been the most present prince so far. But I still need to clear Lucis of imperial soldiers and make sure no attack like the one on Galahad or Insomnia–and every city before them–can happen again. Luna and I must also take care of the Scourge, in order for us to focus on what really matters. Once my duty to Eos will be done, you will have my undivided attention," he vowed solemnly.

A salve of applause followed and Monica smiled approvingly to the young man.

"It's time you wear that crown, now," she told him.

"People of Free Crown, brothers and sisters," Libertus started, speaking through his megaphone again while Noctis put the half-crown on his head. "I wish to present you the 114th King of Lucis, rightful heir of Regis Lucis Caelum, our very own King, Noctis Lucis Caelum!"

"All shall remember he's also heir to our forefather King, the first crystal chosen king in hundreds of years," Cor added, speaking loud enough to cover the new applause.

Noctis felt the ring of Lucii tugging heavily at his neck and decided to follow his gut feeling, even though it meant taking a gigantic risk. Ignis had suggested foregoing wearing the ring, but Luna had given him the blasted thing a very long time ago already. He removed both of his gloves and slipped on the ring, his eyes turning to pure crimson, as they did for his father during his own crowning, a few decades before.

The huzzahs and "Long live the King" barely reached him, Luna's hand on his shoulder not registering as the ring engulfed him with the crystal's energy. For an instant, he thought the kings of old would speak to him. But a single voice talked.

 ** _"Retrieve me, chosen king. Turn me back to my former glory. And I shall grant you power beyond power."_**

The voice was gone before Noctis could even protest or ask a question, hearing the acclamations running all over the room. He instinctively wrapped one arm around Luna, pulling her close and silencing her worried eyes with a brief smile. He looked for his friends, spotting Ignis and Gladio's proud smiles and the way Prompto couldn't help laughing. There was something final about hearing himself be called King. He didn't feel any different. But his mission to the people of Lucis had never felt more important. He couldn't count them all, he wasn't sure if he would be able to talk to all of them, even to half of them during his stay in Free Crown. But he wanted to be the king they deserved. To protect them where his father hadn't been able to.

The thought hurt but he brushed it aside, letting Libertus and Monica take over the rest of the day. The entirety of Free Crown moved down to the third level, where Libertus had hosted the engagement party for Noctis and Luna. The room was a lot more finished than it used to be, with rows of buffet table lines to the walls, a small band playing music, over a hundred tables scattered around the dancing area delimited by dark tiles placed in a perfect circle near the musician's stages. The place usually served as a cafeteria or school, depending on the most urgent needs of Free Crown, but as the city grew in population, so did its installations.

"This is incredible," Iris marveled.

"Paw-paw!" Cindy called out, having noticed her grandfather at the north buffet table. Cid was leaning on a crutch, apparently weaker than he dared to admit from his attack, but still able to curse like a sailor. He welcomed his granddaughter with a smile and a warm hug, whistling at her dress.

"Couldn't ya call me back a few times?"

"I was busy helping the construction efforts. They're making materials three times faster since I got here," he explained. "And I have a few ladies love of my own."

"Ya old perv," Cindy teased him, kissing his cheek, fighting against her tears of relief.

Noctis was already surrounded by curious citizens, mainly girls, much to Luna's annoyance, and the rest of the team wasn't sure if they should greet Cid or give the mechanic pairs some family time. The festivities were quickly kicked off and Noctis sat at the table of honor, with Luna at his right and Libertus on his left, Cor, Monica and Cid all getting a place. Iris was growing restless as she wondered when Talcott would show up. She'd been worried for the young boy, especially since they'd barely kept in touch. Her few messages from him had repeated how busy he was with the school effort. He was helping by teaching the younger kids and throwing himself into every volunteering effort he could find.

Like her, it sounded like Talcott was running away from his pain by focusing on the present and making himself indispensable. But he didn't have a big brother or half a dozen friends to fall back on like her. Noctis himself noticed her unease and the fact close to no kid were attending this celebration. Libertus's face darkened a bit.

"Don't go believing I didn't want them here. While we could let them in the entrance cave and also the main hall, we can't fit everyone in this room. A lot of people are just switching place to get a chance to see you. The kids would get bored and Jeanne insisted to look after them, Talcott volunteering to keep them entertained with most of his friends. That boy has become invaluable to the children of Free Crown. He's their role model."

"I'm glad to hear so," Iris whispered.

"Although," Gladiolus started. "I would rather know he had friends and was treated like the other kids his age."

"Like any child around here still feels like a child," Monica observed. "They've seen too much and been through harsh times. They do laugh and play, but there's something in their eyes…"

"This really isn't the best time…" Cor sighed.

They all wanted their King to have a quiet day instead of pushing right back into problem-solving. They were all older than him and wished to lessen his burdens, considering how many things he'd accomplished already.

But Noctis felt concerned and while Libertus insisted they were doing all they could to make everyone comfortable and that they should allow themselves some time to relax, a tension remained until the talks veered to another subject. Crowe was quick to pick up on the mention of Jeanne.

"Who is she, Libertus?"

"She's… She's a former crownsguard actually. She was crippled by deamons and came over here from Lestallum to help us in developing our electric grid. Now that the system is working, she alternates between maintenance and looking after the kids."

"Why the hesitation?"

"They might be going out together," Monica answered in Libertus's stead, smiling as a light blush tainted his cheek. "I never thought I'd see _you_ flustered."

"Neither did I!" Crowe marveled. "That's awesome, Lib."

"Yeah… Might being the key word here," he sighed. "Why don't we talk about real love lives? Can we talk about a wedding date yet for you royals?" he added, turning his attention to Noctis. "Or better yet, some heir to that half-crown?"

The crowned King choked on his drink, coughing for a good two minutes before to glare at Libertus, despite Luna's hand on his thigh.

"Shit, Lib. I'm freaking out enough with that thing on my head already."

"That sound more like the Noctis I know," Gladiolus laughed. "His speech got me worried I hadn't escorted the right guy over here."

"You're underestimating him too much," Ignis chided the King's shield.

"I'm not the one who wrote four different speeches!"

"Actually, Ignis had me writing that fourth one," Prompto interfered. "It was hilarious."

"Too bad Noctis didn't got to it," Ignis smiled. "He might have been less stressed out about that ceremony if he did."

"How was I supposed to read anything with you three chatting like some crazy old ladies?" Noctis protested.

"Please, tell me Ravus wasn't brooding in his corner."

"I don't _chat_ and do I look like some old lady to you, sister?" Ravus shot right back.

"With that pale hair, A'm pretty sure ya could pull it off," Cindy teased.

Everyone did laugh, Ravus cracking a smirk. It was still a bit awkward to have him around Monica, Cor and even Libertus. Cid had mostly talked to his granddaughter throughout the course of lunch, while Aranea kept Iris's mind off Talcott, switching to talking with Crowe and Libertus whenever Gladiolus or Prompto turned to the younger Amicitia. Luna and Noctis were the targets of most comments and a few citizens requested kisses between the pair, to which they obliged, until they reached the thirteen tingling of glasses.

"That's about enough," Noctis declared. "Monica, can this band play us a waltz?"

"Well, of course, but…"

"If the people want a show, we'll dance. That way, they can awwww at us all they want, and my fiancée might stop blushing."

"You're blushing just as much as me," Luna defended herself, but the smile on her face was stronger than her feint outrage.

Noctis's retinue was quick to follow them in the dance circle, Ravus refusing to even approach the darker tiles until his sister begged him for a dance. Iris got to dance with every boy on the team but her "new" prince charming. Both of them wanted to stay careful. He didn't cringe as he could see the brunette in Noctis's arms. He'd seen how the man looked at his sister and knew he had nothing to fear. He had rarely allowed himself to feel jealousy, not when it came to girls, and he didn't want to begin now. Although, Iris made him feel incredibly possessive. And Shiva knew how possessive he was to begin with.

Crowe declined Gladiolus and Libertus's invitation to the dance floor. She preferred to stay as far as she could from the crowd. Aranea danced one waltz with Ignis, but stood by her friend for most of the following festivities. She drank for the both of them, Crowe also refusing to take alcohol. She was fearing a transformation more than anything else and wanted to put everything on her side to prevent it from happening. It was actually pretty fun to see Prompto dragging a reluctant Cindy to the dance floor and teach her a few moves. The man had sat through Ignis's lessons enough time to get the hang of things, while Cindy the tom-boy had kept her dancing to a few nightclub visits. Cid laughed as he saw her melting next to her boyfriend as the waltz slowed down. He'd never seen his little girl so attached to someone.

"Those kids really grow too fast," he sighed, talking to no one in particular.

Cor was following Noctis, trying not to remember the young King's father too much. Not to mention Gladio and Iris which were both reminding him of Clarus so much.

"They sure do," he muttered under his breath.

"You two act like old men," Monica chided them.

"I am old," Cid retorted instantly. "The girlfriends I mentioned earlier are in their late 70s."

Crowe couldn't help her smile at the notion. It was somehow sweet. Except for the plural of girlfriends, but Cid must have been quite a heartbreaker in his days.

…

Noctis was happy to get Luna back in his arms after her third dance with her older brother. Ravus was turning a few heads, although some people seemed readier to punch him than to greet him, unlike the rest of the team. Blocking out worries, Noctis focused on his queen. The new song was slower and she let him lead their steps, treading around all the other pairs of dancers. Fewer people were still dancing and their eyes locked, pulling them away from the rest of the world.

"I wish you'd told me you were going to put on that ring," Luna stated.

"I had no idea I was going to do it," Noctis confessed. "It just felt wrong not to… Any grey hair showing up?"

"Don't joke around. You were already paying a toll just carrying it around. Now it's…"

"I have to wear it, Luna. It's part of being their king."

Her arms wrapped around his neck as she stepped closer to him, their body brushing as their legs mirrored their movements effortlessly. She knew from one pull of his wrists, from the inclination of his head. But she wanted to know more.

"If there is any side effect of wearing that ring, anything at all, you will tell me, Noct, won't you?"

"Of course."

"Your eyes changed when you put it on."

"The crystal spoke to me."

"What…"

"Luna, please, can't we just enjoy this moment?"

She couldn't resist his pleading eyes and relented. She would give him time. Like he always did for her. The smile on her face was only half-forced.

"I'm really proud of you, Noctis. For those words you chose. How honest you were, while still giving them hope."

"Thanks. I almost lost it up there. And I don't think I could recall those words if I tried…"

"I hope someone filmed it."

"Oh, I hope not," Noctis nearly gasped.

"Don't you want to have your first public speech as King registered? For posterity? We could watch it in ten years. See if you've gotten use to being in front of such a large crowd by then."

A few pictures had been snapped, some were still being taken right now. And Noctis found it hard to accept how public his life was supposed to be. But it was important that all the people of Lucis learned they still had a king. And it might be a good lesson for the empire too.

No matter how hard they were going to kick them down, Lucis would rise back. And Noctis felt that a counter-attack was entirely possible now.

"How does it feel?" Luna asked him. "Being a king?"

"I…" Noctis gave it some serious thought before to admit. "It's not quite different from the usual, you know. Unless you tell me my arms feel any different?"

"Well, your looks are different. I like your hair this way. It makes you look… very grown-up."

"Ouch…"

"I'm trying to keep my compliment civil," she teased him.

"That's too kind of you, my Lady. And you look… really amazing like this. Hair down, draped in purple. I want to give you improper compliments till your toes are blushing."

She giggled at how silly that sounded. They'd both drank wine, but she knew Noctis was simply nervous from the entire ordeal of becoming king. His right hand's fingers were intertwined with hers. The ring felt cold against her skin. She wanted to pull it off his finger, to push away the memories of how Regis had lost it, his own fingers cut. She didn't want to blink and see blood under her eyelids. She wanted to let herself dream, as though she was nothing but a silly princess engaged to a young, dashing king.

She pulled on his collar, kissing him right on the lips, halting their waltz with an embrace far too intimate for public. People murmured, a few laughed or sighed, but Lunafreya refused to let go of him just yet. As though her kiss could carry out a message that no words could hold. His right hand was in her hair now, the other one on the small of her back. He kissed her back, glad for how normal she made him feel, glad for her presence, for her love and everything he wasn't worthy of yet.

She wanted to hide next to his heart, to make sure he could never part from her, not entirely, to remind him of what being a simple man felt.

 _Before being a king, before being crystal-chosen and responsible for all these people, you are mine, Noct._

The ring pulled on her hair, but his lips were soft and warm, his fire burning as brightly as hers.

 _You're everything, Luna. No title, no duty, no ghost king of old could keep me away from you._

To be continued…

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Next chapter will cover politics, Talcott meeting up with Iris and the rest of the team, more politics, Ravus' social and engineer skills and all the fluff I can squeeze into all of this. I'm hoping to put some chocobros time in it though, so we'll see how things turn out.

I really don't know if I can bring chapter 60 before 2018, and it's not really a bad thing if I can't, but I'd like to have a really fluffy chapter soon, after I get a few plot lines underway. Crowe needs a few more answers regarding her state. And which pairing would you want to see in the spotlight? It goes without saying that silvergold should be next. Raviris is also on the menu.

Also, Jeanne might be the only Comrades' related addition I'm making to this story. A friend joked about whom I should pair her with among the guys still free in my fic. Because apparently, that is my first and second nature. LOL. And anyway, Jeanne sounds like a really nice girl for Libertus. I don't get where her "crippling" wound is supposed to be on her, but anyway. We won't see much of her. I can't let side characters take over the story anymore, with everything already going on. As always, reviews makes me really happy. 😊

Can I mention how much I want to address Tenebrae's state with the imperial occupation and the fact neither of the Fleuret has looked after it? This question will come back a few more times. It will take up a small arc, when the monster Altissia's arc is turning into will be over. Thank you for bearing with me so far.


	60. A mechanical redemption

Okay, so this chapter turned out focusing a lot on Ravus. A. LOT. Be warned. We have angst -Ravus involved? What else can happen?- and fluff, and more fluff and also the biggest, weirdest time skip of this story yet. Silver/gold, a bit of Crowdio, some light Noct/Luna and Raviris on the horizon. Ignis will get his spotlight next year. I wrote this extra long chapter as my new year gift to you guys. I hope you'll like it.

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Unexpected

Chapter 60 – A mechanical redemption

"Talcott!"

"Iris?!"

The teenage boy ran up to her, a smile on his face. Iris welcomed him with open arms, hugging him close, surprised by how strong his thin arms felt around her. She hadn't seen him for almost two months, and it seemed he'd grown during that time.

"I missed you," Talcott admitted, nearly cracking down right there.

"I'm sorry I've been gone for so long. But we're all here. Noctis too and…"

As Iris stepped away from him, hopping for more reunion, Talcott surprised her with a violent gasp.

"What is HE doing here?!" he asked, pointing at Ravus, who stood by his sister's side.

They were standing in a quiet hallway, thankfully empty of civilians outside of Libertus and the rest of Noctis's team. Ravus kept a straight face, knowing this was only the first bad welcome he would get in a long list.

"Talcott…"

"He broke your arm _and_ inflicted you with the blight!" the boy reminded her, refusing to hear her explanation. "And I remember hearing how he broke the Regalia just to spite on the prince… I mean the King. Why are you all standing with him around as though it was nothing!?"

Unease sipped through everyone, Luna's shoulders lowering. She should defend her brother, but a part of her was still trying to align the idea of the sibling she loved with all the crimes he'd committed. Iris was particularly torn as she wondered if her heart was even thinking of these things when it had fallen for the man. No one among the team seemed ready to contradict Talcott, so Ravus did the only thing he could.

"I did these things, and a lot that were even worse," he admitted, his tone void of emotion. "I've been following your King because my sister Luna has sided with him. But I am a petty criminal when it comes down to it, preoccupied with nothing but my own interests. So far, my punishment for it has been wary looks and distrust. If you think of anything more appropriate, you're welcomed to take your own justice, boy."

Half of them gaped at Ravus, while Talcott was at a loss of words. Luna grabbed her brother by the shoulder, face white with shame.

"He's not… While I don't condone what he did or the sinuous paths he took, all Ravus ever did was in order to help me one way or another," she interfered.

"So the cause justifies the mean? Are we going to become like the very empire that…"

Noctis's face darkened, but he cleared his throat, effectively interrupting Talcott.

"I've done really gruesome things in order to protect Lucis," the King started. "We all did." His friends nodded and he went on. "There is no valid justification for murder or for hurting people. But I know some circumstances can bring people to desperate actions. You don't have to like him, but Ravus has helped us since he joined our team. And it's still super weird, I won't pretend otherwise. But he's not a monster from the empire."

Talcott swallowed, clearly not satisfied with this, but Luna was exchanging a grateful look with her betrothed and Ravus actually looked shaken by hearing those words from Noctis's mouth. Not a monster? Him?

"It's still wrong," the teenager spat out, glaring at Ravus and shrugging off the hand Iris extended to him.

There was a heavy silence as Talcott stalked off and shut the door to his quarter in a loud thud.

"Who has been looking after that kid?" Gladiolus asked.

"He doesn't really allow people to look after him," Libertus retorted. "And he's got a point. Highwind, I can deal with, since most of her past deeds weren't even done in Lucis. But your brother, lady Lunafreya, is a whole other business."

"Are we really going to deal with this now?" Iris asked.

"When do you want to deal with it?" the former glaive insisted. "Tonight went out well, considering everyone was so focused on Noctis. But you are in for a rough awakening tomorrow."

"I can deal with it," Ravus stated. "Unless you tell me to leave, which I can also deal with."

Luna shook her head. "There has to be a way to clear a few things up. I don't want my brother estranged every time he's on Lucian's ground."

"Well, I'm not saying we should throw him on the execution block or a cell either," Libertus tried to calm her. "I think it's fair to warn you that the warm welcome might not extend to every person in your team. We have traumatized people here trying to piece themselves back together… And you bring the one guy they remember from the empire with you. It's bound to turn ugly fast."

"Then, we should diffuse it before it starts," Crowe offered.

"How?" Aranea asked.

"Drop it," Ravus objected. "I'm not going to pretend I wasn't wrong in some of the things I did or let you pardon me just to be comfortable around here. There has to be some tension already accumulating in this underground city of yours. My presence here might be good to release some of that."

Ignis frowned, considering that possibility, while Luna already saw her brother letting himself beaten bloody. He would go through with it if it meant ridding himself from a small portion of the guilt he felt. Her alarmed look caused a light grin.

"Stop imagining the worst. I won't let a riot happen because of me."

"I'll hold you to that," Libertus warned. "Now, you must all be pretty tired. I've prepared a room for the Amiticia, one for our King and his fiancée of course, and also separate quarters for the ladies and the guys. We're short on extra room as it is, so you'll have to bear with it for your stay…" he continued, looking sincerely sorry.

"Don't worry yourself," Aranea quipped with a wave of the hand. "Having a bed and roommates I actually know is already something."

"You should get some rest," Crowe remarked. "You are far too busy for your own good."

"Let me worry about that," Libertus shot back.

He quickly showed them their room, Iris slipping into Talcott's quarters right as the rest of the couple parted with goodbyes or bid their King goodnight. Ravus, Ignis and Prompto would share a room, Gladiolus staying with his sister and Talcott. Crowe suggested they stay between themselves for the first few nights, hoping it would help them get under the walls the boy was putting up. Cindy asked if she could see her grandfather's quarters and left with Libertus, leaving Crowe and Aranea to share their own room. Noctis and Luna retired, the Oracle exchanging a few words with her older brother.

"Don't be rash. And don't try carrying all that weight on your own."

"I'll still be here in the morning, Luna. And try to enjoy yourself and not worry about me for the next few hours. Although, I don't want to hear any of it. Not even a whisper."

"Ravus!" she chided him, her expression gentle despite the tone of her voice.

…

"Talcott… Stop sulking already," Iris tried.

"I am not…!"

"That little champ sure is sulking," Gladio pointed out, grabbing the boy by his waist and pulling him off his neatly tucked bed. The two cactuar figurines on a single shelve were almost hit as he struggled to get out of the giant's grip, but instead of anger for the little care shown to his collection, Talcott stopped fighting back altogether. He hung his head as his limbs fell limply at his sides.

"This isn't fair," he sighed.

Gladiolus gestured to let him down, only to feel little hands gripping to his arms. Talcott was fighting against his bottled feelings, shivers turning to outright trembling.

"Hey, it's okay, kid," the shield encouraged him.

"No," Talcott choked out. "You're all here now, but how do I know you'll come back the next time?"

"Don't you have any faith in us?" Iris asked despite knowing better.

Her brother heaved a deep breath, sitting down with Talcott in his lap.

"We're not going anywhere. Not until you're as tall as Iris and have put some meat on those bones," Gladio promised in his usual, teasing voice.

"I know. I just… I was supposed to take my grand-father's place, not…"

"Talcott, please, you're still a kid." Iris reminded him. "And you're like a brother to me."

He looked up to her, tears welling up in his eyes. The younger Amicitia felt her throat tightening and Gladiolus clumsily ruffled the boy's hair, a knot tying up in his stomach.

"I wish I could follow you all and help. But that sort of thinking got my old man killed. You're better off without…" His voice broke down and Iris kneeled next to her brother, grabbing the boy by his shoulders.

"Don't you dare think like that," Gladio objected, voicing what his sister was thinking. "Neither of us holds you responsible for what happened to Jared."

"And I didn't mean to leave you like this, but I needed to throw myself into work, anything to keep the pain at bay," Iris explained. "It must have been so tough on you. I always wrote back, but I did take time and…"

"I'm not trying to blame you. Neither of you. I just…"

"It's okay, Tal. Just let it out for now. We can talk after," Iris told him, wrapping her arms around him.

He apologized with a sob and Iris was crying with him before long. Gladiolus held both of them closer, wondering if there as any way to mend this much hurt. He had barely gotten past the loss of his father and had all but brushed aside Jared. But if he was honest, the man had been more present for him than Clarus in the past few years. At home, he could always expect to see his trusty butler. His father would be a shadow hunting the Citadel, joining him on guard duty at random, exchanging small talks. But who would be home to nurse Iris's cold, to warm up food after a long day of training?

He felt the ugliest sort of guilt at the idea he could be fine with the old man's death. With anyone's death. Words stuck to the back of his throat as he held his sister and the boy they both considered as a younger brother. How many brothers could he have before his heart couldn't bear the idea of caring for one more?

…

"Ignis, I can't get out of this thing!" Prompto yammered.

He'd been fidgeting about with his uniform while Ravus was neatly folding his own suit, having switched to cotton pants and his dark top tank. The man was now apparently entranced by his phone, surely checking on some of his research.

"You need to learn one day," the advisor muttered.

Ignis had showered first, hoping it would help with his unease. Noctis was King. His job was done. It had to be done, hadn't it? Why was he thinking that? How could his job ever be truly done? He'd felt the worst pang of fear when Noctis had put on the ring. It was too soon. Too much. He'd push him forward, but his instincts were begging him to pull him back somewhere safe. Somewhere his best friend could enjoy a normal life. Now sitting down on a chair, sewing one of Gladio's shirt, his hair still wet and almost flat on his head, Ignis was still as anxious. Frantic.

"Don't look at me like that, Iggy," Prompto whined. "I've been all proper and on my best behavior all day. Now I want to feel my neck again!"

"What are you, five?"

"Patience, Scientia, unless you've spent it all on grooming the King?" Ravus asked, raising an accusatory eyebrow at the man.

"While I still have patience for one of you, don't test me, Fleuret," Ignis warned, his needle drawing furious stitches on the fabric at a frightening speed.

Prompto took a step back, knowing full well that one Iggy in that mood was best left alone for a while. He struggled on his own for a few more minutes, cursing under his breath. Somehow, the buttons had gotten tangled with some of Ignis's last adjustments and he couldn't see a way out of it without pulling on a tread or sending one or two buttons flying. He knew full well that would only add on Ignis's already worked-up state.

Prompto had to admit, seeing his best friend wearing the crown in front of that crowd had been something else. He was proud of Noctis and also happy that he was finally getting some recognition for all his hard work. But it also reminded him of how far apart they were in station. It made him nervous.

"Prompto, stop it," Ravus commanded him, standing up from his bed.

"Why?!"

Despite his best effort, Prompto's hands had dropped the infuriating threads and stayed up in alarm.

"Because I'm damage control for tonight," the Fleuret stated.

"You have to be joking…"

Ignis raised one eyebrow as Ravus set out to help Prompto. There was an instant of pure unease, but the Tenebraen prince meant well and the awkward impression faded as he worked around the twisted and knotted threads.

"There. Now you breathe and try to calm down," Ravus suggested, not quite commanding. "Noctis is King in title and mantle, but it's the same guy you've known for years."

"I didn't say anything about…" Prompto protested.

"You're like an open book."

Which was true most of the time when it came to the gunman.

"Is this you trying to get one of us on your side in prevision of tomorrow?" Ignis asked, barely preventing the sneer in his voice.

"That's overcautious, even coming from you," Ravus shot back. "And I'm not looking for any help or forgiving. I'm beneath both."

A humble Ravus was unsettling, for both Ignis and Prompto.

"Is this your way of warning us you're going to brood all night?" Prompto asked, shrugging off his uniform.

"I'm going to sleep all night. This isn't a sleepover."

"Now, that would be interesting," Prompto mocked him, before to turn his attention to Ignis. "A sleepover with the most serious members of the team. Fun! I wonder which one of you two would win a staring contest."

Both men scoffed at the notion, almost perfectly timed, which caused Prompto to laugh at their similar antics, clutching his belly as he rolled on his bed.

"Wow, you're so alike, it's not even… ha ha…" his laughter got the better of him and Ignis fought against his irritation.

It was a funny coincidence, although he had to admit, Ravus was more thoughtful than most.

"You still need to take a shower," Ignis reminded the younger man.

"I know, I know. You should try to relax, Iggy. You've been a good advisor. And your real job is only starting tomorrow. I'm sure with all his new responsibilities, Noctis will need even more advising than before."

Ignis did relax at that, realizing he'd been looking at things the wrong way. He wasn't going to lose his place by Noctis's side because of some coronation. Noctis would always need his help. And the idea wasn't frustrating in the slightest.

…

Prompto had been hired by Libertus into documenting the progress of Free Crown and taking pictures of every single citizen to give them new papers. As a fan of photography, he found a lot more pleasure in snapping pictures from the various schools, the construction efforts and every corner of the underground town than the never-ending line of people posing in front of a black piece of fabric. Jeanne Labreigh, the engineer from Lestallum Libertus had mentioned during the feast in Noctis's honor was his main helper, Monica supervising their effort every day while Cindy was busy checking her grandfather's work or helping with the construction effort.

Prompto had never seen himself as a secretary, but he had one of the only working cameras in town and with all the people moving around, a semblance of order was needed. He particularly appreciated his new-found work when he started received a few requests from the civilians themselves, for family portraits and similar memento. Many had lost all their belongings and were finally developing the hopes to start over again. Mothers with their kids, fathers alone with a bunch of boys or girls. Prompto pushed himself to answer to the demand, getting his own developing chamber and taking Talcott under his wing as an apprentice. Gladiolus was supervising and slowly taking over the training of the troops, Crowe never far from him, while Luna alternated her duties between healing wounded and assisting Noctis with his political tasks.

Ignis was never too far of the King, his advisor in every sense of the word. Aranea had joined the construction efforts, mostly focusing her efforts with battling the left over daemons in the lower levels of the city, helping with the expansion of Free Crown. Iris accompanied her when she wasn't helping with the teaching of children in either of the schools.

The gunman was pretty proud of each and everyone of his friends and he had to admit, the life in Free Crown almost felt normal. Almost being the key word.

He still had to convince Cindy of staying here for the entire time of Noctis's break from his travels. It was hard for the pair to meet up and share alone time. They were often too exhausted and fed up by their respective responsibilities to want anything else than to cuddle next to another and escape into blissful sleep.

After the first week, Prompto invited her on a date via a few texts.

 _Can't wait, city boy,_ came her reply.

He was really looking up towards it, even though it would certainly be something simple and getting any privacy would be hard. A few bars had been created here and there, but there was little choice in beverages and he had yet to hear about more than one café as hangout spots went. Still, he didn't expect Cindy to pull him to the room she seldom shared with Crowe and Aranea, clutching as his clothes as soon as the door was closed.

"What's the rush?" he asked, flustered despite his best efforts to welcome the attention.

"I've missed you. And we have half an hour to us before the girls get back."

Prompto didn't like the idea of rushing things, but he could understand Cindy's desperate need. They'd exchanged texts all week long, catching a word here and there at dinner, stealing goodnight or good morning kisses here and there, but it was far from enough. Especially considering the fact she was leaving for Hammerhead by the end of the month. The garage was a beacon for most of Cleigne's residents and it was still the best place to repair cars. She had a lot of work on her plate, for various reasons, but she needed the feel of her home around her, no matter how much more she would miss her boyfriend out there.

"No chance we could get more time to ourselves?"

"The next 29 minutes were the best I could do," she retorted, her cheeky smile melting as he pulled down her jeans, leaning down on his knees, hands holding to her legs. "Prom?"

"I don't intend to waste a second then," he whispered against her inner thigh.

"Oh gods, don't make me scream. I don' wan' anyone ta hear."

But if she wanted to rush him, he felt the right to rush her too. He was growing a little bolder every time they were together, testing new limits, teasing her to the point where she could barely stand. He needed the connection and the knowledge he was the only one who could make her shake and squirm with delight and pleasure.

He didn't want to turn clingy or childish, fighting against all the weaknesses and the self-doubt she'd seen in him already, but when their bodies were locked together, bliss taking over the pain and their impatient heart, his mouth whispered new words.

"Will you visit?" Prompto asked, voice rough with emotion he couldn't control.

"I ain't gone yet," she tried to laugh.

But his fears seized her heart.

"I know, Cin. But I need… You're not running away from me, are you?"

Her arms and legs tightened around him, her breath hitching.

"How can ya…?!"

"Can't Hammerhead be moved here?" he suggested.

"Prom, I can barely think when… when ya move like that."

He stopped altogether, frozen in her embrace, breathing too hard, cupping her face with one hand.

"If it's about roots, I'll understand. I get that you want things to be normal. And having your own room and… time on your own."

"It ain't…"

"Is it easier if we're apart more often than together? Is that why…?"

"I don't know," she blurted out, muscles too taut. "I didn't decide ta fall in love with ya and I don' know if there's one single way ta be in love or…"

"That's not what I'm… They say out of sight, out of mind."

"I ain't running away from ya."

"Are you running from something?"

She didn't know how being his girlfriend could feel normal. Not when it meant watching him getting shot and coming back, not when it meant listening to how he'd killed his own mother out of mercy, or how his childhood had been the worst nightmare one could imagine. She wanted to be strong for him. To give back the amazing feelings he made her feel. And how was she supposed to do that if she stayed too close to keep her head out of the clouds? How could she support him if the crowd under her feet was shifting so much?

Prompto held her closer, wondering why all his insecurities were coming up now. He felt vulnerable, and so did Cindy, but he held on to her, giving her an apologetic look for asking such things.

"I might be running from Free Crown itself. A've never had ta deal with crowds for long. I'm not the city type. And I don't like the feel o' being stuck underground."

He could relate to her so well.

"Sorry for being like this…"

"No, it's… Ya have a right ta ask me these questions. Especially with how lovey-dovey the others are acting, when A'm all work an' barely answering your text. But I can't deal with deep emotions like this all the time."

"Neither can I," Prompto admitted.

She pulled on his neck, raising herself high enough to kiss him, hoping her gestures could let him know how much she cared. When he finally moved again, they both gasped, oversensitive. Their lips never parted, not even when the first knock came on the door.

…

It took two days and a half for the first serious clash with citizens and Ravus. The Tenebraen prince had kept to himself, mostly sticking with his sister when he walked out of his room. It had taken the man two days to feel steady enough despite his tough words to visit Free Crown's laboratory. In fact, it was Crowe's insistence on it and seeing Luna tired from a full day of healing people from either the blight or the wounds that hadn't been treated with potions yet. The stock had depleted with the surge in refugees. More than ever, Ravus felt the need to lessen his sister's burden. Crowe wanted to reassure herself with actual test of her blood and the dark strand on her back, which Ravus had assured he could get done in a matter of hours.

And then a kid tried punching him as soon as he saw him. He was thirteen, maybe fourteen, pretty much Talcott's age for all Ravus knew. Dark hair, pale skin, freckles and a look of utter wrath on his face.

"What are you doing?!" the boy's friends asked, eyes wide.

"That guy killed my father!" the boy defended himself.

Ravus blinked and took a step to the side out of sheer reflex, his metal arm tensing up, sword ready to be drawn. The kid nearly lost his footing, wailing his arms… Ravus frowned, realizing only one arm was moving and caught him by his shoulders. He was instantly shrugged off, the boy glaring at him.

"Don't touch me, Niff scum."

"Dude, you can't be right, that guy saved my mom back in Insomnia," one of his friends interfered, walking up to them.

There weren't a lot of people around, but most were looking at the scene, Ravus feeling their eyes lying heavily on him. He knew this would happen, but he hadn't expected to see someone defending him.

"What happened with your arm, kid?" he asked, voice too rough even to his liking.

The boy blushed and angrily turned, flattening his right sleeve. His arm was missing.

"A daemon wanted a bite. What does it matter to you anyway? What's your deal, switching sides all of a sudden? You think you can pretend to be our friend? My dad was among the soldiers in the Immortal's base _you_ took."

Ravus didn't flinch. He wasn't going to pretend it was the first time something like this happened. He knew for a fact telling the boy his only real victim in that base was Cor wouldn't change anything. Even if MTs had indeed killed his father, that child needed a culprit. He knew the feeling all too well.

"I'm not a friend," Ravus stated. "And while it won't help how you feel, you might want a stronger punch when you go for revenge."

He raised his right sleeve, the metal of his prosthetic shining, making all three boys gasped.

"Are you… offering to make me… some metal arm?!"

"I know it's hard to keep your balance with only one arm," the prince explained before to utter in a lower tone, as though he regretted voicing even a hint of regret. "And it's the least I can do. I know a mechanic and some really good healers if you'd rather not see me through the process."

"As if I'd even consider it!" the boy roared back, but his voice was shaking a bit and Ravus knew he would consider it.

As a matter of fact, the whole exchange hadn't fallen on deaf ears. Libertus received over thirty demands regarding Luna's brother in the following hours, about whether or not the guy should be banned from their city or kept in the lab to work on prosthetics if he could fix the crippled refugees of Free Crown.

Cindy instantly offered her help and Iris insisted on participating with the healing, Luna not even hesitating a second. Noctis, Gladiolus and Prompto were a bit shocked at how easily Ravus surrounded himself with girls, intending to or not.

"Even Aranea likes him," Ignis admitted when they complained of it, gathered around a beer after a long day of discussions and helping with constructions and settling more people into the freshly finished apartments.

"Are you jealous, Iggy?" Prompto mused.

"I don't know if I should be. She was pretty clear when she said she tried to forget me with other men…"

"Five year's a long time. Although I can't imagine these two together. Unless… Oh shit, now I got pictures in my head…" Gladiolus sighed.

"Gladio, don't imagine her like that…"

"Too late. I need to block it, give me your beer, Prom!"

"Hey!"

"This is an emergency," Gladiolus insisted, effectively getting his friends to laugh and cheer. It was childish, but they were still pretty stressed out with everyone going on.

"I think things would have been a lot more awkward with our team if Aranea and Ravus were former lovers," Noctis pointed out.

"Can we drop the very notion before I do something we will regret?" Ignis suggested, his smile only half sarcastic.

"You're so defensive when it comes to your love life," Gladiolus teased him.

"Look who's talking!" Prompto mocked.

The Shield slapped him on the back of the head, before that Noctis offered a new subject.

"Are you guys still fine with staying here for a bit longer? I know we should… well, I should get back on gathering the royal arms, but there's so many things to set right."

"You're doing a good job, your majesty," Gladiolus declared, chuckling as the King turned purple at the honorific.

"Don't call me that!"

"Aren't you used to it already? I taught the kids how to make a proper reverence yesterday," Prompto joked.

Noctis paled a bit, clearly still adapting to his new status. He wasn't wearing the crown often, or his kingly garments. He preferred more practical clothes and had already been trapped in more meetings than could be healthy. Ignis helped him stay on top of things, Monica, Libertus and Cor doing all they could to lessen the load on his shoulders. But rules needed to be thought of for Free Crown, policies put in place to better organize the mix of hunters and soldiers in their troops, not to mention the exchanges with Galdyn Quay and Lestallum.

"Enough work talk," Prompto decided. "We need to do something normal. Like cards. Or maybe a pool party."

"A what?!" Ignis reacted almost as strongly as Noctis.

"That sounds nice," Gladiolus smiled. "Talcott mentioned a pool."

"Why would they make a…" Noctis started.

"This can't stay some barebone facility for the entire time these people will leave here. We're talking about a freaking city in the making after all," Prompto chimed in. "The stores are slowly building up too."

"I know. I've been signing over a hundred permits for it a week ago," the King sighed.

He couldn't believe the paperwork Monica was slowly reinstating, but things needed to stay organized and documented. Libertus wasn't ready to try chaos in the fragile city he was starting up from scratch.

"And that damn clerk nearly broke my back with all his boxes of canned food," Gladiolus added.

"I thought you wanted to show off!" Ignis retorted, mocking shock.

"To Cid's girlfriends?!"

"You do like them older."

Their laughter died down when they noticed Crowe, Aranea, Luna and Ravus walking into the small bar. Ravus seemed to have been reluctantly dragged out of his lab.

"Why are they all clinging to that bad boy?" Gladiolus huffed.

"I think they're acting more as his bodyguards," Prompto hypothesized. That kid with the metal arm has been trying to punch him every day for the last two weeks."

The King's shield let out a disgruntled advice about how he wished the vengeful boy got his revenge. The rest of Free Crown was staying quiet since Ravus was actually doing more good than bad for the community. And as much as the concerned man pretended he didn't give much thought, he was looking for some sort of redemption, busying himself day and night. In two months, he'd already installed more prosthetics than should be possible and with Lunafreya and Iris's powers, most of his patients were advancing in their path to a full recovery.

"Are we really getting jealous about Ravus Nox Fleuret, guys?" Noctis inquired, making sure to keep his voice low.

"Feels like we're back in high school, huh?" Ignis chuckled. "If you'll excuse me, gentlemen, I'm going to act my age and steal my girlfriend for the night."

"Rascal", Gladio commented, his grin almost too wide for his face.

Noctis smiled too as Ignis clapped his shoulder before to walk up to the new group. Seeing his friend and advisor relax more around him during their free time was a breath of fresh air. It made him actually believe he owed to take time off himself and he certainly needed it with all the stuff they needed to do.

Luna walked up to them, sitting on his lap without even consulting him. It had taken weeks for them to turn this casual in public, but Free Crown felt like home already and both royal were welcomed everywhere they went. The people turned a blind eye on the lovebirds and it was only Gladio and Prompto who dared to tease their king. The princess winced at the taste of beer on his tongue, but gave him a warm smile as they parted.

"How are you doing?" Noctis asked.

"Good. I didn't mean to interrupt, but I haven't seen Noct all day," she added, turning her attention to his friends.

"It's good to see you two so at home around each other," Gladiolus retorted.

"Big softie," Prompto laughed.

"You want to say that again to my fist, kid?"

The arm-wrestling match that followed didn't last long and Ravus was soon defied by Gladiolus, who wanted to test the prince of Tenebrae. Get rid of some of his misplaced jealousy. Crowe settled as their arbiter, surprised to hear the commander accepting the challenge.

Noctis was focused on Luna, who explained she had the next day off, since no operation would take place.

"Maybe we could try to make the talk with Accordo progress. They want to hold to their neutrality, but the empire is growing restless. They've doubled their troops all over Altissia," Noctis explained.

"So I've heard," Luna deplored. "Do you really think our wedding could fix this?"

"If Tenebrae's princess become Lucis's Queen, while your province is still under imperial occupation, I don't see how Accordo can hold on to their neutral state. They're ready to preside our alliance, but the question is whether they'll join us or not. Camilla keeps talking about the Tidemother…"

Luna's face fell a bit, but she pushed her worried thoughts aside.

"We need to get a better idea of what the empire's goal is regarding the Hydraen," she stated.

"But until Accordo's first Lady give us the agreement, we can't plan anything." Noctis sighed. "Half the population thinks the covenant would be dangerous for them. Things were easy with the other Astrals so far, but we never had to call on them in the middle of a populated area."

Outside of the Hydraen, they had little information on Bahamut's potential location and no guaranty that Ifrit would align himself with them.

"We're supposed to be taking time off," Luna reminded him. "Do we need one more Astrals?"

"I want everything on my side for the next time we face Ardyn," Noctis answered. "But no more talk about work for today."

He pulled her in for another kiss, not really minding the fact her brother was sitting at the same table. The arm wrestling match had been a close tie until now, but Ravus's concentration slipped and his wrist twisted, Gladiolus nearly knocking off his chair as he let out a roar of victory.

They might have been acting like kids from time to time, but all in all, they were comfortable with it.

…

"Mister Fleuret?" a woman's voice asked.

Ravus looked up from his notes, his annoyed glance shifting to alarm as he discovered a woman holding her daughter up. With a single look, he spotted the missing limbs. Both legs. The girl was keeping her head down and he force a "yes" out of his throat, acknowledging them both.

Dealing with people in the hospital wing wasn't any easier now than on the first day. While the nurses liked him quite a lot after seeing his flawless designs and over 7 people rehabilitated with their new mechanical limbs, the rest of Free Crown still had some understandable doubts about the man.

"My daughter… I don't have any money but…"

"There's no need for money," Ravus replied, trying to sound curt. "Bring her over here."

He knew he was failing just from the warning look Iris gave him. The distressed woman walked up to the examination bed he'd pointed and sat her daughter on the mat. The girl had long dark hair which covered her brown eyes. The look she gave him reminded Ravus of a scared animal.

"Are you going to make me walk again?" she asked.

Her voice wasn't as frail as her small body suggested and something shifted in the prince's heart. All his patients were doubtful and even spiteful. The boy who wanted to avenge his father was particularly tough to work with, but this girl… She reminded him of Lunafreya when he'd first visited her from the army. His sister had been resigned to her fate, but far from broken.

"I'll try," he offered, genuine in his desire to help. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened to you?"

The girl's mother wrapped her arms around herself, while said girl raised her head, defiance in her eyes.

"Debris fell everywhere when Insomnia fell. An instant I was running, then burning metal fell on me and then my feet were gone."

Iris turned paler, but Ravus didn't bat an eye. The girl was testing him. Verifying if she would get pity or apologies from the former imperial man. One look at her and he could tell she was fed up with pity. She wanted her life to change before that it turned any more miserable.

"How old are you?" Ravus asked, kneeling by her bed.

"Nine."

"Can I have a name?"

"Nina."

"Alright, Nina," he started, focusing on the girl. He didn't feel apt to deal with her mother right now. And he wanted this to be Nina's decision and no one else. "You're really young for this sort of procedure. Which means you'll grow and will need more than a single pair of legs," he marked a pause, Nina nodding imperceptibly. "It will be painful. We'll have to cut into the stumps to connect your nerves and reinforce your bones for your legs. It's going to take weeks, maybe months before that you can even try standing on your own. The pressure when you'll stand up… I can cushion the prosthetics to an extent, but it will hurt to stand. To walk."

Nina's mother was pale as a ghost now, but Ravus focused on the girl. She held his gaze, mouth set in a thin line. She wasn't scared.

"I don't want to be carried around my whole life," Nina shot back. "A wheeling chair can't go anywhere in here."

"I still need you to understand what you're getting yourself into. We have healers, the best healers…" His eyes trailed to Iris and he mentally chided himself for getting distracted. "But you're going to hate this, and me and pretty much everything once I get started."

"I can handle pain," she declared, her eyes hard and cold. "Don't tell me how I'm supposed to feel about people. Sir." She added as an afterthought.

Ravus felt a grin threatening to show on his face.

"Okay, Nina. Ravus is alright for now. Can I see your legs?"

She seemed to lose her cool then, but it was clear she feared her mother's reaction more than anyone else's. Her legs had been cut off just above the knees. Her skin was burned and melted, and he could see where the bone pointed on the left leg. She had to be in so much pain.

"You're going to cut in them?" Nina asked.

"As little as we can," Ravus said, his voice faltering a bit. It was one thing to butcher himself. But a child?

Her case quickly became his top priority, even over the research he was running for Crowe and the blight vaccines. Luna and Iris supported him as best they could, while Cindy worked from Hammerhead on the prosthetics. Ravus could barely remember anything but his few meetings with Nina and the simple questions she would ask.

"Am I going to have toes again?"

"Of course," he'd scoffed at her. "I'm making you full legs, with every articulation you need to keep your balance."

"Will I have nails?"

He hadn't expected that.

"Nails?!"

"How about your hand? Does it have nails?"

Ravus couldn't help his reflex to check, although he knew he hadn't included that in his design. Why would he need…? Nina's eyes turned sad for a second, before looking away. She shrugged, pretending she didn't care. Lunafreya ruffled her hair, asking the question Ravus couldn't put into words.

"What would you do if you had toenails, sweety?"

"I used to paint them with my mom. It's stupid but…"

Except it wasn't. It was the first request she made, outside of having the chance to walk on her own again.

"With your growth in mind, you'll have at least 10 pairs of legs in the next 8 years," Ravus reminded her. "I can get Cindy to put engrave nails into the design for the next set."

Her smile almost broke his façade of nonchalance right there, but since she was so stubborn about being a tough girl, the prince was hellbent on playing his own part.

The first operation almost killed her. If it wasn't for Luna and Iris both healing her as he went, Nina might have not make it. But installing the nerve connectors was the only way of promising her a working prosthetic, instead of an iron leg that would serve more like a crush. Ravus had had the good sense of doing only one stump at a time and split the second operation into three separate one. Ignis and Prompto could only see him reading bio-mechanic essays and surgery treaties from then on. He barely came out of their room, even when Luna begged him to take time off.

Iris helped him stay sane during that time, sending him a string of texts every day. He answered her as best as he can, but he was nervous of getting caught by the others. There were a few close calls, especially with Talcott still refusing to warm up to the Oracle's brother. He wouldn't have been able to face a single patient if it hadn't been for the younger Amicitia and his sister's support. But Nina's progress eclipsed most of the difficulties he was facing, with other patients, Free Crown in general or his few remaining nightmares from the empire.

It was a month and a half since she'd been carried into his makeshift office when Ravus installed the prosthetics on her. He connected the nerves, ran a few tests and kept her on bedrest for the night. In the morning, Nina could barely contain her excitement and the dark resolve on her face was turning so bright, it was hard to look at her without a smile.

"I'm going to walk?"

"Start by standing, Nina," Ravus cautioned her.

He'd lifted her in his arms so many times already, carrying her from one table to the next, his gestures always gentler than his voice; it felt strange to lift her and feel the change in her weight. The pull of the metallic limbs was painful on her, he'd warned her, they were as light as Cindy could make them, but it wasn't perfect yet.

"Flex those toes," he asked.

Nina obeyed, showing a perfect control of her new limbs. Ravus found it hard to actually put her on the floor. He hated making that girl suffer and had grown far more attached than he wanted. She grimaced as the floor came in contact with the sole of her feet, but didn't utter a sound.

Her mother was looking with awe and fear and something akin to hope. Iris and Luna were the only other witnesses to the scene and both women were just as nervous as Ravus. Nina had become their protégée and friend, with her little quirks and many dreams.

"I think you can let go, Ravus," the girl stated.

"I know you're eager, but there's not rush. And you can…"

"Please," Nina pleaded.

He relented then, letting go of her shoulders, watching with a mix of disbelief and utter relief as she stood on her own two feet. His right arm ached so hard, he wanted to yank it off, in case disconnecting the nerves might lessen the pain, but he knew his mind was playing tricks on him.

"Mom, look, look, I'm up!"

"You are, baby," her mother smiled, tears making her voice tremble.

Nina looked up to Ravus, a silent question in her wide, determined eyes. He took a step back from her and she instantly lift one leg and took her own step forward.

"Oh by the gods, you're walking!"

Nina turned to her mother, shifting her weight from one leg to the other. Than she jumped, much to everyone's shock.

"Don't…!" Iris, Luna and Ravus warned all at the same time.

"This is awesome!" she exclaimed, taking a new step, and another one, moving faster, a bounce to her step.

"If you go too fast, you're going to fal…!"

She fell right then, but refused their help and slowly, painfully got to her knees. Her skin was red where the flesh turned to metal, but she pulled herself to her feet and walked the rest of the way to reach her sobbing mother.

"I can walk, I can walk, I can walk," she chanted.

Her voice had changed, strong but clear and somehow softer too. As though her childhood had been given back to her. The sight of the mother and daughter holding to each other was enough to bring tears to Iris's eyes, Luna already crying from the moment Nina had stood on her own.

"Don't push yourself, Nina," Ravus reminded her.

He wasn't used to his patients getting on their feet so quickly and he sure wasn't accustomed to them rushing back towards him with a wide smile on their face. They did smile. They did thank him. But Nina ran up to him, tumbling against his legs like a small hurricane, her laugh and tears of joy mixing together.

"It's all thanks to you, Rave," she thanked him.

A voice in the back of his mind told him to pat her head and sat her on the bed and remind her what it meant not to push herself, but his heart had swelled up at the sight of her running. He kneeled by her side instead, gathering her in his arms, careful of not pulling her off the ground.

"Congratulations," he whispered to her.

"I said thank you, Ravus, didn't your mother tell you how to answer to thanks?" she mocked him, her little arms wrapping around his neck.

He chuckled and wondered why everything looked so blurry all of a sudden. And how there she mention his mother? Had Iris and Luna rubbed off on the girl?

"Let me try again," he offered.

"Thank you for fixing me," Nina insisted, her voice just as unsteady as his.

"You're welcome."

He couldn't see Iris through his tears. He couldn't think straight. He never fixed anything. He created trouble, he killed people, he wreaked havoc and tricked his own soldiers and blighted people. But now he had fixed that girl. Without playing dirty, without taking any detour. It felt so right. Was that how Luna felt each time she healed someone?

"Rave, you okay?" his sister asked him.

"Yes, I…"

"Happy tears?" Nina asked him. "My dad had them too."

"I haven't had them in a while. Thank you, Nina."

…

The knock on the door was a mere rasp, but it didn't stop. Iris rolled over and walked up to the entrance of her small apartment, wondering how Talcott even managed to sleep with her brother snoring like a behemoth on the couch. They had been watching a tv show on the computer they'd recently been granted by Libertus. Technology had been reserved for the authorities, but things were slowly taking a turn for the better. Iris fell herself more awake as she saw Crowe on the other side of the door, the tips of her hair flashing white.

"I'm really sorry for disturbing your sleep," the former Glaive apologized. "Is your brother awak…?"

"He will be!" Iris cut her off, rushing to the couch.

"What?! What! Do you have any idea how late it …"

"Gladdy, Crowe needs you."

Any more protest in him died down and the man was up and rushing to the door in a heartbeat. Crowe's episodes were rare, always closely monitored by Ravus, who had tasked Aranea with catching a few more daemons. In the past months, Crowe had fallen under Etro's powers only four times and had always been brought back by her sheer will or Gladio's presence. The pair had spent as much time as possible together, either following Aranea down to the lower levels or directing a training session between the two of them. Their students insisted on calling them the training instructors from hell. Shield and Dark mage were common nicknames too, but neither really bothered with correcting the trainees. They wanted efficient soldiers and they weren't as harsh as Cor Leonis. Noctis led a few missions against imperial's bases or sighted dropships, taking his friends on occasion, but also the squads Gladiolus and Crowe were building up.

"What happened?" Gladiolus asked her, instantly noticing the white hair in her dark mane.

"Hold me," Crowe demanded.

It was still her voice, which told him she was still more herself than Etro. He pulled her flush against his bare chest, one hand cupping her face, taking comfort in the way she held him back instantly. Etro never reacted to his touch with anything else than repulsion. If she didn't back away, it had to be Crowe. His girl and his heart all in one.

"I had a nightmare," she tried to explain. "She was talking to me. And before I knew it, she was trying to take me over. I forced myself awake and…"

"You're with me, babe, she can't reach you here."

"But how can I…?"

"Shh, Crowe, you held her back long enough to get to me. You're stronger than you think."

"But eventually, I'm going to slip."

"No," Gladiolus maintained. "We'll severe the link between you and her before then."

"I'm so sick of being scared."

"I know, babe. You want to sit down?"

She nodded, weakly and he handled her like he'd done on that first night outside of Insomnia. Careful, gentle. Iris had shut the door to her room to give them some intimacy.

"I won't break, Gladio. You can hold me tighter."

She didn't have to ask him twice. But he still took the time to check her hair, tugging on her tank top to make sure no dark veins were showing. She raised one brow at him, sighing when he kissed her exposed skin. They didn't get much time on their own and they were both really strict about letting a personal relationship impact on their work. Of course, whenever Noctis went out, Gladio left with him, not even asking Crowe whether she was coming with them. He was the King's Shield after all. She felt lucky that she never ended up out of control while he was gone. But she also resented how dependent of him she'd become. It might be due to circumstances, but it felt cheesy, even for her.

"I know we haven't mentioned it to Ravus, but I'm pretty certain that the times when you don't have an episode were preceded by us having sex."

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Shield." Crowe chided him, a light smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"I'm serious. Wouldn't it make sense? I drive her away somehow. And when you connect with me," he pulled her closer, grinning as she smacked his shoulder playfully, going on. "…well, it's harder for her to connect with you for a while."

"Gross! My nightmares are going to get even worse now."

"Oh, come on!" Gladiolus teased.

Their laughs were interrupted by both Talcott and Iris asking them to _keep it down_ , Iris clearly on the innuendo that made her brother laugh only harder.

…

 _Meet me at the following coordinates by ten tomorrow,_ the text stated.

Ravus had half a mind to refuse –it sounded too much like something he would do and he was mad of not having thought of it first– but it had been far too long since he'd last spend some time alone with Iris. They'd grown more complicit than ever with all the work they did together. She'd cut her hair recently, since it had grown quite a lot in the past few months. Three months and a half in the same place. 14 weeks of looking at her from afar and wondering when he could pull her to the side to make sure she was still interested in him somehow.

He'd fallen even harder for her as he saw how patient she was with every wounded or how much the children loved her when she picked Talcott up from school. She'd been drawing attention lately, a few young men stopping by the infirmary in the hopes of seeing Iris Amicitia. He'd cringed and watched from afar, feeling like some creepy old moron. The fact was… he missed the stolen moments in his tent. The feel of her hands. Her lips. Her hair under his fingers. How she never flinched when he reached for her with his metal hand. He stole as many of these touches as he worked with Iris, even with Luna present. He craved Iris's smile, her laughs, her witty retorts. And so much more he didn't dare to put into words.

He'd celebrated his birthday quietly, wondering how he could suddenly hate the date of his birth. Wishing to be younger was stupid. A younger self wouldn't have gotten to know Iris the way he did. A younger him could only hurt her, when he was somewhat wiser than he used to be now. He wondered if he would be as eager if Luna and Noctis would be a little more discreet. He'd caught them in the middle of making out more times than was good for his heart. The King and Tenebrae's princess argued here and there, about frivolous things -it seemed living in comfort for too long made people care a little too much about frivolous things- and Ravus knew Prompto and Cindy shared some really heated texts every now and then.

It wasn't as much the fact they did something of the sort that bothered Ravus but the fact he knew -curiosity and bets made for bad decisions- and couldn't help but wonder what Prompto's smile really meant when the gunman was typing on his phone. Mentally berating himself for being no better than a schoolboy, he tried to focus on his ride up to the coordinates Iris had given.

But his thoughts drifted off again. Ignis and Aranea were still the most reasonable of the lot, and it had to be mostly due to Ignis's will of remaining proper and keeping his private life private, like sane people should.

Ravus heaved a deep sigh, stopping his mount mid-way. He'd seen a pack of Sabertusks running by. And he needed to clear his head before to see Iris. Otherwise, he wasn't sure what he would do. There was no way he could start off their first heart-to-heart in weeks with the heated kisses on his mind. She'd run away or pull him into worse. He was quite aware of how isolated the coordinates were. His imagination was running wild. And a few scenarios weren't exactly scary. And that terrified him almost more than the bad scenarios.

A decimated pack of Sabertusks later, he jumped back on the saddle and pushed his white chocobo forward. Iris was already there, sitting under an umbrella, reading on her phone.

"I thought you weren't coming," she greeted him.

"I was trying not to draw suspicion," he defended himself.

"How? You're you."

"Ouch. Did you wait for that long?"

Iris shrugged nervously, removing an imaginary wrinkle on her shirt, and he held on a sigh. Of course, she was just as anxious as him about meeting like this.

"Iris… I don't want us to remain awkward."

"Good. I really… really wasn't sure if this was alright or not. But it feels so dangerous to sneak around in Free Crown…"

"That place is jam-packed with people. It's nice to hear myself think again. Although I'm not thinking quite right."

"How come?"

"I'll talk if you promise not to blush," he declared, biting his lower lip in amusement as she instantly started blushing.

She shuffled to the side, giving him space under the umbrella, her hand instinctively reaching for his. The metal under the glove felt too warm for comfort, so she switched to his human hand.

"Tell me," Iris asked.

"I missed you," he confessed, wondering if the warmth on his cheek was due to the heat or the fluster in his heart.

"I missed you too. And I wanted to get you alone… to tell you how proud I am of you."

He swallowed, trying to keep his feelings in check.

"You already…"

"Not on a screen, Ravus. I wanted to see your eyes when I said the words. You've been doing so much good lately. And half the time, it feels as though you don't even realize it."

"What about you, Iris? You're always, always by my side in that infirmary. Staying up late to make sure I eat and get sleep."

"Someone has to," she teased him.

Their fingers intertwined, and he didn't want to listen to reason anymore. She was close and warm, and she smelled of flowers.

"Are we here to talk? Or to make sure I remember my good deeds?"

"That depends on you. I brought some food, but…"

She inched closer, knowing from the look in his eyes what he had in mind. It was too easy to understand each other now. She cupped his face and he leaned into her, pulling her against him, lips clashing and melting. Their senses seemed heightened by the wait and their shared impatience and her fingers gripped to his shirt almost too hard, his fingers slipping under her top, following her spine and causing a dozen shivers.

Iris moaned into the kiss, letting herself drift into his embrace, trying to remember the touches that had felt right on that far away morning. Ravus was careful to keep his prosthetic off her, but couldn't hold off his need. They both felt different from the other times, like strangers trying to discover each other, and maybe also themselves. When she lied down on her back and pulled him on top, he panicked, instinctively pulling away.

"It's still wrong…" he panted.

"Ravus, please. We're in the middle of the desert… and I didn't bring a tent."

She had the decency to blush, but her swollen lips were like magnets and he pushed away his fears for the next few minutes, allowing himself to actually feel her in his arms.

How she held him back, welcomed him, kissed back. There was no air away from her mouth, no sun outside of her eyes and he was too far gone, he couldn't think anything but her name. If only he knew the effect he had on her. Her sighs and gentle moans were driving him crazy, and he couldn't hold back his own shivers or the angry groan that rushed out of his throat when her body moved against his, instincts taking over.

His metal wrist screeched against the stone while he nestled her head and back in the crook of his human arm, his fingers deep in her hair, their breath mingling. Iris was overwhelmed, but the warmth overflowing inside was worth some nerves ending. She wouldn't wait weeks for the next time. She almost didn't want to go back if it meant pretending she didn't like him the way she did. It felt so right, despite all the awful things he'd done. The Ravus from half a year ago sounded like a stranger compared to this one. She knew his reasons, she knew how hard he worked for redemption.

A part of her wanted to draw him closer, to go back on her words and learn how it could feel to become one. Her clothes were clinging to her due to the heat and his proximity wasn't helping. She tasted sweat on his lower lip and bit him lightly, tasting the boundaries. He didn't pull away, pressing his body even closer. Close enough for Iris to realize just how much he needed her. How far it could go if she dared… She suddenly felt trapped and yelped, tensing up ever so slightly. It would have passed, she knew it would have, but she felt young and inexperienced and had never sensed… a man this way before.

Ravus parted from her as though she was on fire, face ashen, breath and eyes wild.

"I told you… I'm sorry, I…"

He was also speechless, which told her how bad he felt. She couldn't help the impression his reaction was disproportioned.

"No, I… I'm not scared of you, I was… surprised. There's no harm done."

"You don't understand… Harm could be done with far less. The last thing I want…"

His voice nearly broke and Iris grabbed his hand, refusing to hear more or to let him turn away from her.

"We need to find our limits. I get that you're older and more experienced and that you might want more than me right now. But we can get in sync."

Ravus's shoulders straightened a notch and his hand squeezed hers, his eyes raising to meet hers.

"I'm not… that experienced," he admitted, stepping on his pride while carefully choosing his words. "You have to give me limits. I have all the self-control you can imagine, but I don't… trust myself… Not regarding… I made a mistake once. More than one, I know, don't make that face," he grumbled, regaining some of his bearings.

But then he blinked, and the memories flashed under his eyelids and any desire died in him. He couldn't confess this one crime. He couldn't lose her for something he didn't control. He'd been as much of a victim as that poor girl. His mind jumped to the truest explanation he could give, and his heart clenched, because it made him feel almost guiltier.

"I don't know half the things the empire did to my sister while I was working for them. But I know she was abused in far too many ways. I can't…"

The flush was gone from her face, but Iris shook her head and pulled on his arm when he tried to back away from her. He felt too vulnerable, too open and wanted space, anything to regain his bearings.

"Kiss me," she asked.

"Iris…"

She climbed into his lap and interrupted his protests with a long and rough kiss, feeling bolder than before. Instead of pulling away, Ravus turned her bruising touch into something soft, something sweet. Slow, deliciously slow. The way he'd always meant to be when he'd find the woman he loved.

"I can't fear you," Iris told him as they parted.

"Maybe I should then," he muttered, pulling her in a hug. "You're way too intense for my own good."

"Look who's talking!"

The rest of their secret meeting was spent in more chatter than kisses. But they agreed to wait a little less before their next heart-to-heart. If only to find their true limits.

To be continued…

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This chapter is 3500 words longer than my usual chapter. But we've reached the 60 chapters count in 2017. Yay! And I wanted to throw in Ignea, but the chapter was getting too freaking long. Things are jumping a bit with the time skip in here. I had the gang stay for 3 months and a half in Free Crown because the whole Ravus fixing people was in my heart for a while and couldn't be done in a matter of days. It's already pretty unrealistic to have people with working prosthetics that fast. But we have the Oracle and Iris to thank for all the extra fast healing. I will be focusing on Ignis, Noctis and Gladio for the next few chapters. Noct/Luna in next chapter, Ignea too, and the next step in the team's journey, since the free time at Free Crown is pretty much done.

If you could leave a review, it would mean the world to me. They all make me really happy. Next chapter won't be as long, unless I'm super inspired and with the new year, I have to focus on school again. And I'd like to play some video games before the end of the holidays.

So yeah, I haven't reread myself everywhere, as always, I'll correct the chapter – and chapter 59 - in the next few days.

I need to work a bit on my other FFXV fics, but Unexpected stays my main priority. With all that said, I wish you all a happy new year! Health and love to each of you!


	61. One year older

I was delayed by the new year celebrations and a violent cold as I tried writing this chapter. I might slow down somehow in my writing pace again, because school is starting again officially tomorrow, and I have a lot of work ahead of me.

This chapter is Ignea all the way. We also have some Noctis/Ignis bro time. I wanted to squeeze a bit over Crowdio in there, but Ignis's birthday took all the space. That guy owes so much good times. And I need fluff right now. A lot of it. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.

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Unexpected

Chapter 61 – One year older

By the time February 7th arrived, Noctis and Ignis had sat through more meetings than could be considered healthy. Noctis had read almost as many reports as his advisor, but Ignis kept him on his toes. Free Crown was fully organized, and the legislations were slowly applied. Libertus had been elected as the head of city council and the citizens were finally settling into normal lives. Shops had been created, the school had enough teachers, the hospital wing was turning into a full-fledged hospital, the cafeteria would soon become the largest general store of the city… All in all, things were looking good.

Ignis couldn't remember the last time he had prepared a meal himself or enjoyed the feel of the sun on his face. He got up every day at the crack of dawn, catching up with the news, helping the exchanges with Galdyn Quay and Lestallum, supervising the supplying and resupplying of their army's reserves. Free Crowe security was tighter than ever and the advisor was convinced people were even safer here than they used to be in Insomnia. But something deep inside convinced him he couldn't live in such a place.

He missed fresh air, he missed open space and more than everything, he missed the chance of being alone with his thoughts. The buzzling of Insomnia had been easier to forget than he'd thought and this new buzzling was unfamiliar. There were pipes churning behind the walls, the constant whisper of the aeration system, the heat and humidity controls blaring without fail, the hubbub of people talking in the background. Free Crown sounded alive and while some took pleasure in the knowledge, Ignis wished for quiet. The library was still under construction and since their stay was temporary, they had to make do with shared quarters even five weeks after Noctis's coronation.

A part of the tactician had been looking up for his birthday. It was a worthy excuse to unwind and maybe take Aranea out on a sleepless night at the Longwhyte hotel. But by the time he collapsed on his bed on the 6th, Ignis's thoughts were too hazy for him to seriously hope anything nice could happen on the next morning.

To everyone's surprise, Ignis had refused to get up, not even acknowledging Prompto's cheerful "good morning".

"Iggy's sleeping in?!" Iris repeated, disbelief written all over her face as the group sat around their breakfast table in the second cafeteria of Free Crown.

"I'll check on him," Aranea decided.

Prompto lent her his keys and the dragoon lady left, pondering why Ignis would act like this. They hadn't had many chances to talk lately, with all the paperwork and negotiations he was stuck with. Their bigger chance to work together was whenever she was called as a witness of the imperial ways. At first, she wasn't sure she was quite welcomed in Free Crown. People didn't attack her like Ravus, but she could hear mumbling wherever she went. In a civilian context, Aranea was used to being at the end of the food chain. Pointed fingers and sorry looks were her usual welcome in the nicest parts of Insomnia. In Graelia, she'd mostly remained by the training grounds and imperial fortress. The people looking at her then had been measuring her, testing her. Using her until she was molded into the weapon they needed.

She pushed the thoughts away, wondering if the pain in her legs from the unavoidable humidity wasn't the cause to this affluence of bad memories. She didn't want to bring Ignis down, today of all days. She had never gotten the chance to celebrate any of his birthdays with him before and she wanted to make sure he would remember this year.

"Morning, lazy bum," she called out right as she stepped into his room.

To her surprise, Ignis was still lying in bed and barely moved on his mattress, his hair peeking out of the sheets.

"Iggy?"

He mumbled something incoherent and Aranea frowned, walking up to his bedside. He pulled the covers over his head, looking for warmth. The childish gesture made her smile. It was hard to believe he was only 23 years old with how mature he acted all the time.

"Ignis, wake up," she insisted, keeping her voice playful.

She snatched the covers from him, discovering a flushed, disheveled and shivering Ignis who recoiled on himself. He tried cracking one eye open, but his fever was making his head ache too much. Aranea stroked his messy hair, wondering when he'd fallen ill. He was looking fine last night at dinner.

"You know better than to cover yourself up when you have a fever, Iggy."

He blinked too many times before his eyes finally focused on her.

"I'm almost never sick," he croaked. "And it had to be today…"

Aranea saw her chance of teasing him and jumped right in.

"What's that? Is today supposed to be special?"

His scowl fell down and he looked away. Count on Ignis Scientia to dismiss his own birthday in fear of sounding too demanding.

"Not… really," he answered, sounding defeated.

Aranea felt bad and bent down to kiss his forehead, laughing as he shivered, letting out a plaintive whine as she stood back up, depriving him from her warmth.

"You'd better wipe the look from your face," she declared.

Ignis felt clingy and would have loved to cuddle with her for a lazy day. If he could just stop shivering, he might muster the nerve to suggest it. But his Aria was talking some more, and his hazy mind was trying to understand what she had in mind…

"…cause I have plans for us, and this fever isn't a part of them," she finished, walking out without any further explanation.

Ignis chided himself when Iris walked into the room an instant later. Aranea knew better than to give him a remedy with his strong intolerance to potions and their likes, but she wasn't going to let him suffer through a violent cold if she could help it.

"You've been pushing yourself too hard," the young girl determined as she activated her magic.

"How do you…?"

"Your immune system is really weak," Iris explained.

Her powers had grown even stronger with all the practice she'd gathered recently.

"I knew he wasn't getting enough sunlight," Aranea commented.

The haze from the fever slowly lifted and Ignis shot her a glare, although he wouldn't deny she spoke the truth. He'd been trapped underground for far too long. His sore limbs seemingly revived by Iris, he wondered how fair or unfair it was to other people that he could get his cold erased just like that.

"Thank you, Iris, you really didn't have to.." Ignis started, motioning to get up, feeling Aranea pushing on his shoulders.

"Not so fast mister."

His grin was tentative at best, Iris's presence making him think twice about pulling his girlfriend in his lap.

"I think you'd better take it easy for the next few days," Iris recommended. "And the third wheel shall be leaving you now," the younger Amicitia added, her laugh barely held back. "Don't skip breakfast though!"

Aranea didn't wait for the door to be entirely closed. She pinned him to the mattress, her eyes shining with a playful spark, hands slipping under his shirt, fingers grazing his ribs. Ignis wrapped his arms around her, kissing her back fiercely, thankful for the sudden reprieve.

"You know you're going to… catch my cold at this rate?" he breathed out.

"You saw how quickly Iris can fix it, didn't you?"

Any more protests he could have died down in the back of his throat and he let himself drift into the passion he'd held back for the past few weeks. Glimpses of Aranea in-between meetings, the rare but lingering goodnight kisses, a few stolen minutes whenever Crowe would visit Gladiolus's room or have an extended tests session with Ravus. It wasn't before two dozen kisses more that they accepted to part, both looking disheveled now.

"What was that all about?" he asked her, gently stroking her face.

"Happy birthday, Iggy," Aranea answered, kissing the side of his jaw.

"You remembered?!"

"No need to sound this surprised!"

He wanted to blame it on his recent muddled state, but she pushed him out of bed.

"As much as I'd like to stay in all day, you need some fresh air and we have a busy day ahead of us."

"Have we now?" he asked, his amusement clear on his face.

"Hurry up and get dressed before I change my mind. I'm not the only one who has a gift for you," she retorted, and her smile growing a bit brighter.

…

Ignis couldn't say he had expected a drive up to Galdyn Quay. Or the fact Noctis and Luna were joining them on the ride. Noctis sat in the passenger seat, after a really brief discussion regarding who should be their driver for the day – Ignis really didn't want stress on his birthday if he could prevent it- and the ladies were in the back. Luna and Aranea were whispering to themselves, something that wasn't quite regular, but Ignis had to admit the warm air on his face paired with the bright blue sky were enough to make him happy right now.

"Am I as pale as Luna yet?" Noctis asked him out of the blue.

"Did you start a competition with her?" Ignis shot back.

"She said I looked like a ghost yesterday."

"Do you sleep enough at night?"

"I didn't say that to have you turn all mother hen on me," Noctis laughed.

There was something peaceful about the king lately, something that made Ignis wonder if they really needed to leave Free Crown and visit Accordo. Seeing his people on a daily basis, solving their everyday problems, witnessing directly the results of his hard work… It was a breath of fresh air and the advisor allowed himself to drive just a bit above the speed limit. His shoulders were relaxed, no bone clicked back into place when he moved. They had iced ebony in the cooler and the bitterness of his favorite drink was just enough to keep his feet on earth. Noctis was so fulfilled right now, barely ever complaining about anything, taking joy in his hard work and in the development of Free Crown.

Their life almost felt right, if it wasn't for Ignis gnawing tendency to burrow himself in work and forget his friends because of it. He was grateful they brought him back to reality and were getting him to step away from his responsibilities. Delegating was still a foreign notion for him, except for the most menial tasks that even a child could get done. And then again, Prompto sometimes manages to prove him his assertions weren't always right. But it wasn't four men against the world anymore. The country he never forgot in the back of his mind felt real and a new hope burned in his heart, to see it, even to make it even better than it was during the reign of their previous kings.

"Ignis?" Noctis repeated.

The tactician felt bad for getting lost in his thoughts. His eyes were rooted to the road, but the curves he followed and the path was nearly engraved in his brain. He could follow it on automatic, like he would get home without even realizing it back in Insomnia.

"I… What did you say, Noct?" he asked, an apology underlying his tone.

"Where are you gone to now? Making more plans for the future? You should stop and focus on the present more," the King reminded him.

Aranea leaned forward in her seat and gently patted his shoulder.

"Listen to your King, Iggy," she suggested.

"I'm all here. Seeing the outdoors put things back in perspective a bit, that's all," he defended himself.

Noctis gave a light nod.

"You're already wondering what we should do with Leide when this is all over, huh? Cor has a few plans for Duscae, since he came from there originally, but I think Leide will be tougher. The environment is harsh in these parts."

"You just said to focus on the present more," Luna teased her fiancé.

"He has a point," Ignis remarked. "Although, it wouldn't be too hard to find investors to make Galdyn Quay bigger. A larger resort, with a town supporting it. Might make the life of the people staying there easier."

Lunafreya seemed amazed at the idea, but refrained herself from encouraging them in pursing such a line of question for the rest of the day.

"How about you guys try catching dinner for us while we prepare a few things with Coctura?" she offered, gesturing between her and the dragoon lady.

"Are you saying I'll be cooking dinner?" Ignis mused.

"Not alone," Aranea reassured him.

He hadn't realized how eager he was to actually prepare a meal, but the very notion made him feel like a little kid.

 _Note to self, barge in the kitchens of Free Crown more often,_ he thought.

He parked the car and both couple parted, Noctis and Ignis carrying enough fishing wear between the two of them to come back with a few good catches. Luna and Aranea headed inside, to finish the preparation they had started by phone a few days ago. Prompto, Gladio, Crowe and Iris all arrived soon after, bringing the one ingredient Luna had been worried about for this special occasion. Ulwaat berries.

…

Noctis rarely shared his fishing spot with anyone, but the men had rented a boat to fish like their ancestors did, rowing just a few feet further away from the beach. Their lines were cast in opposite directions and Ignis found himself lost in the serene water surface. It had never surprised him that Noctis had the patience for fishing. It might be hard to tell for a lot of people, but the young King liked to observe the world around him. Was it because of all that time he'd spent in a wheelchair as a child? Or because of his shier nature? He'd always been contemplative, standing back in silence during class, falling out of focus when something by the window would catch his attention. And the thoughts hurled around his head. Sometimes, Ignis was ready to swear he could hear them.

Silence was never threatening between them, so they sat for a while, enjoying the light rocking of the boat, the salty breeze of the sea, the rare tugs on their respective line, casting and recasting whenever the need arise. They would cheer each other when a fish bit, but there was no rush or added pressure to catch it. Gladiolus was all about results and would always warn Noctis to respawn his line before it snapped. It was a bit counter-productive to fish with the big man around.

"It's incredible how quiet this place is," Noctis declared after a while.

Ignis was surprised to hear his friend voicing his own thought so clearly.

"I wonder if we shouldn't have stopped and let you fish more often. It's quite… resourcing."

"I don't think I would have been able to fish with everything I had on my mind. But thanks… You're always looking out for me."

"No need to thank me for that," the advisor assured him.

"No, I insist," Noctis told him, his head slightly turning to him.

The boat rocked at the movement and Ignis looked over his shoulders, his eyes meeting the King's.

"I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. And you're still helping me through every step of the way. I hope you know… I really appreciate everything you do," Noctis finished, his seriousness turning to embarrassment.

For an instant, the advisor wasn't sure how to respond. He couldn't pretend those thanks weren't a balm on his heart, for the very rare times he resented his job. But was still really a job by now?

"Seeing all that you've accomplished is the best reward I could ask for," Ignis declared before reminding him of the most important part of their relationship. "And like I said before, I don't do this out of a sense of duty. I never did."

"Come on now, you're exaggeratedly nice with everyone, but I was a pain every now and then."

"Do you think an 8-year-old kid can be patriotic?" Ignis asked.

Noctis frowned, but before he could answer, a sudden tug on his line grabbed his attention. The fish was caught in a matter of minutes, but when Noctis looked back at his friend, the man had turned his head back to the sea, as thought his question was never asked to begin with.

"I don't know a lot of 8-year-old who shake hands with other kids as a greeting," the young King observed.

Ignis sniggered at that, something that didn't happen often.

"My mom suggested it. It was only my second time in front of the King and I had no idea what to say or do. You were terrified, but I think I was even more scared than you back then."

They both laughed at that. Time and again, they had been in the same state of mind, Noctis because of what he had to face and Ignis because he pretty much lived Noctis's stress by procuration. It had taken a while for the prince to realize it and even now, as King, the man wasn't always conscious of it.

"I think my point is, don't ever assume I regret working with you," Ignis concluded when their laugh had settled into easy smiles.

"Thanks Iggy. It means a lot."

"That's… whoa!"

The pull on his line was far worse than any others and both men had to hold on the fishing rod as a monster of a fish threatened to pull their boat further.

"That line is so going to break!" Ignis gritted his teeth.

"Steady, you respooled it not so long... ago…"

Back on the beach, Prompto was fighting against his laughter to take steady pictures of the scene.

"They're so going to fall," Gladiolus whispered under his breath.

"They're not," Iris objected.

"Are they kneeling now?!" Aranea mused.

"Come on, Iggy, tip the boat over, I won't let you live it down," Gladiolus insisted.

"What kind of friend are you?" Crowe chided him with a smirk.

"Bloody hell!" Ignis cursed from the boat, loud enough to be heard from the beach.

The line was so tensed, it was a miracle it hadn't snapped, but with just a bit more effort, Noctis and his advisor got the better of the monstrous fish, pulling out a stripped barramundi of about 60 inches long. The thing rebelled even when out in the air, and Noctis slipped and fell out the boat. Ignis barely managed to hold his ground against his catch, knocking the fish out of commission with three brutal punches.

"Noct? Are you alright?!" Ignis called out.

The King had only his head out of the water but confirmed he was fine with a brief wave of the hand.

"Did we catch it?" he asked, that question his main worry regarding the situation.

"We did. Get back onboard."

When both fishers got back on the beach, the rest of the group welcomed them with cheers and more laughter. Ignis wondered if it wasn't unfair that the excuse they had for such an easy-going reunion was a once in a year event. He felt nice around his friends in Free Crown, but the impression of only being between friends and not having citizens to impress all the time was quite different.

"Why did you take those pictures?!" Ignis couldn't help but ask.

"I'm an opportunist when it comes to snapping pics, Iggy, don't blame me," Prompto retorted.

They shared a lunch far too expensive, but Noctis insisted on footing the bill. At 4500 gils the plate, Ignis was hoping he would prepare their dinner. For now, he simply enjoyed himself and the thought Noctis was finally looking young and carefree, much like every member of their group. Never was there a mention of "your highness" or even a person to ask for an autograph, the team able to enjoy themselves like normally people did. Ignis wondered if anything could make him happier.

…

"Ulwaat berries?" Ignis repeated.

They were standing in the Leville's kitchen, most of the group still up in the restaurant section. The cooking Ignis would do involved a particular dessert.

"It was the hardest ingredient to collect," Luna explained. "Ravus remembered the recipe better than I did, you might not believe it, but my brother loves sweets."

Even Aranea seemed incredulous at that statement, while Ignis wasn't sure this birthday present was sitting well with him. He had thought of asking Luna about the famous Tenebraean dessert Noctis has loved so much as a child. He had almost asked for the recipe a few times, but always changed his mind at the last minute. He didn't like the impression of erasing a decade of unsuccessful trials and errors, only for the actual recipe to be handed over this easily.

"What's wrong?" Aranea asked him, noticing his deepening frown.

"This sounds too easy," he admitted. "Of course, lacking a foreign ingredient is a vital piece of information, but getting the full recipe now…"

"I never looked at it that way," Luna replied. "But it's true that it would undermine your efforts. From what Noctis told me, you were getting pretty close to the actual thing with his minimal input on that pastry."

Ignis mumbled something more along the line of "maybe if Noctis hadn't such a sweet tooth, he would have been satisfied a few years ago with my results". He didn't resent the prin… the king, he corrected himself. He simply didn't like the impression of not having succeeded on his own after all his tries.

Aranea clapped in her hands.

"Isn't the solution clear then? We have the mystery ingredient. Just add it to your recipeh!"

"Hey, I resent that!" Ignis's mocked hurt was so fake, the dragoon was almost tempted to make his accent sound even thicker, but Luna cut them short.

"Should I leave you two to it then? We'll hang around until you're ready to let us test the results."

"I don't think I follow. Isn't everyone staying for dinner?" Ignis asked her.

"They really wanted to, but Prompto, Gladio and Crowe all have more work in Free Crown," Lunafreya explained. "But Noctis and I will be staying for dinner, if you don't mind it that is."

It wasn't short of a miracle that both the King and his advisor could take the entire day off, so Ignis nodded in understanding. He was proud of his friends for being so invested in the rebuilding of their country. He almost wanted to accompany them, but he had owed a real break, no matter how short.

"In about two hours, we should have a batch ready for sampling," Ignis declared.

He'd cooked with a lot of different people before, but cooking with Aranea's help was just as familiar and comfortable as it used to be, back when he was a teenager.

"So, what was the latest version of this tenebraen pastry?"

"Honey and custard pie… I've never cooked with Ulwaat berries… I'm not sure I even read over them."

"Have a taste?"

Ignis seemed ready to object, so she picked one of the berries and took a bite. A really tiny drop of juice dripped down her lower lip and Ignis stilled himself. He needed to focus on cooking, not on how sexy she could look. She was actually wearing a swimsuit top with her jeans and wanting to join in on the casual attire everyone else had donned for the day.

"How is it?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Try it for yourself," she teased him, licking her lips clean and offering the other bite of the berry.

Two could play that game. Ignis erased the space between them, gently taking her hand and guiding the fruit and two of her fingers into his mouth. Aranea gasped at the gesture, her eyes locked with his as he cleaned the juice from her fingers with his tongue. The berry tasted almost too sweet and the heavy look in his eyes made her knees weaker. Despite herself, she'd taken a step forward, wishing for a kiss, or maybe more. But the advisor kissed her palm, backing away just enough to clear things up.

"We'll keep that part for later. Wash your hands and help me," he asked, his grin cockier than ever.

"Don't think you'll get away with it every day."

"I sure hope I won't," he chuckled.

They remained playful through every step of their cooking, arms or hips brushing at every occasion, when he didn't look at her work from over her shoulder, leaning closer than propriety suggested. She didn't throw any ingredient at him. She knew better than to waste food, and it wasn't enough because she didn't want to see his disapproving look. Aranea had suffered from hunger far too often to see food wasted. He taught her how to knead the dough, liking the closeness as he stood right behind her, his hands guiding her hands.

"There's nothing efficient about this method of teaching," she chided him, moving her hips just enough to entice him.

The hacked groan coming up his throat made her even more impatient and the dough suffered as her fingers tensed.

"Indulge me, Aria," he whispered in her ear, his breath drawing a shiver from her. "And be gentler."

She bent her neck to look back at him, a retort on the tip of her tongue, but Ignis retorted with a searing kiss, letting himself be temporarily distracted from their cooking preparations. He really, really shouldn't wait until he missed her that much to pull her in an embrace. Balancing work and his social life was still a challenge for him. Work was his social life, work was everything, but he wanted his priorities to shift in her favor. It still felt incredible to have her close so often, to know he could talk to her every morning, see more of her smiles and all the expressions her face took over a day. A part of him was getting used to it and everything else begged him not to take her for granted.

"Ig…"

The next kiss was shorter, too warm, overflowing with passion and Aranea protested with a muffled moan.

"Iggy, at this rate, I'll put hair in this dough and…"

"Sorry. I'm just…"

"Happy?" she offered.

His instant nod warmed her heart. A relaxed, easy-going Ignis was rare and she was glad the day was going so well. When the pair finally walked out of the kitchen, they were carrying a plater of freshly baked tartlets.

"This is my last try without the actual recipe," Ignis declared as Noctis picked one of the pastries.

The King exaggeratedly studied the dessert, knowing his antics would get on Iggy's nerves. As always, his advisor kept his impatience in check, happy to see everyone else taking a bite or a mouthful of his latest creation.

"Damn, it's good," Prompto said, giving him a thumb up.

Iris agreed wholeheartedly, and Gladiolus complained of it being too sweet, while taking a second tartlet for further sampling.

Noctis was finally done detailing the physical appearance of his pastry and took an experimental bite. Then he froze and Ignis worried he might have swallowed it wrong.

"That's…"

Luna set her spoon down, trying to remain dignified while her first intention was to jump on her chair like a little girl. She looked up at Ignis with a wide smile.

"It's the very same…!"

His doubts were instantaneous, but Noctis was nodding now. "All the tastes I remember are there, Ignis. You've done it."

"You can't be serious?! I've tried a dozen other berries before…"

"I'll take some for Ravus," Iris offered. "This way you can have one impartial judge. But I don't think Luna would lie about this just to make you happy."

"It only took you 13 years," Gladio noted. "And a handful of 4000 gils berries."

"Noctis said and I cite him: something sweet that tasted like honey. How vague is that?!"

"Sorry I don't have your palate!" the King said.

Fists bumped together, and the group ended up laughing so hard they could have disturbed the rest of Galdyn Quay's clients if it had lasted any longer. More birthday wishes were exchanged before their friends left, a few gifts being exchanged.

Prompto gave Ignis a bunch pf pictures from him and Aranea with a sheepish look. Most were of them on the battlefield, teaming up as soon as the need arose. There was one from Prompto's own birthday party, Aranea leaning against Ignis's shoulder, the pair holding hands, simply enjoying each other's proximity.

"I don't remember you snapping pictures back then…" Ignis simply observed.

"I was in the water most of the time, true, but you can't keep me from shooting a pic when you're smiling like that. Also, I thought you'd like a more recent shot of you two."

"That's… really thoughtful of you. Thanks, Prompto. Although… Is that cactuar frame really…?"

"Oh come on, a few of these pics are for Aranea's benefits too. You're funny as hell on that one!"

Gladiolus gave him a new deck of cards, promising him payback for their last poker session. Iris had sewn a leopard shirt for him, hoping it could replace the few shirts he'd lost in the start of their travel. Crowe had bought him a new set of daggers, intricate in their design, with magic flask compartments too.

"Finally makes up for the daggers you gave me back when I first joined the team," she explained.

Lunafreya hadn't been sure what to give him. She didn't have the chance to make gift often and Ignis assured her the secret ingredient to the Tenebrean's pastry was more than enough. Noctis's gift was a new set of keys for the Regalia.

"Cindy has made the final adjustments for the flying options. Once Aranea has given you lessons and given you your flying license, you'll have free reigns."

"Are you… certain about this?" Ignis asked, feeling deeply touched by this new proof of trust.

"You like this car even more than I do, Iggy."

The advisor was about to agree when he remembered one important detail.

"Wait… did Cindy add seatbelts? We can't go off flying without…"

"You're not thinking of flying with the roof off, are you?" Noctis mused.

…

It had taken some convincing, but Luna agreed to go for a swim with Noctis, and Ignis had the surprise to hear Aranea wanted to enjoy the sea herself. Exposing her scarred legs in plain view wasn't typical of her and he couldn't remember if the woman knew how to swim. Although she did, and quite well at that. The sun was slowly falling, and the cold sea water was refreshing after such a warm day.

Luna was doing her best to swim on her own, a bit more confident with the two more lessons Noctis had given her at Free Crown's pool. But the waves still scared her, and she yelped and squirmed far more than she swam, much to her own shame.

"There's nothing wrong with being scared," Noctis reminded her.

He held her up as she tried to find the right rhythm to keep her head out of the water without splashing around madly or needing his help.

"Isn't this ridiculous though?"

"Everyone has fears," Aranea answered. "We all have different ways to face them. Ignis isn't exactly comfortable in the water either. Iggy, I'm sure you could touch the bottom here too!" she called up to him.

Ignis reluctantly walked up to them, forced to swim in place as he reached their level. It was more his dislike of a disheveled appearance and wet hair that made him uncomfortable with the situation.

"It will be too dark to swim soon," he warned. "And you're a bad liar," he added at his girlfriend's intention.

She stuck out her tongue at him, floating by without a care in the world. Luna couldn't help but wonder how she did it, when Aranea was on edge half of the time, if not all of it.

"I didn't think you'd like water that much," the princess admitted.

Aranea shrugged, which caused her to disappear under the surface before she came right back up.

"Try to see things like this. You can't fall when you're in the water. Sure, you can sink if you're tied up to something, or unconscious. But you'll float with little effort. Plus, my legs aren't quite as heavy…"

She pinched her lips as she felt the three apologetic stares on her. It was hard to remember she had metal bones in her legs with how tough she acted all the time. Ignis remembered it better than anyone, since he felt especially guilty for it, but Noctis had wondered if he wasn't to blame himself. More so than Ignis if it was the case.

"I wasn't complaining."

"You never complain," Ignis told her, clearly holding back a sigh.

"I was born tough, don't hold it against me."

Noctis and Luna exchanged a knowing look. The interactions between these two were rarely this open in public, but the love they shared was clear with every smile and every gaze.

"I think I've had enough swimming for today," Luna stated. "How about we head to the spa section Noct?"

"Fine by me, as long as you don't force me on a massage table," he replied.

A quick look between their friends was enough to determine both couples would go their separate ways for the rest of the day. Ignis was heavily tempted by the spas, but Aranea had resumed her mindless floating, staring at the darkening sky. She looked too beautiful under the sunlight to be left alone. His eyes tried to distinguish the riddles in the water as she moved, but were drawn back to her body instead. Slim waist barely out of the water, her long, shapely legs. The scars were barely visible thanks to the light and shadow effects. He swam up to her, filing every little detail he could notice. The peaceful look on her face. The way her hair was splayed all around her face. Something inside him ached at the idea their battles weren't over yet. She was so serene right now. He wasn't sure touching her was right, afraid he'd break her state of mind, but she cracked one eye opened and smiled at him.

"What are you thinking?" Aranea asked him.

"Silly things."

"Like what?"

He grabbed her feet and pulled her to him, with her legs wrapping around his waist and his arms holding her back. He was amazed she let him do something like this, almost as much as she was amazed that he dared put himself in such a compromising position.

"I want more days like this one. Without any convenient excuse to justify…"

Aranea retorted with her lips on his mouth, her hands reaching up to cup the back of his head. There was a yes in her first kiss, a promise in the second one and a vow in the third, making his heart shiver.

"You just have to work on it the 364 other days of the year," she told him in between kisses.

Surely, he could do that. He was trying to reach the shore while keeping her as close as possible. A shell made him slip and they fell together, Ignis instinctively kneeling in the water, managing to stay above her, Aranea laughing and pulling him back to her. She kissed him fiercely and softly in turns, despite the fact the water reached her ears and the sand under her was threatening to get everywhere. Ignis was nearly afraid he was still feverish and dreaming. Would his Aria be this daring? That was a given. But his Aria never laughed that much, never smiled that much.

He'd mess things up once already. And he had yet to find the right way to show her how much he loved her as they lived in Free Crown. Her hands were messing with his hair as he followed the tugs and shivers, leaving her lips to follow a line down her face, in the crook of her neck and against her collarbone. The salt he'd hated so much on his skin tasted good on her. Her nails grazed his back, his sides.

"Iggy," she started, goosebumps covering her skin wherever the night air touched her. "Iggy, we're in the middle of the beach."

He blinked and looked up at her, panting a bit. They were both getting cold at this rate.

"Apologies."

"How does a warm shower sound?"

"Perfect."

One last out-door kiss and they struggled to their feet, half crawling, half dragging each other. It must have looked incredibly ungraceful, but instead of mortification, they laughed at themselves, wrapping each other in their towel. Aranea dragged her feet a bit more than he did and Ignis had half a mind to carry her for the rest of the way, but waited until they'd reached their room. Their swimsuits were given up in the shower, the heat between them stronger than ever as they collided against each other. He felt too possessive, filled with pent-up lust and love and too many wishes for their future. Each caress was a thank you for her smiles, for the little attentions, for the time in the kitchen and on the beach and the way she held him back.

The mattress ended up on the floor, Ignis pushing away reasonable thoughts for the night. He wanted her in every possible way and she was just as demanding. Right as they started drifting to sleep for the nth time, between a kiss to her shoulder and the feel of her hand on his chest, he voiced the concern he'd been holding back.

"If you could live anywhere… Where would it be?"

Aria looked at him with heavy eyelids.

"Anywhere?" she repeated.

"Well, given that you'd be living with me, but that's my only condition."

She smiled and poked him in the ribs.

"Really? No matter where Noctis would be living?"

"Forget Noctis," he declared, serious enough to draw a surprised stare from her. "Would it be a city? Like Lestallum or Free Crown?"

She gave it some thoughts, frowning a bit as she put her chin in her palm, her free hand drawing circles on his left thigh.

"Cities and I don't fit together so well. I almost felt at home in my airship. But if it could be anywhere… I'd like open air. And our house would be on a single floor."

No stairs. No balcony. No cliff, big or small.

"That's an interesting criterion. Free Crown feels cramped, doesn't it?"

"I didn't think it mattered to you. You look fine in every environment," Aranea said.

"I'm always ready to settle if the situation asks for it, but… I still have standards for something more permanent. So, you'd like a house on a single floor… With kids?"

"Maybe kids," she quickly corrected him.

Deep inside, he knew she was thinking of her parents. She never talked about them, she never seemed to miss them, but she was too similar to him. He held her closer, rubbing her arm, letting out a soft whine when she ghost kissed his neck.

"How many kids?" Ignis asked her.

Aranea was shocked of how instantaneously the answer came to her.

"More than one."

No child of her would be lonely if she could help it. Ignis smiled in her hair and she relished the warmth of his breath against her forehead.

"You know, you will have to sound much more certain about this question when we consider it for real," Ignis teased her, before to let his voice turn more serious. "You've put that dream in my head, now."

"It's your fault. Making me fall in love to the point where I imagine myself leading such a mundane life…"

"I did that?"

"You are to blame, Ignis Scientia," she insisted.

"Will you forgive me if I don't feel an ounce of culpability?"

She chuckled and a voice in his head told him he'd officially lost count of the many times she'd laugh in the same day. His heart was too content to bother. They let the silence cover them, snuggling closer yet.

"I feel really spoiled right now," he confessed.

"I love you. And it's not like I did much. Your friends all wanted to do something special for you."

Ignis wanted to oppose the fact he wasn't worth all that trouble, that birthdays were inconsequential and how irrational it was to expect anything for them. How he didn't mind the really quiet celebrations he used to have. But the part of him which wanted to be looked after and loved shushed down his brain.

 _Just be grateful_ , he told himself, holding the woman he loved as she drifted to slumber with a smile on her face. He wasn't sure leaving the next morning would be easy considering how comfortable this felt. For just one night, he decided he didn't care. Instead, he allowed himself to dream far, far beyond the political reunions and the road still ahead.

To be continued…

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I hope they weren't too OOC in this chapter. I got the feeling they were too happy, but I really need to lay off the angst considering I will be starting a very heavy arc in this fic with the next or second to next chapter. It's been a while since we visited a dungeon from the game or worried about royal arms. And I want action to take place soon.

Next chapter should cover Gladio's birthday -my dose of Crowdio is coming-, final talks between Accordo and Free Crown and a departure for Cape Caern. Noct/Luna is on the menu, because I did send them to a spa and I'm not passing that up. XD

As always, reviews are really welcome.


	62. A bad surprise is still a surprise, no?

I'd like to mention that I have no knowledge about spa treatment at all. Spa is usually a word we have over here for "hot tub", so that was what I had in mind at first. Things took a slightly different turn. While not out rightly explicit, let's say the fluff here veered to smut territory. And the rest of the chapter is pretty intense, for very different reasons. I've had a rough week and I'm writing angst left and right to relieve my lingering stress. Although everything I'm writing, I had planned one way or another. We'll start off with Noct/Luna, Raviris with a revelation, and some heavy fighting among the team. This chapter is the longest yet of this fic and I'd like to thank my friend fuzzi fox for beta-reading and supporting me throughout the entire writing of it. You're awesome! I hope you'll enjoy this angst-fest. Cause I am only getting started. D:

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Unexpected

Chapter 62 – A bad surprise still counts as a surprise, right?

Luna had tried convincing him of taking at least one of the massage treatments, but Noctis was stubborn when it came to his back. Living underground had done a number on his old wound, awakening a dozen aches in his bad leg and lower back. But the young King was especially sensitive and couldn't bear to sit through the initial pain of any type of massage. It didn't matter who was doing it. Gladiolus was a genius when it came to relieving muscle pain, but Noctis had ever only let him reset a few bones here and there.

"I'll hit the showers and the sauna," Noctis offered. "You can join me when you're done."

"Don't stay in there too long," she warned him.

They exchanged a smile, Luna hoping her massage wouldn't be too long. She wanted to make full use of this time with Noctis, considering they were usually surrounded by people when they were together in Free Crown. The first time she'd mentioned her appreciation to spa treatment to her brother, Ravus had looked at her with eyes so wide, she was afraid they'd fall out of their sockets. But when someone knew how nervous Luna was about letting anyone close a few months ago and that she'd been abused by imperial soldiers on a daily basis -Ravus might not know the finer details, but he'd seen some of her scars, treating a few of her wounds himself- it came as a natural shock to see her signing up for any sort of treatment. Back in Lestallum, Crowe had introduced the Oracle and Aranea to the pleasure of a really small establishment offering deep tissue massages. Luna had been wary at first, and so had been the dragoon fighter.

Lunfreya wasn't entirely comfortable with the process yet, but the people from Galdyn Quay were just as gentle and respectful as those from Lestallum. There were knots and tensions inside her, collected over the hours spend bent over a patient or simply from her healing magic, and nothing else seemed to remove them from her. After a full day of running around and sweating under the sun or dipping herself in salty water, she allowed herself this small comfort. She liked the scent of the natural oils they used, the impression of being cared for that somehow reminded her of her mother. Needless to say, she was walking a bit slower than usual when she made her way to the sauna section.

Noctis had taken a very long shower, knowing otherwise he might just fall asleep on a wood bench and let the heat wrap around him until reaching oblivion… He was already getting pretty sleepy and wondered if he hadn't imbibed too much wine. His eyelids were heavy and a part of him wished for rest. He hadn't slept in for a while now. A lazy morning in bed with his fiancée sounded incredibly nice, but even those were rare. The few times he got away from his kingly duties, Luna was helping her brother with all the wounded or already hard at work somewhere around Free Crown. After being secluded for years, only allowed to see blighted people in controlled conditions, Luna needed to feel helpful.

He leaned his head against the wooden wall, breathing in and out as slowly as he could. Picturing her smile in his mind when he'd find her with the children of the orphanage. The way any room felt brighter with her in it. The only fears on the horizon was facing Ardyn and understanding just how dangerous Etro's possession of Crowe could be for them. Prompto was doing well, more than well. He was positively happy, finding the city he'd missed, quickly making friends with so many civilians. Noctis was happy for his friend, because the gunman's smiles felt a lot more genuine than they used to be. He would seldom wear his wristband now and it seemed to be more of a fashion statement than a means to conceal the barcode tattooed to his skin.

For the first time since he'd found Luna by the side of the road, Noctis had a feeling that his life and the lives of his friends were right. They were in control once more, they were building up the future and the tremendous tasks before him were more exhilarating than frightening. He still felt the pressure from having only Ramuh as an Astral, while Luna had collected both Shiva and Titan. But somehow, even that knowledge wasn't threatening to him. Luna couldn't die if she held so many Astrals under her control. He wanted to call his ancestors names for even suggesting sacrificing her. He wanted to make sure this living dream didn't end. He wanted to rightfully call her his queen and keep her between his arms until she was fed up with him.

Blinking sweat out of his eyes, he sighed and tried to gather his thoughts. To find relief in the present. In the heat numbing his limbs and gently removing the pain from his back. It was a dry heat and he relished it, even though his throat was growing a little parched. When the door opened, the disapproving click of the tongue made him smile and he cracked one eye open to see Luna, wearing a very light robe and the most relaxed expression he'd seen on her.

"You've been in here for far too long," she commented.

"Do you have spies in this place?"

"I just stopped the clerk from getting you out himself, Noct. Unless you'd prefer to see him instead of me?" Luna gave him a playful wink.

"You might want someone's help if you're going to drag me out. I could stay here forever."

"You can't fall asleep here. You'll dehydrate before you know it."

Her hands fell on his shoulders and he blinked away the daze, knowing better than to pull her into his lap.

"Is sleep on our menu tonight?" he asked her.

She shivered under his lazy eyes. It was growing really simple to understand what each other wanted and she felt a bit over-sensitive tonight. This day together had been perfect and somehow, she was afraid things could change. Even though she didn't want to be afraid, even though her flesh was at peace and her mind did its best to mimic the impression.

"You sure look like you need sleep. And another shower. You're all sweaty."

"There's a hot tub in our room," he reminded her.

A voice in the back of her head wondered just how much today was going to cost them. Not that Noctis really let her worry about monetary questions. He'd been hunting daemons and the problematic wild life all over Leide in Duscae whenever he wasn't in a meeting. She'd been with him on a few hunts, but she was far more needed in Free Crown and somehow, they'd accepted the differences in their role. Luna was the healer, Noctis the warrior. They complimented each other well and everyone was happy with them. Moreover, it seemed their obvious love for each other was giving more hope and joy to their citizens. Noctis was grateful to leave decorum aside when it came to his relationship with Luna. Sometimes, he wondered what his father would have said. And what his mother might have thought.

He kissed Luna's neck as she looked for the cardkey to their door, humming against her skin.

"You smell real good."

"You sound drunk," she observed.

"My brain's foggy," he admitted, a cocky grin showing on his face. "But I've reached perfect clarity regarding tonight. We can be as freaking loud as we want!"

She blushed and stammered a bit as the door unlocked before them and his arms instinctively wrapped around her. Was she embarrassed or simply too content with the fact it felt so natural to lean in his embrace and cling to him?

"You're too warm!" she protested when he kissed her ear, but there was a laugh to her voice.

"Someone has to keep you warm, Luna," he teased, pulling her robe open, his lips following her neckline with gentle nibble and soft kisses.

He wanted to take her slowly tonight, to keep this warm burst of love in his heart and imprint on hers, to make sure she'd feel it down to her toes. Except Luna felt awake and bold. Her hands made quick work of the towel around his waist, cutting to the chase and drawing a deep moan from him.

"It sounds like you're going to be louder than me," she teased him.

He panted against her collarbone, almost coming undone under her touch. She was starting to know him far too well. He braced himself, gripping her hips to lift her in his arms. One of her hands instinctively reached for balance, holding to his nape and his lips found her skin, his teeth ghosting the places he knew were most sensitive. Her gasp was music to his ears and there was a moment of pure lust between them as they let their mouths, hands and bodies take over their mind.

They might be sharing a room in Free Crown, but it always felt too crowded. Not to mention their friends were on the very other side of the corridor. All in all, despite facing a few embarrassing mornings at the breakfast table, they both tried their best to keep their sex life to themselves.

"Noct…"

"Luna," he answered her, eyes haggard with need.

"Do you think we can make it to the bed?"

"I really, really don't want to…"

She laughed at his honesty, before pulling him closer, kissing him fully, with abandon. Her hands down his back threatened to guide him into unspeakable bliss and he wasn't sure if the tension right before was sweeter than the feel of her.

"Why did we take a room if we're not… going to use the bed?"

"Oh, we're going to use the bed, trust me."

She repeated his two last words, voice breathy, almost rough and the need to connect took over them both. Loving each other was almost too easy by now.

…

Iris was almost just as much of a slaver as Ravus when it came to work. Gladiolus would see her off at the crack of dawn as he left for the training center, while she headed to the infirmary. Iris had taken the habit of sanitizing the equipment when she got to their operation and evaluation rooms in the morning. She did it too when they closed up the room and Ravus had insisted time and again that she was overdoing it, but had given up his protests the first time Iris used that new tradition of hers to pull him in a corner for a brief, but heated kiss. Luna definitely knew something was going on by then, but they had been quite lucky when they weren't overly careful.

"How is that serum coming along?" Iris asked him as she walked into his lab.

It was 6 in the morning and it wasn't sure if the elder Fleuret had gotten any rest that night. He was hunched over his lab desk in the very same position he'd been last night when she'd left with a warning about his lack of sleep. Iris wasn't sure her own sleep had done her any good, but she still managed to put one foot in front of the other and focused on his blond head to forget the ache in the back of her skull.

Ravus heaved a sigh. Crowe's white-blighted skin and blood samples brought him the one breakthrough he'd needed. Every time the former Glaive cleaned a daemon, she basically absorbed its blight into her body, only to slowly purge it with her cells. And he had managed to replicate the cells responsible in a single month of work, thanks to the blood samples he had from Luna and Iris. There was no "Oracle cell", but science might very well have an explanation for the blight and the way it could be healed.

"Rave?"

"It's going everywhere but the direction I need it to go," he grumbled.

"You remember we're running a follow up operation on Jeanne today, don't you?"

Leaning back in his chair and rolling his shoulders, the former commander winced at the tension in his limbs.

"I'm an expert in prosthetic limbs, not spinal surgery."

Hearing him complaining was rare and Iris took a brief look around, before leaning her hands on his shoulders, pushing him a bit further in his chair. Her very touch was enough to have him relax and Iris couldn't help the pride in her voice as she reminded him.

"That's why you got me as your assistant, don't you?"

His human hand instantly reached for hers.

"My own little white mage," he whispered. "You're a blessing."

Iris blushed a little more when he kissed her knuckles, holding her hand as though it was a delicate treasure. Ravus barely ever showed her that side of him. The usual conditions for it to happen were as follow:

First - They had to be entirely alone, because their relationship was still a secret, which was getting on her nerves a little more every day.

Secondly – Ravus was usually mentally and physically exhausted to a point where she feared for his health when he dared express in words how much he liked having her around.

Thirdly – A mentally exhausted Ravus arrived far too often to her liking, despite the good sides of it.

Fourth – Even when they got closer, for however short that could be, the awkwardness remained. Iris suspected it had to do with his unwillingness to "taint" her and the guilt she felt for pretending nothing was happening for the sake of her brother.

She turned his chair around to face him and squeezed his hand, hoping she would get his attention. His stubble was at that stage where it threatened to turn into a full beard once more… and Iris asked herself if it was even possible to get over her love for this unruly, messy look he had.

"Ravus, I've been wondering…"

"You look really pale," he cut her off, worry lines creasing his forehead.

"I'm talking to you," she almost snapped.

"And I'm trying to listen," he retorted, raising both hands to hold her waist.

He was studying her as though she was a puzzle now and Iris nervously pushed his hands away, only to have him rolling his chair forward, pulling her into his lap.

"Did you lose weight? You seem thinner…"

She fought against her blush, knowing he was still struggling when it came to show her he cared.

"It's the lack of sun. And what are you doing, measuring me like that?"

"I'm not… You already feel so small."

And it was true that his hands felt too large on her. But she liked the impression when he held her possessively. She leaned down to him, wondering how bold she could be. Bending her neck, she gave him a butterfly kiss, before ruffling his hair playfully.

"Where do you want me to grow, you sly…"

Ravus blinked too quickly, cheeks flushing.

"You're fine as you are, how many times do I have to tell you that? I'm not after looks. You being this cute is a bonus. I just want you healthy. Can't have my white mage neglecting herself."

His human hand cupped her face and she sighed at the kind touch.

"I was trying to tell you something earlier…"

He nodded with a lazy grin and Iris finally admitted what had been on her mind.

"I think we should tell the others. I'm not saying we should start going out, things can stay like this, but…"

"I don't expect them to react well."

She had expected stronger protest, but Ravus was too tired. Her hands splayed on his chest as she shuffled closer to him.

"Isn't it worth it if we can act like this whenever we want?"

"Mind being a tad more specific?"

A voice in the back of Ravus's head told him it was a mistake. But her eyes held that spark and that smile she kept only for him made his heart ache. He could almost taste her warmth just by holding her. He craved so much more of her kisses, of her hands. His chair creaked as Iris leaned her head to his level, locking her lips with his. She tasted like apples. She smelled clean. His formulas and violent headache were almost erased by the very feel of her. She recognized the taste of dark coffee on his breath, one hand drifting in his unruly hair. There was no rush in the way their lips brushed, fear given up for this instant of pure love. Ravus was highly conscious that their current relationship denied her a lot of things. Like the dates or gifts other girls her age would get. How many times had he simply held her in his arms? Was it less than five? The thought hurt. She was owed so much more.

She whined against his mouth and they both wished for time to slow down, if only…

"Ravus, I think I've finally understood what…"

Luna had just walked in, holding a few tests sheets in her hand, freezing them in place as her eyes took in the scene. Iris was pretty much straddling her brother and they were kissing with a familiarity that left little doubt to the closeness they shared. The princess took note of Ravus's hands on the brunette, his prosthetic on her ribs, the way he held her head. Much to her surprise, she was more shocked processing Iris's hands on her brother. His shirt was partly open, there had been a content look on his face as she stepped in and Iris's fingers lingered on his chest.

"…what…?" Luna repeated, her voice high-pitched despite her best intentions.

It had been right before her eyes for so long, but she merely suspected it, not thinking they could actually be... Iris pulled away from Ravus, who stood up, not sure how to look at Luna.

"Well, this is wonderful. Sounds like your wish will be granted after all, Iris," he sighed.

Luna frowned and cleared her throat.

"I really, really didn't mean to intrude, but I had no idea…"

Iris felt mortified that the Oracle apologized for catching them red-handed.

"It's not…"

She had no idea what to say. This wasn't how she'd wanted to announce what was going on to their friends. Ravus rolled his eyes and squared his shoulders.

"Luna, can you please close the door? Then we'll… talk."

Lunafreya obeyed, setting down the tests she'd been holding and leaning with her hand on the examination table. Ravus hadn't expected her to be this shocked, but then again, she'd never seen him in love. Or this happy…

"How long has this been going on?"

"Not… not long," Iris stammered.

"I… It's not like it's _wrong_ ," Luna said. "Except for the fact you're keeping it a secret. Ravus…"

"I know. Mother raised me to be better than that."

Iris looked at him, disbelief written all over her face. She didn't remember a time where Ravus sounded like a scolded child. Luna shook her head.

"Let me speak, brother. What I want to know is… Do you care for Iris?"

The look in her brother's eyes was answer enough. There was something vulnerable about him, unguarded. He looked much much younger and Luna felt the urge to walk around the table and hug him, because she could tell how terrified he was of experiencing these feelings. He had a right to be loved, but a part of him had never felt worthy, otherwise, would he work so hard at pushing people away?

"Yes. Yes, I do," he declared, his voice firm.

Iris was beyond flustered when Luna turned her gaze to her.

"What about you? Do you… really like my brother?"

Ravus wondered why his sister felt the need to stress the world "really". Did she doubt…? His mind was trying to keep his emotions under control, but Iris's answer and the fact she grabbed his metal hand without hesitation made his heart quiver in his chest.

"I love him. All of him."

Luna fought against tears, surprising them again. She brought one hand to her mouth, holding herself, as though she couldn't believe it.

"I'm so, so glad! Iris, please, be careful with him. I know he's rough and act all tough, but…"

"Hey!"

Iris couldn't help her chuckle and Luna laughed too in front of Ravus's indignation. Somehow, having her approval made the runaway prince more confident about himself. About hoping for a future with the girl he loved, despite every abyss that should have kept them apart.

"And you, brother. Don't surprise me like that again!"

"Why not? You're _always_ hanging around Noctis's neck!"

"I… I am not!"

It was Iris's turn to roll her eyes. She could only hope things would turn out as well when they'd tell the news to Gladio. Because she wasn't going to ask Luna to lie and cover for them. She was going to act like an adult, even if it meant facing rough times.

…

It was two hours later, and Gladiolus looked quite pissed, giving Iris doubts about her intentions. The Shield had been trained by Cor the previous day, after saying he could more than certainly tackle the Shield's trials with his eyes closed. Little to say, Gladiolus had had a rough day, getting called out on every little detail the Immortal deemed lacking in his form and technique. Ravus had warned Iris this might not be the best time, but it was clear to the young girl that there would never be a best time.

"I have a busy day ahead of me," Gladiolus warned his sister before turning his attention to the Tenebrean prince standing right next to Iris. "Crowe is fine, I don't need one of your reports."

"That's… not the reason why I'm here."

"There's something I want to tell you, brother…" Iris started, fidgeting with her hands. "And I think Talcott should hear it too."

"This doesn't bode well. Talcott, get your butt over here!"

"School is starting in a… Why is _he_ here?"

Ravus looked impassive, but he was mentally reciting every prayer his mother taught him as a child. Maybe one Astral somewhere would hear and put him out of his misery. Iris gathered her courage and reached for his hand, which wasn't lost on either Gladiolus or Talcott.

"Tell me you're not serious," her brother asked, not even letting her talk.

His eyes were dark, but Iris wasn't impressed.

"Well, brace yourself, because I am! Somewhere along our texts and calls, we've become closer and I know I want to be Ravus's girlfriend. I'm not asking for your permission, but I thought it better to be honest about it."

Talcott looked pale, while Gladio was slowly fuming. Ravus knew his ability to make any argument worse wouldn't be helpful and for once, he could barely find anything to say. It was the boy who spoke first.

"Have you forgotten everything he did?!"

Other words wanted to come, but it was clear Talcott didn't want to cross a line. He didn't like arguing with Iris. She was the closest he had to a sister and he wouldn't lose her over this, even though he was scared of what could happen.

"No, Talcott, I haven't forgotten... But I'm able to look past it."

"And what about him? What are your intentions?"

It was a good thing the boy insisted with his genuine concern, because Gladiolus didn't look like he could align coherent words right now. He was glaring at Ravus so hard, if looks could kill, the man would be well on his way to hell. Ravus stilled himself, turning his eyes to Talcott. He didn't like having to explain himself to anyone. The only one that should have a right to ask any explanation from him was Iris herself, but he remembered all too well how he'd looked at Noctis during the first few weeks.

"I want Iris to be happy. With or without me."

That seemed to ease some of the boy's worries, but Gladio snickered.

"I think the obvious choice is without you. You're far too old for her. All that baggage you got can't be healthy. You can't fix that guy, Iris."

Ravus's nostrils flared and he pulled his hand away from Iris, barely keeping his arms by his sides. He knew a blow was coming, but he wasn't going to strike first.

"I'm not aiming to fix him!" Iris protested.

"But don't you realize what you're getting yourself into?" her brother insisted. "He's not five years older like Noctis was. We're talking more than a decade. Let's say this even work out, in 20 years, you'll be dragging an old man around, not being 40 yet yourself. Is that what you want?!"

Ravus clenched his teeth but let it slide. A 36-year-old Iris with a 49-year-old him sounded improbable. He didn't want to die, but he'd never imagined himself living that long.

"It's her decision," he heard himself shot back.

"Don't you dare pretend you didn't influence her somehow. You broke her arm, you gave her the blight, you ran tests on her without a care for her safety or feelings. Then you thought you could use her to spy on your sister and now you're aiming to snatch her away for good?!"

Talcott was too pale and exchanged a brief look with Iris before walking out of the small apartment. He didn't want to hear the end of the argument, having a good suspicion about what Gladiolus would do once his tirade was over.

"I'm not taking her anywhere. I'm perfectly aware of how young…"

Gladiolus couldn't stand still anymore. All his big brother's instincts were ablaze and he needed to but some physical distance between Iris and that man. He remembered the first time they'd met. How the Regalia was stabbed and Noctis had been hurt and messed around just so that stupid prince could exact some twisted, unfounded revenge from his friend. He remembered how carelessly Ravus acted when it came to any human being, unless his own sister was concerned. He remembered his anger as he first realized that Iris was talking with that man. And his mind wondered if his gesture of burying their father and their king hadn't been for this very chance. Iris was cute. She was nice and radiant, and any guy would be damn lucky to have her in his life.

But to think of all the people in Lucis, Iris would choose him! The idea had scared him, terrified him and while he could admit that Iris wasn't a child anymore, he remembered her as a small girl far too well to accept this lightly. Nix that, he wouldn't stand for it.

His shaking fists were raised and Ravus barely managed to deflect the first blow, defending himself but not motioning to strike back. He had expected worse and a part of him felt like he'd deserved a few punches. Maybe to beat some sense in his head and actually manage to wait until Iris was old enough for it to feel less wrong…

"Gladio, please, don't…!"

She was cut off by both men hitting a shelf and throwing a dozen books to the floor in their struggle.

"What's your problem?" Gladio nearly roared. "You can't have your own sister, so you're taking mine, you sick bastard?!"

Iris gasped, covering her mouth at the implication and Ravus saw red. The accusation made him sick to his stomach but it also rang with an old, awful memory from Nifelheim. Oracle breeding. Verstael being a sick, sick man, suggesting that maybe the Fleuret siblings could produce an Oracle if Luna wasn't… Ardyn thankfully draw a line to the scientist's crazy schemes, but the very knowledge it had even been…

He punched the shield with his metal arm, barely thinking of the damage he could cause. He wanted him to hurt for even implying… Gladio was thrown back in the living room

"I'm going to make you eat those words!"

"Truth hurts, right?" Gladio mocked him, spitting blood.

Ravus wasn't sure why he didn't take out his blade. A flex of the wrist and he could… But somehow, he remembered Iris who was standing right there, looking at them. Gladiolus tackled him, putting all his weight in the charge, cutting off his breath. His punches focused on his shoulder, as though he could punch the prosthetic off him.

Ravus kicked and elbowed him in the ribs, snarling as his instincts stepped in. He could barely hear Iris calling for them to snap out of it. He knew she didn't want this. He knew she would be sad, but if beating sense into her brother was the only way to have her…

Both men were bruised, Ravus's nose was broken and Iris snapped. She grabbed her bo staff, whacking them both on the head, before using their brief moment of disorientation to step between them, facing Gladiolus.

"Alright, this is about enough. I don't want either of you hurt. And you're going to give me some credit, Gladiolus Amicitia. I might be young, but I can tell what I have in front of me. This is nothing like the crush I had for Noctis. And I won't let you decide for me who or what I need. I want to be happy right now."

Her brother was holding his head, his eyes barely focusing on her. His anger was still clear in his harsh breathing and the way he held himself. But something was slowly shifting.

"I'm sorry Iris. I don't think anyone would be worthy of you in my eyes. And Fleuret is the last…"

"Don't you think he didn't try to push me away already? He said himself I could do better, but I don't want better. Maybe I don't know better, but I need someone who gets me, and he does."

Gladiolus couldn't help the impression he'd failed her. Surely if he'd been more attentive, if he'd been more present for her. But he was fooling himself, wasn't he? Iris was slowly going down her own path. Hell, he had started dating at her age and no one had ever seen anything wrong with it. Although…

 _Stop. Don't lose her_ , the Shield thought to himself.

"I know that look," he sighed. "I'll try to get my mind around it. But don't think that's the last time I'll break your face, geezer. And if you ever hurt my sister…"

"Save your breath. You'll kill me. I expect no less from a fellow older brother."

"Get out of my sight. And you Iris, you're staying. We need to talk."

Iris was torn as she looked at Ravus gingerly getting to his feet. Gladio had did quite the number on him, but the Tenebrean prince flashed her a smile. The Shield held back more quips, until the door closed behind the oldest of the Fleuret. Only then did his shoulders sagged and Iris noticed the wheeze coming out of him.

"Did you really have to attack him like that?"

"Well, you gave me the best excuse. And I would have attacked any guy asking to go out with you by principles. If they can't take it, they should walk away."

"I don't intend to have a string of boyfriends," Iris retorted, a fragile smile growing on her lips.

"Well, you sure pick'em ancient. Do you have any idea how weird it is to think… He's older than me!"

"It's not absolutely a bad thing. The younger they are and the stupider they turn out to be."

"Oh, Iris, believe me, all men are stupid."

…

In the corridor, Ravus had barely gotten time to set his nose back straight when Noctis walked out of the room he shared with Luna. The young King looked positively furious.

 _I really should have slept last night,_ Ravus thought begrudgingly.

"You and Iris? Seeing how Gladio's roughen you up, it has to be true," Noctis whispered through clenched teeth.

"What are you going to do about it? Bash my face in?"

"Don't give me ideas, you…!"

It seemed no insult was strong enough and Noctis let the old hatred for Ravus fuel his acts, warping forward to pin the man to the wall, grabbing his collar hard enough to tear the rumpled fabric, hitting him square in the jaw with his free hand.

Prompto was coming back from his latest session of developing films, talking with Ignis who was coming to pick Noctis up from a meeting. Noctis had been distracted with the news of Iris and Ravus being an item, and the fact Luna didn't want him interfering while they "talked" things out with Gladiolus.

"Whoa, whoa, what the hell is…?" the gunman started as Ravus shrugged Noctis off, sending him sprawling into his friends.

"I'm back to enemy number one," the former army commander declared with a self-derisive smile.

"Iris just told Gladio they're together," Noctis explained.

"You mean _together_ together?" Prompto nearly screamed, too shocked to keep his voice down.

Ignis went from stupefaction to surprise to outright anger as his mind gathered the various hints they should all have seen. Ravus and Iris got along well, better than the man did with anyone else, it would take a blind man to miss that fact. But there had been times… Iris acting flustered around the Fleuret. The way she always had little attentions for him. How had none of them seen it coming? Was it because considering Iris in any kind of amorous relationship seemed ludicrous to them all? Or because it was so hard to fathom that Luna's brother could have anything similar to human feelings?! As much as they'd gotten to know him better, far too often, Ravus looked and talked like an enemy.

Moreover, he had set his sights on Iris Amicitia, a kind girl that both Ignis and Noctis had seen growing up and considered like their sister. Scrapped knees, her getting lost running after some cat, the countless laughs and few nightmares, the way she made Clarus go soft even during important occasions and could bring a smile on king Regis's face… It wasn't too hard to imagine how Gladiolus felt about it. They could hear his muffled arguing with Iris from the door to their apartment.

Prompto helped Noctis to his feet. The gunman clearly didn't know what to think or how to react and for the nth time, Ravus wondered if this could have gone any worse. He held enough doubts about taking a chance with such a young girl, about taking a chance at all considering what he'd done in the past, and now…

"Is this for real? She's like… over a decade younger…" Prompto sounded between disgust and utter disbelief.

"Cradle robber," Ignis supplied his friend.

It was right, entirely right, but it didn't make it any better. He could be some heartless monster in the eyes of Nifelheim's citizens. He'd grown to accept the disappointed looks from fellow Tenebraens. Soldiers badmouthing him was fine. But he didn't want to lose his place among them, because that place meant he could be with Luna. Be her brother, like he hadn't been allowed to. He wanted just a little more time with Iris. His throat felt too tight and the metallic taste of blood in his mouth brought back memories of the other fights he'd lost. He was tired and fed-up and aching for a reprieve. Ignis, Noctis and Prompto were all glaring at him with various degrees of resentment and he knew prolonging this silence wasn't doing him any good. Luna would tell him to speak the truth. But the truth scared him. He loved Iris beyond reason, despite how young and innocent she was compared to him and he wasn't giving up on her. He spat blood on the floor, letting his bitterness win him over.

"If any of you wants to punch me, get in a freaking line! You think you can bully sense into me?!"

Ignis itched to wipe the defying look from the prince's face, but reeled himself in. Violence wouldn't work on Ravus. And Iris might…

"I sure can try," Noctis retorted, jumping forward.

Prompto tried to hold him back, still processing the news, but it seemed their king was letting his powers loose. Blue blades surged and Ravus instantly unsheathed his own sword.

"You guys can't…!"

The hallway was too small for a full-on fight, but it didn't stop the brother-in-laws from trying. Ravus still moved fast for someone who'd been roughed up by Gladio and there was a lot more at stake than just the shock of this news. Noctis swirled and cast spells and weapons, circling Ravus, backing him up against a wall. The former army commander kicked and feinted, parrying with his sword and prosthetic. He was almost too quick to follow, climbing up the walls and rushing left and right, but cuts, burns and frostbite still appeared on him.

 _If I had just been more attentive. Maybe Iris wouldn't have… I don't want you hurting her. For everything you do, there's a goal and I can't…_

Iris would get hurt. She might be mad at him for a while, but it wouldn't last, unlike the damage Ravus could do. Except it was Luna's brother. Shouldn't he give him the benefit of the doubt? But how could he do that when it was one of his best friends' sister on the line?!

Ravus pushed Noctis into a wall, the metal sheets bending under their combined weight, bones shifting and threatening to snap. Wires burst when the chosen King roared, his eyes shining crimson under his dark locks. Prompto and Ignis weren't even sure if interfering was still possible at this rate. They had never seen Noctis getting this angry. Electricity caught on Ravus' metal arm, steam rising while the fabric of his shirt tore from the heat. His skin bubbled and his enraged scream was almost inhuman. Anyone should have stopped then, but he didn't back away, catching Regis's sword mid-air, as though the blade called to him. The armiger vanished almost instantly. But the blade of the previous king remained.

"Monster versus monster, right?" Ravus taunted him. "Can't always be the newer model that wins."

"Don't you dare…!"

Ignis gripped Prompto's shoulder.

"We can't let them keep this up. They'll bring down the whole tunnel at this rate."

Prompto was convinced by the look on Iris's face as Gladio managed to pry their door open. The fighting had jarred the metal plates by the door, making it almost impossible to get out. The Shield cursed as he took in the picture of both men dueling despite their respective wounds. Ravus was the worse of the two, but Noctis sported one impressive shiner, not to mention a cut on his right arm that slowed him down.

"Are you for real?!"

"What can I say, sis," Gladiolus tried to joke around, although his heart wasn't really into it. "I trained Noct well. He's defending your honor."

Iris motioned to rush between them, but it was an ice bullet from Prompto that interrupted the fighting, blowing up right between both men. Noctis actually had some snow on his face, while Ravus had instinctively moved away. More than ever, he looked like a wild beast, cornered but still ready to fight back.

"That's about enough, don't you think?" Ignis said.

"Oh really? I can take a whole lot more… than that!" Ravus spat.

He dropped the king's blade before holding his right side, his prosthetic shaking. He didn't look at Iris. He doubted he could handle seeing her worried about him. Noctis stared in shock, realizing he'd unleashed his full powers on the man. And while a voice in the back of his mind told him how the fact that Ravus still stood up to him meant it was perfectly fine, he felt bad. It got worse when Luna's voice reached his ears.

"What is the meaning of… Brother?"

The Oracle had been called for an emergency healing after an accident in the mines. Someone had been bitten by a daemon and she'd rushed off to help, asking Noctis to keep an eye on Ravus and Iris. He had barely swallowed the news, but his brain was slowly understanding his actions just now were crossing a line. Luna rushed to her brother side, almost clawing Iris away from him, her hands shining with white magic, instinctively healing the worst of his burns before even adding a word.

"I was about to…" Iris started.

"Haven't you done enough already?!" Luna snapped, which caused a collective gasp, Iris frozen in place from the sheer shock.

Was she to blame for this?

"Hey, don't take it out on Iris," Ravus told her, his voice softening as he said the young girl's name.

"Why not?" his sister protested. "Everyone reacts to this news as though she's the only one who shouldn't get hurt. And I don't mean that I want you to get hurt, Iris, I just…"

Noctis didn't remember a time when he'd seen Lunafreya this angry. He wanted to lean back in the hole made inside the wall and pretend like he wasn't there, but her blue eyes fell on him. It seemed the air around him was getting colder and any words he could have said remained stuck to the back of his throat.

"Did you really have to go that far?! You used your magic on him, even your armiger from what I can tell. I know you two don't always see eye to eye, but…"

Gladiolus felt the need to take Noctis's defense and took a step forward.

"I was the first one to punch him, if you want to get angry at someone. And while he's your brother and that forgives a lot of things, don't forget…"

"I know what he did in the past!" Luna cut him off, her head shaking from left to right. "I know better than any of you, I was in Tenebrae with him! I know my brother. He'll do anything to reach a goal, and he'd do anything to protect the people he cares about. Yes, he's older than Iris. But I'm older than Noctis myself. And I have made mistakes too, even hurt him a few times."

She gave an apologetic look to her fiancé and the guys were all reminded of that one fight back at the beginning, when Noctis wanted to kill a soldier and Lunafreya had ordered him around.

"We're not talking about four years," Ignis pointed out.

Prompto bit his lips as he looked at the scene unfolding. Luna standing before her brother, one hand on his chest, facing them all with anger. Ravus could barely stand by now and Noctis was struggling to keep his breathing normal. Iris was kneeling on the floor, unable to find the words that would mend this situation, while Ignis and Gladiolus still held on to their doubts about the oldest of the Fleuret. A part of him thanked Ramuh for keeping this between them. The scene was already intense enough as is, no need for some Free Crown citizen to step in. Luna's eyes were flaring now.

"Maybe, but she's not twelve either! Do you really think so lowly of my brother you believe he could…"

Her face fell a bit and Ravus paled as her hand clutched to his shirt. He almost wanted to know what could be going on in her head. It had been impossible for her to take his side before. She resented him for blighting people, for hurting Noctis, for being such a jerk all the time and siding with the empire and acting like he could replace her magic with his damn science. So why was she defending him now?

"He has a lot of flaws, but he's not an abuser. He would never take advantage of her. For Shiva's sake, he patched me up enough times, even when I didn't want anyone to see…"

Tears rolled down Luna's face and for an instant, there was nothing strong about her, the pain from her bad memories catching up with her. Noctis wanted to hold her and erase the fears, but his single step towards her made her flinch, as though he would hurt her too. She angrily dried her tears, taking a deep breath as her shoulders righted themselves.

"I'm not looking for comfort. I'm angry with you, Noct. And I'm disappointed in all of you," she added, glaring at the others, because she could tell none of them had rushed to calm down Noctis or help her brother. "Were you pretending to tolerate Ravus all these months? He's been fixing people, he's been working day and night on finding a way to destroy the scourge once and for all. He gave up an arm. He gave up his whole life for a duty that isn't even his! Or maybe you've forgotten that's what _we_ 're supposed to do, you and I?!" she threw in Noctis's face.

"Luna…" the King started.

"My brother is a good man," she insisted. "He has a right to be loved like any one of you. And I won't stand to you two fighting like this. I won't have any of you treating him like a monster for being human."

"I might have been owed a few of these punches, Luna," Ravus whispered.

"You've paid enough already. Stop selling yourself short. You are good," she repeated, stressing all three words and taking the time to look him straight in the eyes.

The tough mask almost dropped then. Ravus hadn't realized how much he needed those words. Meanwhile, Noctis was wondering what that made him in Luna's eyes. The Oracle looked back at them, quickly gathering her thoughts.

"I'm sorry for raising my voice like that. And for pushing you down, Iris. I just didn't expect to find my brother half dead when we're supposed to be safe." Her eyes leaned heavily on Noctis at that and he was heavily tempted to phase through the floor if it meant escaping that look on her face. "Now I'm going to treat his wounds," she went on. "…and you are going to get yourself together. I'm not losing my brother a second time."

They all stood in silence, looking at her with various levels of guilt on their faces.

"I hope I don't have to tell you this should stay between us all. Ravus and I have almost found a way to manufacture a serum for the blight. He doesn't need any further prejudice."

Gladiolus looked away at that, Prompto tapping his foot nervously while Iris had clasped her hands in her lap. Ignis didn't like the impression he'd been a hypocrite for months, but he was convinced their outrage was justified. Thing was, Luna's own outrage was just as justified.

"I didn't hear anything," Luna observed. "Do we have an understanding here?"

Even Ravus looked shocked, and the guys blinked.

Iris muttered a pitiful yes, trying to catch Ravus's eyes, hoping he could tell she didn't mean for things to go that bad. He wanted to wipe the sad look from her face, but Luna's will was extending to him too right now. Prompto nodded, Gladio begrudgingly gave her the confirmation she wanted as did Ignis. Noctis's turn came last, because he was still struggling to find his voice.

"Is there something you want to add, your Highness? A condition or two maybe? Or another burn somewhere?"

Noctis looked like she'd just slapped him, his fisted hands dropping limply by his sides. She'd never made him feel like this before. As though he was a stupid child throwing a tantrum.

"No… I'm sorry, Luna, I…"

"You don't owe me an apology. But I guess that will do for now." Her face changed after dismissing him, warming up for the younger Amicitia, and Noctis wondered if this dreadful impression could ever leave him.

"Iris," Luna started. "You don't have to look so down. I'll patch him up and then you can look after him. I just… want to make sure my brother's okay first."

It almost sounded sheepish, but it was clear seeing Ravus in such a bad state had shaken her. She pulled Ravus after her to the girl's room, which was currently vacant, locking the door behind them. Gladiolus finally had the nerve to walk up to his sister and wasn't surprised when Iris threw herself in his arms. Noctis sat down on the floor, hiding his face between his hands and Prompto wasn't sure how his legs were still holding him up.

"I had forgotten how tough she could be when she's angry," he sighed.

Ignis realized he'd clenched his fists so hard, his nails had started digging in his palms. He was shaking just enough to feel childish for it. Seeing Noctis being talked back to was hard, but admitting to himself Luna was right hurt his pride. He should have interfered before the fight even started. He should have held his tongue on the insult and remember the quiet, almost companionable moments he'd shared with the eldest Fleuret over the past few months. They shared a room and the man was quiet and well organized, unlike Prompto. He wasn't a monster, and it was clear now that he cared for Iris. Even when he was so heavily hurt, he'd instantly worried about her.

" _My brother is not an abuser!"_

Ignis shook the implied accusation away. That they were all thinking… It was true, their minds had jumped to conclusions. Who wouldn't?! But it still felt wrong. To believe that after coming so far, they instantly reverted to their old prejudices against the man. He took a few careful steps to stand next to Noctis.

"She'll get over it," he heard himself say.

"You think? I just… Did you hear how she talked to me? How she said…"

"She was angry. It won't be the last time she gets angry at you, but knowing her, she should forgive you soon enough."

"You didn't see the look in her eyes," Noctis protested.

Prompto nodded vehemently. Anything to keep at bay the nasty thoughts about what Luna had hinted at when she'd mentioned her past.

"I almost pissed my pants!"

Iris was the only one among them who managed a laugh. Their hearts were heavy from the scolding and heavier from the brutal revelation. Gladiolus exchanged a look with Ignis, mouthing the words: What the hell happened to her?

The advisor shook his head. He'd never thought the empire ever dared hurting their Oracle. What good would it bring them? Unless they were trying to break her. After all, they had tried breaking Aranea, and she was their only dragoon fighter. The thought was still disheartening. Lunafreya had been in the empire's clutches for 12 years. Almost half of her life, and it seemed it had been worse than Noctis had ever suspected as he was writing his letters to her.

"Say, Noct?" Prompto asked, his voice sounding unsure. "What Luna said about needing to be patched up…"

Noctis's hands dropped to the floor, his shoulders hunching over a bit more.

"I know. She's… She's got scars and it took everything for her to…"

His voice broke in a shudder and none of his friends knew what to say to ease his sorrow. To think Luna had been exposed to any sort of abuse, while remaining this kind. Prompto felt tears welling up and sniffled, wishing he'd known. He would have worked twice as hard to make her smile or laugh with his antics.

…

Ravus felt like a child when Luna sat him down on a bed and had him lifting his head to check his wounds. He could barely keep his breathing together and the dried blood all around his nose was starting to itch.

"You took a lot of nasty punches," she deplored. "I'm not sure I can fix your nose perfectly."

"Might fit me better that… Owwww owww, warn me a little!" he protested after she'd reset the bone as best as she could.

"Like you warned me about you and Iris?" she half teased, half chided him.

"Sorry," he sighed.

"You think you can get away with a mere sorry? Look at yourself! You're covered in scars, I bet you taunted half the people hurting you into doing it only to feel better about your own guilt."

He swallowed, trying to hold back the shaking that was threatening to take over. Her previous words were still ringing in his ears. _My brother is a good man. .good._ He almost wanted to hear it again, but he might break if she did say it once more. Tears of pain had already run down his cheeks and he could see her eyes watering as she focused on the burns along his sides.

"I almost wish I'd stood up for you before. You already make your life hard enough on yourself."

"I don't know… how to act any different."

"Do you now? Iris said she loves you. She isn't the type to love a real jerk."

He tried to chuckle, but the jab hurt. At the moment, everything hurt. His heart was too open, too many dark memories had been brought back to the surface. She fixed his ribs, her magic feeling wild and volatile in his bones. Her anger was still so strong. For an instant out there, she had been a queen, and he was impressed and terrified after seeing her acting so cold towards her friends. How she commanded obedience from all of them, how she scolded and shook them up. Ravus wondered if she'd always been hiding this side of herself.

"You really surprised me out there."

"How would you react if you found me bloodied and burned all over?"

She really didn't have to ask. Such a situation had happened a few times already, minus the burns. He felt a wave of protectiveness surging inside, but wasn't sure how to express it.

"You know, as touched as I am that you took my side this time…"

"Ravus, don't. I don't have a lot of patience now and I don't want to argue with you. I saw the way you were looking at her this morning. I'm sure you'll be good for each other."

His throat tightened, and the shaking grew stronger. Somehow, hearing her so confident and approving of him was worse than being called names. If she knew what he'd done in the past, wouldn't she take it all back?

"Do you still hurt?" she asked him.

Her hands touched his face, his hair. How could she still care, when he had been working for the people hurting her? How could she defend him when he hadn't been able to keep her safe like a big brother should? How could she believe in him so much?

"Luna… What about you? You never mention the past and back there, you spelled it out so clearly. You were so tensed… It still haunts you, doesn't it? I never managed…"

"Don't lead me there. I said it because I know you are better than they think."

A part of him wanted to tell her she was wrong, but he hadn't the heart for it.

"For all it's worth, I'm sorry I couldn't protect you then," he confessed, his voice rough with the many emotions fighting inside him.

"Don't think like that, Ravus. The past is in the past and I know you always did your best. I'm actually glad that you're finally trying to have something for yourself."

"What? I've always…"

"Always looked out for me. Don't you get to be selfish now? Before resentment takes up all the place in your heart."

Her fingers brushed that spot on his chest, under which his heart was beating that irregular beat he'd came to call normal with the past few months. A dozen ideas ran around his head. Gladio's accusation and the dreadful fear he'd had as a teenager. The relief from learning his sister was the Oracle, that no more threats would come. The awful, awful nights and mornings when he'd find Luna too weak to walk on her own, shivering and fighting against her own tears. The fights he couldn't win, no matter how hard he trained, to the point of throwing up and forgetting what sleep felt like. The night with that girl he couldn't name. When his arm had been torn off, when he'd wake up with the awful, foreign prosthetic. Iris's face as she'd tried to fix his stump. The sounds she'd made when she cried on her father's grave. Lunafreya saying he was good.

"I…" A sob cut him off and he coughed and tried to push her hands away, but he wanted to hide somewhere safe. "I'm so damn scared, Luna. I'll mess up, I always, always…"

"No, Ravus, no."

She pulled him into a hug, letting him lean his face in the crook of her neck, holding him like he did back when she had a nightmare. His voice was different, a shivering sound, his words too simple, the pretenses all gone.

"She's so small and… I don't know what I'm doing, I just know I need her to stay sane, but I'm too old, too damaged, and at the same time I feel…"

It was too much, he would ruin her, ruin it, he couldn't manage one thing right, not when feelings were involved.

"It will be okay," Luna told him, stroking his hair.

The sobs took over, the pain from the previous battles, the doubts and the self-loathing mixing together.

"But I'm no good."

"Shhh. A prince of Tenebrae shouldn't talk like that," she reminded him.

For a moment, her voice reminded him of their mother, of the rare times where softness took over the rules and decorum. He whimpered, his hacked sobs wrecking through his entire body. Luna stayed with him, holding him until the worst of the pain was cried out.

"Look at me, brother."

"No…"

"Ravus, man up."

He instantly glared at her, which earned him a bright smile and he rolled his eyes, wondering how she could make him grin even when he felt so worthless.

"There. You have a right to be confused and scared. I didn't know half the stuff I was doing when I finally met Noctis after all these years. But we pulled through somehow."

"And here I was thinking that little argument earlier might put a dent on your relationship."

Lunafreya pondered his comment, worry reappearing on her face.

"Hey, I didn't mean that. Well, it was meant as a joke. I really need to feel lighter. And I don't want to bring you down."

She sniffed, but quickly dried her own tears, giving him another smile.

"Don't wait until you have so many worries piled up on your head next time you need a shoulder to cry on. And don't ever feel bad for it. We're family."

He wasn't sure if his voice could stay steady. His throat felt too hoarse, so instead, he held her closer, kissing the crown of her head.

"Thank you, sis."

…

Iris wasn't allowed to see Ravus until a few hours later, Luna ordering her brother to get some sleep. He half wondered if she hadn't put a spell on him for it to work, since sleep took over in a matter of seconds after his head touched the pillow. He woke up to Iris looking over him in his sleep, sitting on the mattress, but being careful of not disturbing his rest. His throat still felt hoarse and he worried his eyes might be red. The bruising was gone, so was the blood, Luna had insisted on him cleaning up before lying down and for once he was grateful for her patronizing.

"Slept well?" Iris asked him.

"Hmmm… Does your brother know you're here?"

She heaved a deep breathe.

"Of course, he knows. He barely argued against it. The guys are still a bit shaken by Luna's outburst. Not that I blame her. They were acting like asses."

Ravus couldn't help chuckling. He really was a bad influence on her. And in this particular case, he didn't mind.

"I'm really sorry, Rave. I never thought they would react this badly."

The apology was written all over her face and he would have shrugged if he'd been sitting. Instead, he rolled on his side, fully facing her, reaching for her hand.

"Hey, I'll live. And I remember you saying there would be advantages to it."

Iris raised one brow.

"Did Luna switch you with someone else when you two had your little talk?"

"I might still be half asleep. How long have I been out?"

"Four hours, five tops."

He groaned. No surprise he still felt so groggy. Iris ruffled his hair absent-mindedly.

"Do you really want this?" he asked her.

"What?"

"Getting courted by a nearly 30-year-old prince?"

Iris blushed a bit. Courting sounded old-fashioned, but there was something romantic about it.

"Is the crooked nose included in that offer?" she shot back, giving him an appraising look.

"What?!"

Her instantaneous laugh comforted him in his slight panic. Ravus wasn't used of being self-aware, but he wasn't used to the idea of having a girlfriend either.

"I'm still in for it. At least, if you're still interested."

"So much for waiting," he sighed. "Iris, I'm faced with a bit of a dilemma."

She frowned, and he wondered if he should really mess around with her like that. He didn't want to give her false impressions, but the little child in his heart wanted to see the look on her face after his next words.

"I want to hold you in my arms, but I don't want to get up yet."

Her flushed cheeks were adorable and when she pulled the covers open, he felt a rush of nervousness. This wasn't even his room or his bed, and he had no idea whether the door was locked. He was pretty certain Gladiolus wouldn't let him off this easily, and while the others might treat the situation better… A part of him was still convinced this was a bit wrong. But her hands touched him, Iris tucking her head under his chin, shifting a bit next to him until she felt comfortable in his arms. It felt so right. For a few minutes, they just basked in each other's warmth.

"Gladiolus is going to give me a curfew. And a dozen more rules to reassure him we're taking things slow."

"Hmmm. That sounds like something I should have done with Luna."

She slapped his chest playfully, to which he tickled her until she begged for mercy. They didn't kiss or feel the need for it. Holding onto each other was enough right now. Iris had almost drifted to sleep when Ravus shifted next to her.

"What's wrong?"

"I just remembered what Luna said when she barged in on us this morning. We could complete the serum if she's really…"

"We cancelled our work for the entire day," Iris reminded him. "And I'm all cozy and warm."

Her voice this close had a funny effect on him. She put him at ease in a way that should have frightened him. But he was tired of worrying so much all the time.

"Alright. Sleep tight, 'Ris."

"Sweet dream."

She might be his sweetest dream as of late, but he decided to store that line for later. There was a limit to how unlike him she made him act.

…

Luna found it harder than she'd expected to face the others after her outburst. Gladiolus had had a heated discussion with Crowe, who was half happy for Iris, half pissed off that she couldn't give Ravus a piece of her mind about what she'd do to him if he messed things up. The Shield refused to apologize for breaking Ravus's nose or a few of his ribs.

"I would have done the same thing to any guy dating my sister," he explained. "There might have been a few personal feelings involved, but can you really blame me? I still have a right to worry about Iris."

She could understand Gladio's stubbornness and accepted to let things as they were. Ravus was able to defend himself and she didn't want to abuse her position, while still wanting to make sure her brother wasn't going to get wrecked on a daily basis. Moving on, she decided against seeing Noctis right away. She was starting to feel guilt for how harsh she'd been with him. Luna decided to quickly check on Ignis, who revealed himself to be overly polite and slightly distant with her at first.

"I know Noctis is your first concern," she started. "…and I can understand how much Iris means to you all. I just…"

"There's no need for a debate here, Lunafreya." Ignis objected. "I behaved poorly and… I feel bad that you had to call us out on it," he finally confessed, his shoulders lowering slightly. "Normally, I wouldn't… let a situation deteriorate this much."

"I don't want this whole thing to create a rift between us," she explained.

"It might be awkward at first…" He pinched the bridge of his nose, barely holding back his sigh as he lost his composure an instant. "If I'm entirely honest, it will be awkward for some time. But we've been through worse."

Luna offered him her hand, wishing to extend some sort of peace offering, and Ignis shook it, although gingerly. The advisor wasn't sure how to explain his unease. Knowing Luna had been hurt on a regular basis by the empire for years made him wonder if he shouldn't have supported Noctis in one of his old dreams, which had been to steal a boat and snatch Lunafreya away from the empire. The King hadn't shared this idea with many people, in fact, Ignis suspected even Luna didn't know of it. Being his rational and logical self, he'd refused to even nurture the plan or help expand on it. It was too risky for his charge, not to mention the potential repercussions on Lucis. The guilt as he wondered what might have happened and which hurts he might have saved her from was only making it harder to look her in the face.

Just as Luna was about to walk out, Ignis couldn't hold it back anymore.

"I'm deeply sorry."

The Oracle halted on the doorstep, gazing at him with a confused look. Ignis fought against the sudden urge to shift his weight from one leg to another.

"I'm sorry we didn't find you sooner," he added.

Understanding dawned on her and Luna gave him a weak smile.

"Oh, there's really no need for regrets. My mother used to say that everything happens for a reason."

The hurt was clear in her eyes and Ignis wondered if his attempt at easing his troubled mind hadn't backfired. When Luna hurt, so did Noctis. The Oracle went looking for the blond member of the group, having a feeling he would be hanging near his "office".

Prompto had kept Talcott company for a good part of the day, but as soon as Luna walked up to them, the gunman jumped to his feet, an apology tumbling from his lips.

"There's really no need," she tried to calm him.

"But I'm really sorry. We all blew things out of proportion. I hate it when you and Noctis argue, but he went too far, going all out like this and I should have thought of stopping him before Ignis even suggested it. I was just… so damn shocked, it was like my brain had stopped."

The princess smiled at his panicked rambling.

"Prompto, please, I'm not mad… At least, not anymore. You're a kind soul. And I was just as shocked as you when I found them kissing each other this morning."

The blond man made a face at that, earning himself a laugh.

"This almost feel as wrong as imagining my parents having sex," he remarked. "And I was cloned!"

There was no pain in his observation, he was merely stating a fact and Luna allowed herself to feel amazement for how far he'd come along since the first day she'd met him.

"Please, don't say that. I don't want to imagine my brother…"

She halted mid-sentence, blinking her eyes a little too quickly.

"And now you're imagining it," Prompto deduced. "Gross. Gross, gross, gross, gross."

Talcott had covered his ears and Luna decided both Prompto and the boy had had enough drama in the same day. She was getting fed up with it.

"I need a change of imagery, Prom. Think fast."

The gunman was very happy to oblige her. After sitting through the showcasing of 438 pictures, Luna finally gathered up the courage to go and face Noctis. It had been a mere hour and a half since she'd bullied Ravus into a bed and thrown venom at her fiancé's face, but it felt like too much time had passed already. She was torn between the remnant of her anger for how violent Noctis had been with Ravus–his prosthetic had melted in a few joints!–and how bad it had hurt to see the pain on Noctis's face as she scolded him.

…

Noctis was in their room, shirtless as he sat on the further corner of their bed, and struggling to bandage his wounded arm on his own. He jumped as she stepped inside and barely turned his head, recognizing her in a single glance from underneath his dark locks. His shoulders looked too stiff and he refused to acknowledge her, tightening the bandage around his arm a little too hard. He'd used a few potions, but it was clear he wasn't in a state to fix himself properly. Luna walked up to him, holding back her apology. He had a right to be angry, but she was too afraid to think he could try anything similar in the future. He barely ever used his full powers against human enemies. She knew it was against his principles and that he always held back in their sparring sessions, unless his partner showed he could handle it. Noctis's constant restlessness had subdued over the past months, as he seemed more and more satisfied with his ability to rule and help his people. But the amount of violence still hiding inside… How much did he hate her brother if he was ready to forsake all his principles just to make him hurt and pay?

"You should let me help," she offered, seeing the blood already seeping through the bandage.

"It's fine," he told her, his voice clipped.

"Noctis, look at me."

"So now it's Noctis again, huh?!"

The hurt in his eyes was painful to see, but her gaze didn't falter. It was the young King who looked away first.

"I know I overdid it," he admitted. "I know I was in the wrong and took things too far. It wasn't even about Iris in the end, I just…"

"Was it a good excuse to finally have that showdown you wanted against him? Had you been itching to throw spells at him all this time?"

Noctis looked up at her, alarm and panic on his features.

"No, no! I'm not like that… At least, I don't want to be… I know your brother is not… entirely bad. He's just always so calculative… He's been using Iris for his research, for her powers and I couldn't help the thought…"

Luna's eyes softened just enough to give him the hope she might understand this too. He felt ashamed of his actions. He'd scared himself out there, he'd seen the look on Prompto's face in the middle of the fighting. Was he some bloodthirsty freak? Some conceited King, toying around with people, letting his powers get to his head?

Regis had warned him a few times and the words ringing in his head made his guilt even stronger. _These powers were granted to our ancestors to protect humanity, Noct. Some people might be afraid of you for being so strong. But that's because they live in comfort and don't realize the threats waiting out there. I want you to make sure you always use your gifts for the good of Lucis. You can't let personal feelings guide you when you're tapping into the crystal's magic._

His father's sword had flown right into Ravus's hand back there. It was the one weapon that hadn't answered his commands, hadn't cut the former commander. As though Regis was trying to tell him something. Remind him he was wrong. Or was it because he'd never collected the blade properly? Was he unworthy of his own legacy?

His shoulders trembled and his resolve to hold his grounds slowly vanished.

"I'm not forgetting my duty as chosen king either. I know we've been here for a long time, but the talks are over and in a few weeks, we can head to Altissia and… make that covenant with the Hydraean."

His face fell and for a second, Luna found it hard to breathe. She took a step forward, and after a moment of hesitation, she sat by his side on the bed, putting one hand on his knee.

"Noct…"

"I know the Scourge is always at the back of your mind," he whispered. "But if you were this worried about it, why didn't you tell me until now?!"

The hurt was almost stronger now. He doubted himself about everything and he was finally growing confident, finally finding his bearings… Finally feeling like he might just be a good King. Luna gently convinced him to turn his head until he was facing her, giving him her answer only when the shaking in his frame subsided.

"Because you have far more than enough on your plate as it is. Noctis, I don't like arguing with you and don't go thinking I was happy to treat you like I did earlier. But Ravus is my brother."

"I know… I'm sorry." He almost faltered as she raised one brow at him and caved in. "I'll apologize directly to him, I swear. Luna, I need to know if you… Can you forgive me?"

His hand tentatively reached for hers and she squeezed his fingers.

"I know you two will fight again, you're both too stubborn for things to go otherwise… But can you promise me you won't use magic against him again?"

"I won't," he vowed, almost too solemn.

She gave him a frail smile.

"I forgive you, Noct. Sometimes, I feel like I could forgive anything coming from you."

He frowned, wrapping his good arm around her shoulders.

"Don't. I can be wrong. No one should get away with everything, not even…"

He swallowed, but the knot in his throat wouldn't leave this easily.

"A king?" she supplied him, cupping his face in her hands. "You're a good King. You're just human, which means you make mistakes every now and then. I won't ever hate you for it, Noct."

His sharp intake of breath told her she'd hit the nail on the head. He wanted to thank her, to hold her, maybe to kiss her, but there was still a shadow to the picture.

"When you mentioned Ravus patching you up…" he started.

Luna did everything in her power not to tense next to him. She had never meant to say this out loud, never meant to even hint to the tortures she'd been exposed to in her past. Noctis knew some of it and it should have been enough. She so wanted to be over this part of her life, but the situation and the doubt mixing with accusation in their eyes had awakened a dozen pains. She could understand their fears. If she had a younger sister, she would have been overly protective of her. Luna had never wished pain on anyone, except maybe for those men… But she knew Ravus had his own code of honor. And after doubting him herself and watching him be mocked and treated badly for weeks, she couldn't sit by idly anymore.

"I…"

 _It's all in the past, you're over it, there's not need to linger…_

"Luna, I don't want to make it worse, but it feels like I barely know…"

 _How do I make up for leaving you in their hands?_ He thought bitterly.

"I can't… I was only making a point. Ravus always did his best so I wouldn't have scars, and of course there were times when he couldn't help me, we were both… so trapped. We just reacted to things differently…"

There were no words to mend her and Noctis held her to his heart, unsure if she was crying for herself or for her brother more. She tried to tell him how hard it was to see Ravus hurting or to face anyone when she felt broken beyond repair. She tried to tell him the pain was nothing like it used to be and that she didn't resent him, that she never wanted him to save her, because she really wanted to save herself. She could talk back to gods and erase the worst illness befalling humanity, but she couldn't save herself… How pathetic was that?

"I'm sorry," she whispered as the last of her tears fell. "I'm crying far too often."

"You shouldn't apologize for it," Noctis told her. "Just tell me how I can make you feel better."

"Kiss me?" she suggested.

It was so far from the commands she'd given him earlier, so far from the confident Luna who dared to embrace him in public. He kissed her eyelids, the corner of her eyes, tasting the salt on her skin. Her hands felt possessive on him, almost harsh, but he could tell she was holding on to him to remain afloat despite the dark memories. Noctis gently laid her on her back, kissing her slowly, his gestures almost too soft. Each touch was an apology, and he couldn't bear rushing her. A part of him was hoping she might understand that all this gentleness he showed her was the real him. The violence inside always felt so foreign, even though he was a destroyer… It was only the remnant from his own wounds and losses.

"I won't break, Noct," she teased him after a dozen more kisses, realizing how much he held himself back.

"I think I just might. I love you so much…"

"I love you too. And I like the feel of your hands. Your arms. You make me feel safe."

He smiled at her, that frail, hopeful smile of his. Next thing he knew, her hands were tugging on his hair and their lips locked together again. He wasn't sure who to thank for having her in his life. But he'd do everything he could to keep her safe and happy.

To be continued…

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Holy moly, this chapter is like… two chapters in one! But I wanted to cover the whole Iris and Ravus admitting their relationship fully. Gladiolus is clearly not over it, but I think everything was addressed. Having Luna scold Noctis like that was tough on my heart, but he seriously crossed a line. But we finally had a real confrontation between Ravus and Noctis! I wonder how I'll get them to fight each other one last time.

Next chapter will be pretty angsty too, because Etro's arc will be fully back on and Gladiolus isn't out of his misery yet. I'm setting the stage for his episode. I don't know when I'll bring it out and I hope it won't be quite as long as this one – otherwise it will take me more time to write it- but one thing is for sure. I'm really, really excited to get the team away from Free Crown and back on the road.

As always, reviews motivate me greatly. I hope this chapter wasn't too harsh. I went through a lot of emotions writing it.


	63. Don't call her cranky

Hi guys! Today's chapter is long too, but only 25 pages, 9000 something words. I'm taking a chance here, because we will be staying with Crowdio for the entire time (well, almost the entire time) and I know this pairing isn't the most popular for this story -but I love it nevertheless, otherwise Gladio would be on his lonesome- so please bear with me. I must warn you that this chapter is pretty dark and intense despite all the fluff I squeezed in it, because we're talking about rape.

It warrants a rape trigger warning.

The T rating still stands in my opinion, because I'm not about to explicitly linger on every sordid detail -not the goal here- but it's still rough. I really don't want to hurt anyone's sensibility here. If you think I'm blowing it out of proportions, feel free to let me know. With all that said, I hope you have a nice read.

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Unexpected

Chapter 63 – Don't call her cranky

Crowe was tired of writing down every occurrence associated to her transformation. It was the first thing on her mind when she woke up and the nightmares where Etro whispered to her were growing more frequent. She was finding it harder and harder to spend the night without Gladiolus, because she was so scared of losing control. Aranea didn't mind the occasional change, inviting Ignis over on a regular basis. Prompto had visited Cindy twice to collect her latest prosthetic, when the mechanic hadn't come over herself. March went by, Libertus asking her why everyone in the king's retinue was acting different. He'd pinpointed the change to the day a hole in their hallway's wall had been created by the Astrals knew what. Noctis had ordered it repaired and his friends had instantly volunteered to work on it. Ravus Nox Fleuret had closed on himself, the guys were all doubly protective of the Oracle, Lunafreya and Noctis seemed to waltz between love and some unspoken tension.

"I think staying cooped up in here is hard on them," Crowe offered, quickly deflecting the subject. "How do you even handle being underground like this?"

Libertus scratched the back of his head, taken aback.

"Our sun rooms help a bit, but we need to do something about these mines eventually. The metal sheets everywhere make it look as though we're in some foreign laboratory or a military base. We have plans to take off the ceiling and dig holes to let natural sunlight in, but we can't try something like that lightly."

It was true that at the moment, having a home for all the refugees was the priority. They wouldn't topple Free Crown on itself just because they were lacking sun.

"Are you any closer to being ridden of that goddess?"

Crowe shrugged. She did her best pretending it barely mattered to her, and almost every day, she succeeded at it.

"You know, there might be some good to come out of it. Ravus is supposed to test his new serum on a daemon Aranea captured the other day."

Libertus darkened at that. He didn't appreciate the idea of daemons being carried around Free Crown like this. But everyone in Noctis's team was pretty much doing as they pleased. People weren't complaining about their privileges yet, considering how everyone remembered who had fought to liberate Insomnia. But sometimes, even Monica voiced worries regarding the future. Everyone in a place of power or influence was a friend of the King and considering their nation was trying to get back to its feet, they were afraid jealousy and questions could erupt. Ignis was a sound advisor, but he was awfully young for such a station.

"What do you even see in these kids? Your Gladiolus could crush you just by rolling over in his sleep."

Crowe smirked at that.

"He might not look it, but he's every bit the gentle giant. Don't go doubting my judgment. Our relationship is currently more complicated than it should be, but it still feels healthier than when I let any guy in my bed just so I wouldn't feel lonely."

Libertus cringed, having repressed those times as best he could.

"It's still pretty convenient that he's the only one who can snap you out of that possession mumbo-jumbo."

"It's true that we don't understand how he's even able to do it. I guess he grounds me in a way… Lib, would you stop worrying about me?"

Her friend shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back in his chair.

"I've been worrying about you since the day I found you, black mage."

The nickname made her frown. From anyone else, it sounded normal, but Libertus had never really taken the habit to use it. Although she remembered something. His voice using those words, a long, long time ago.

"Did you ever call me this before?"

"I don't think… Wait a minute," he looked to the side, more creases appearing on his forehead. "Back when you were a girl, there were a few times when you did funny tricks."

Her curiosity was instantly piqued. She didn't remember anything like that, but then again, the first few years of her life were really vague in her mind.

"What sort of tricks?"

"Knocking stuff around without touching it. The house was a windy mess too…"

"I did magic?!"

That only confirmed her previous doubts, but the knowledge made her wonder why Etro had waiting this long if she'd have her in her sights for this long. Her heart was thundering in her chest and the hated, otherworldly voice spoke to her mind:

 _ **Couldn't reach you until you died a first time, Crowe. But now I'm here. And I'll right the scales, even if I have to erase every last bit of your conscience.**_

Sometimes, she wondered if leaving things up to Etro wouldn't be better than clinging to a life that didn't belong to her entirely anymore. Her rising panic scared her, because emotions too intense usually gave the goddess the opening she needed, and Crowe didn't want to transform. She didn't want to lose herself. Was it selfish? She stood up from her chair, her face expressionless, head blurry with the contradicting thoughts running through her.

If the serum worked, wouldn't Etro accept to leave her alone? Was there even a way to talk things out with a goddess like her? She was on a different plane than the Astrals.

 _ **Listen to me Crowe. You are my vessel. You should be flattered that my power holds to your mortal body instead of destroying it. It took a lot of tries before I finally found someone who could come back from my shadow light.**_

Spying from the corner of her eyes the dark veins slowly showing on her wrist, the former glaive barely said goodbye to Libertus, hurrying out the door and down the hallways and stairs. She didn't take off into a run, she knew people would stop her if she did. A few recruits saluted her on the way, and she gave a light wave back, carefully tugging down on her sleeve to make sure the signs were hidden. She repeated a few words in her mind, words that usually helped keeping Etro at bay.

 _These are my feet, this is my life, these are my steps. Breathe in, breathe out, count your heartbeats, no need to rush, it's when you rush…_

She wasn't sure it would work this time.

She didn't want to rush to Gladio's side, she knew she could stay under control without him. It was the first of April and his birthday was the following day and she wouldn't darken his mood if she could help it. He was still worked up with the fact Iris and Ravus were together. It might seem mismatched from afar, but the pair was discreet. Even when Iris would be of age, Crowe doubted the sweet girl could get Ravus to be quite demonstrative in public. When Iris had accepted to open up to her about her budding relationship, the glaive had been relieved from her doubts. One look at Iris's smile was enough to remind Crowe of what it felt like to be young and in love.

Crowe wanted to spoil her man and take his mind off things. Much to her own surprise, Iris had insisted that Gladiolus hated surprise parties when he was concerned. Talcott, Noctis and Ignis had all confirmed it. A simple day off and maybe camping sounded like the best way to celebrate his 25th birthday, but Crowe was worried her transformations were growing too frequent to risk it.

 _ **Why do you still fight it? I can make you all-powerful. With me onboard, you would never feel fear again.**_

Etro was growing restless. She didn't give Crowe any argument about the possession usually. She simply took what she wanted, letting the poor woman be a prisoner of her own mind as her body shifted a little more into the vessel the goddess wanted.

 _I'd rather be afraid my entire life than lose myself._

Her steps had taken her down to the cells Libertus had had constructed just in case. Free Crown's cell block was small and mostly unused. Crowe wasn't sure why the bland walls and tiny cells helped her. She checked for guards, confirmed that no one was there, the last incarceration dating back to February, and slipped into the cell at the further back. She had access to far too many things in this city but her surrogate brother was the mayor, while she worked for the King himself.

 _ **You think this little trap can expel me?**_

 _No, but I can. I just need to hear myself think._

Crowe kneeled on the floor. The air felt damp and the silence made any sound echo far too much. She closed her eyes and instantly saw the pictures Etro was sending her, of decaying daemons and wailing souls in a world made out of darkness and stars. Her eyes snapped back open and focused on the bars in front of her. The cold stone under her legs. Her head was pounding by now, like it did every time the goddess insisted for too long. Crowe angrily pulled her sleeve up. The dark veins were bulging under her skin and her stomach revulsed at the sight. This wasn't her flesh. She had half a mind to take out her dagger and carve it out of her arm, but the strange magic was hard at work, purifying the illness she'd absorbed. Sometimes, she'd wake up with bumps and lumps under her skin. They usually remained on her back, but the impression of a foreign mass of flesh moving around inside…

She swallowed down a whimper, forcing herself to look away.

"I thought the blight was already…"

 _ **I can feel the daemons lurking under us. We could fix so many more souls. I can almost reach them from here. If you'd only…**_

 _Can't I make a difference without… Is it wrong if I'd rather have you gone…_

Crowe wished her thoughts could belong to her only. She wished she didn't have to worry about what Gladiolus could see when he looked at her.

 _ **Selfish girl. You wish this on someone else?**_

She shivered, her nails digging into her wrist. She wanted to scrap the brand off her back. To purge herself from this invasive presence, to regain an illusion of control. The blood dripping on the floor was dark, but the bulge of veins receded. And as she focused her thought on the silence, on the sound of her breathing, on her beating heart slowing down to something steady, the voice finally faded. She heaved a sigh, her stomach tumbling and lifting, and the taste of bile reached her mouth as she looked down at her arm. It burned. She'd never hurt herself before, no matter how lost or down she felt. Not like this. It took a few minutes for the blue sparks of lightning to run over her torn-up skin, sewing it back together. Etro kept fixing her, but the one thing she needed fixed kept breaking further and further.

The healing from a goddess left no physical scar. But Crowe wondered what her soul might look like by now. She took a few more minutes to herself, collecting her thoughts, finding her mental balance. She didn't want to lash out at anyone or to burst into a mess of rage and anger like Noctis had done a few weeks ago. It was already bad enough, how many times she gave in to her tears and needed Gladio's arms to recover her smile. She knew he was always happy to put her back on her feet, but she resented the necessity surrounding their relationship. Gladiolus had grown attracted to her naturally, but they'd barely gotten the time to get serious about each other until they'd discovered the only thing that could push away Etro was Gladiolus talking to her. Which meant that even if he got fed up of her, he couldn't very well walk away.

She didn't want to let those thoughts undermine the feelings she had or the safety he gave her. It was clear Gladiolus needed her, and even in this normal setting, they worked far too well together to deny there was more than chemistry involved. Their recruits excelled in a matter of weeks and where Gladio worried about pushing their bodies too far, Crowe reminded him of the mental limits they had.

It was getting harder catching glimpses of him hesitating around her whenever he thought she wasn't looking. There were times when Prompto teased her, where Aranea sparred with her a little too hard and the man would get hyper protective, almost monitoring what was happening to her to make sure she wasn't triggered. As though anything could trigger…

She bitterly grit her teeth. It was true that the episodes were starting more easily with every passing week. And with each of them, Gladiolus seemed even more worried about losing her. Some mornings, he would stare at her for much longer than needed. His hands didn't simply caress her, but inspect her… Because the suspicion was always there. Was it really her? Was it still really her?

Was she slowly losing her sense of self?

Her phone buzzed, nearly making her jump out of her skin.

 _Hey babe, how are you holding up?_

Her heart ached. Gladiolus wasn't big on texting, and when he took the time to do so, it was usually because someone had suggested it. She could bet Libertus had reached out to her boyfriend. Of course, he wouldn't let her leave this abruptly without reacting. She tried to type back an answer, but the screen felt blurry as her fingers reached for the letters "f.i.n.e". Was she crying? Again?!

She almost screamed out loud, mentally chiding herself. Blinking away the tears, she noticed a second text.

 _Feel like going out tonight? That new place just opened, and I could really use time alone with you._

How had he known she needed something normal, anything to make her feel like she wasn't a walking time bomb. Crowe quickly erased her: _I'm fine, papa bear_.

 _C- Are you sure? I'd like that, but I must stop by the lab and run some more tests later today. I don't want you to be stuck with a cranky girlfriend._

 _G- I'm trying to invite you on a date. Your crankiness can join us if she insists._

Crowe felt a tentative smile growing on her face and the last of her tears fading.

 _C- Can I consult with her first?_

 _G- Oh come on, Cranky loooooves my abs. Just say yes. … I miss you._

She rolled her eyes at the screen.

 _C- You saw me this morning._

 _G- I'm trying to rack up points._

 _C- You just lost them all, big guy._

 _G- Crowe, just tell me yes or no. I'll put on a shirt so you can take it off yourself._

The winking emoji that followed made her laugh, but she liked this little exchange too much to let it go this easily.

 _C- Cranky might not be interested in that._

 _G- Yeah, hiding those abs is a sErIOUs crime. Ugh… You know my fat fingers are no good on a screen. Dinner and we kick the kids out for the night?_

 _C- Aranea won't like it._

 _G- I wanna know if you'd like it._

At this point, she was entirely sold and couldn't tell him no.

 _C- Pick me up in front of the lab at 6?_

 _G- You bet!_

Crowe left the unoccupied jail wondering if her life was truly so bad. She didn't know that Gladio's plans were about to be derailed.

…

The blood tests came out positive once again. The blight was there and so were the strange, cleansing genes. Luna actually ran the examination herself, Ravus being stuck in a follow-up surgery for one of Monica's hunters, Iris assisting him with it.

"At least the brand has stopped growing," the Oracle tried to cheer Crowe. "And it seems the dark stains are vanishing quicker than they used to."

The former Glaive bit her lip, wondering if that could be due to the fact she had been excising most of the dark lumps appearing on her body. It was one detail she hadn't the heart to explain yet, because she wasn't sure how either of the Fleurets would react. Ravus might ask her to stay in observation until a new lump appeared and observe the process and she hadn't found any patterns in it. The Six knew how long it might take for the next lump to appear. She needed to remain free in some ways and the regular observations and sample collecting made her feel a little less human, no matter how gentle both Fleurets were about it.

"How is that serum coming?" Crowe asked.

Luna didn't point out her sudden change of subject, wondering how to express her impressions regarding the blight serum. She almost regretted the fact the serum hadn't been discovered before, thus preventing her family from ever holding such an impossible duty, even though the various conditions for it clearly couldn't be met in the past. She also wondered if there might be any use left for her once the formula was manufactured. It was already working a lot better than she'd expected.

"The effects seem permanent for now, but we're still in the first stages," Luna reminded her. "The daemons we tried to cure are showing a lot of progress, although the healing doesn't take on their entire body yet. It…" she hesitated, face falling a bit, before going on. "It looks a bit grotesque actually. But Ravus insisted that we needed to get it to work on daemon subjects before to try it on humans and I can only agree with him."

"From what I've heard, the first tries back in Nifelheim had been done on humans."

"You really don't want to know what they used to do, Crowe, trust me."

There was an edge to Luna's voice now and the glaive hadn't the strength to offer her any support. It didn't take a lot of imagination to guess the first tests had been run with Lunafreya herself as the cure.

"Where are you keeping the half-cured daemons?" she asked, gazing at the small room where Ravus ran all his experiments. "I know Libertus was pretty worried about it…"

"Oh, Ravus has a second lab next door."

 _ **Does he now?**_

Crowe tensed up as she felt tendrils of magic wrapping around her. It seemed the goddess's influence wasn't too strong though, because Luna didn't detect it with her own magic. The Oracle was always affected when Etro possessed Crowe with her in the vicinity. Made it harder to keep the episodes to herself, even when she managed to keep them under control all on her own. But she wouldn't lose control now.

"Don't worry, we made sure the room was secure," Luna said with a reassuring tone, misinterpreting her sudden tension. "Only someone with Bahamut's light can open the door, from the inside or the outside."

"You can actually make locks like that?!" Crowe mused.

Etro was silent again and the Glaive barely noticed the embarrassment on the future queen's face.

"Not me. It was my father who first developed this sort of mechanism for my mother. Ravus had some of his blueprints, and you know how he is... Give him time and materials and he can come up with anything."

There was something fragile about Luna as she mentioned her father and Crowe instantly deduced what it could be about. Lunafreya had been too young when her father passed away to even remember him.

"Your father was a Lucian man, wasn't he?"

"Yes. He was quite the tinkerer," the princess noted with a nostalgic smile on her face. "He made a music box for me… I can remember the whole song, but not what he looked like."

"I know the feeling," Crowe told her, genuine.

They shared a knowing look.

"It's frightening sometimes, seeing how similar our lives have been so far," Luna observed. "We'll find a solution for you yet, Crowe. Umbra should be back from Tenebrae any day now."

The messenger dog had left a long time ago, in a quest to collect the rarest cosmogony books from the Fenestala manor.

"I'm really glad you haven't given up on me yet. But you'd better relent if you realize I'm a hindrance to the team."

 _ **Or maybe you could give up and make things easier for everyone.**_

Crowe barely kept her eyes from widening. Etro was pretty direct today and it was slowly getting to her. She followed Luna out of the lab, leaning against the wall, crossing her arms under her chest to hide her shaking hands. There was no point mentioning the voice she kept hearing. Lunafreya was already kind enough to look after her and ponder over her rare condition where others would have called it quits.

"Are you staying here?" Luna asked her.

Crowe never really hung around the laboratory if she didn't have to. But she still did her best evading crowded places and it wasn't rare to find her lost in thoughts somewhere among the many tunnels of Free Crown.

"Gladio is taking me out," the glaive said, giving a quick look to her phone. "I asked him to pick me up, so he should arrive at any minute now."

"It's been a while since he took you on a date. I hope you two enjoy yourselves."

With a light wave and a nod, both women parted. Crowe closed her eyes, her headache growing stronger. It seemed Etro had simply waited for the Oracle to walk away before talking to her again.

 _ **Show me those daemons.**_

 _Shut up._

 _ **Don't you want to see what kind of experiments those stupid humans do with your blood? How they're saving people thanks to you instead of me?**_

 _Your mind game doesn't work. The only thing that makes my blood useful to their experiment is you._

Her left hand shivered and for a second, there were pictures under her eyelids. Sounds in her ears while the corridor was entirely silent.

 _ **Do I really have to force you every time Crowe? Either way is fine with me, but it's not quite as fun as it used to be. Humans can be so dull.**_

Crowe cursed, wondering how she was supposed to face Gladio if Etro was going to comment on the rest of her day in the back of her mind. She wanted her gone, erased, she wanted to feel free again, but the pounding was growing steadier and steadier. The pictures in her head melted and mixed together and when she blinked her eyes open, it was to see the door of the second lab in front of her. When had she moved? She felt dizzy and the pressure digging into her skull and deep in her brain wouldn't let up.

 _You can't open it…_

 _ **Why? You think Bahamut is the only one with light? I just need to kill you a little for my shadowlight to do the trick.**_

The knowledge made it hard to breath, or maybe was it the pressure in her ears, the impression of lead down her throat. Crowe gasped for air, finding herself wishing for her Shield to walk around the corner. He should already be here. He should…

Her fingers twitched, and her eyes roll on themselves as the shift in control operated. The pain was just as strong, but suddenly, her vision was darkened, the sounds she could perceive were muffled. As she thought her heart was stopping, the door opened for her.

"Crowe?!"

She wanted to turn her head toward the voice, she hoped he wasn't too far, she needed his arms and those words that held her back, but the pain ruled her and Etro took the three steps inside.

Gladiolus was late by two whole minutes, because Cor had insisted on reviewing the next hunts planned with him. He had been worried about Crowe, he never really stopped being worried lately, but her playfulness in their texts had mostly reassured him. He did his best to believe in her and just take things as they arrived instead of being apprehensive all the time. But the sight of her with white hair, dark veins all over her neck and face and stepping into a lab he knew she had nothing to do in… It nearly drove him over the edge. How many times would it take before she didn't come back?

He was already walking too fast, but he fell into a run, slipping inside the dark room right after her, his arms wrapping around her frame and forcing her against the nearest wall. The door locked behind them, but he was too focused on her snarling face and the hands clawing at his chest and arms to realize what it could mean.

"Crowe, snap out of…"

"Not this time, big guy!" she objected, her voice foreign, eyes too dark.

Etro never used magic against him, but it seemed she'd reached the limit of her patience. Or was it the daemons lined up in individual cells, looking at them through small windows that taunted her into going all out? No matter what reason it could be for, a strong wind pushed him back, the lights on the ceiling flickering as Crowe's powers intensified. The daemons screeched, and Gladiolus hit the opposing wall, mumbling her name weakly. There was a pressure on his ribcage, like an invisible hand keeping the air from his lungs.

 _If she can't hear me, I can't…_

"I want you to focus on me for once! Why don't you take a good hard look?"

Magic ripped her clothes apart, revealing skin too white and the brand on her sides, which was made of pure light.

"You're not… her," he struggled out of his tied throat. "Your whole deal is…"

He hacked as the pressure grew stronger, dark tendrils of smokes turning visible in the room. They were connected to her back and ran all over, twisting and curling, a dozen tightening around him, holding him in place. When had she become so strong? Had she been giving them a false sense of security until now? And if so, why?!

"Cr…"

She snickered at him, snapping her fingers just as the first of his ribs cracked.

"This is the body you love so much. With just a few tweaks. I'll be with you in an instant, manshield," she promised, her lips too black, her teeth like a blurry smile, shifting into a grimace and back to the ugly grin, back and forth in a horrible masquerade of Crowe.

 _Wake up, wake up, wake up._

The possessed Glaive walked up to the first cell, leaning her pale fingers on the glass panel showing the daemon inside. Gladio could barely see the thing, or the human hand merging into green hob-goblin skin. It was hard to keep his eyes open when the brand on Crowe's back was shimmering so hard, sending spots of silver all over the floor, ceiling and walls. Her eyes shone with shadowlight and the daemon flailed. He saw the tendrils shivering, felt the pressure fall for an instant, as the brand darkened, pulsing with something not from this world. A thud signaled the daemon was fully human and also fully death.

The smoke got to his head, her voice thundering in his mind.

 _ **Do you ever wonder when I'll find the one your mother has become? It might just be enough to break you, don't you think? My vessel is so stubborn. For so long, I couldn't even scratch your skin without her winning over me.**_

"I know she'll win again…"

 _ **Sounds like I'm not being hard enough. I can add some pressure, but my goal isn't to kill you, little man.**_

The smoke grew fully tangible, crushing him to the floor and Etro used his struggle to cleanse a second deamon. Another screech, another thud. Gladiolus hoped an alarm would go off, Lunafreya was bound to feel the goddess's influence with how much power she was using. He wanted to be enough to save Crowe, but he could tell he was in over his head this time. The pressure didn't falter until the third daemon was cleansed, and its wail brought more sickening pictures to Gladio's mind.

Things from the past. Some of it was Crowe's past, mostly the night where she ran from her fellow glaives, but there were also shots from his past. His blighted mother, the resentment for his father, the years of training, studying, the fights between fed-up guards in the citadels, the few attempts on Noctis's life. And then he blinked and coughed, and the pictures changed. A battlefield with every of his friends, lying in their own blood, if not worse. Iris…

 _It's all fake, all fake and magic._

"Crowe, I know you're… still in there…"

His voice was weak, his heart felt weak, but he wouldn't let Etro win. He grabbed at the smoke, the awful tendrils licking his skin. Dark lightning shocked his hands, but the smoke vanished, and his lungs took in a full gulp of air.

"Let her out. I don't care for your sick… games."

He was prostrated on the floor, slowly raising himself on his trembling arms, his eyes trying to adjust. Every time he blinked, he saw a dark void. Like a black hole. Was that what the afterlife looked like? It sapped his energy and strength somehow. He tried not to let his eyelids flutter and her feet came into view. The nails looked painted. Moonlight. The sterile dry air got warmer, but the hands touching his back were cold and harsh.

"Games, huh?" Etro started, her voice eerily close. "Crowe is my vessel. And you could make a nice toy."

His thoughts froze as fear threatened to claim him. He could barely hold his ground in front of the Astrals, how was he supposed to stop her on his own? Fabric torn apart and her skin burned against his, her nails drawing blood as she followed the marks of his tattoos. There was no smoke keeping him down, but the pressure was building again. His limbs were heavy, he could barely move. He rasped instead of breathing, his voice a whisper, like in his worst nightmares, where silence ruled him.

"Why don't you call to her anymore? Are you curious? It's not anyone who can boast about tasting the touch of a goddess after all. What a nice scar you have…"

He had to blink away the fresh blood in his left eye and tried to oppose her some sort of resistance. His legs were failing him, his body was nothing but shudders, and he could feel her inside now. Toying with his thoughts, uncovering his deepest secrets. She was like a tornado wrecking his mind, pulling the void closer and dimming the remnants of hope. His teeth grit together, and he almost raised one hand quickly enough to... A shrug and she was laughing and flipping him on his back as though he weighted nothing.

"You want to see where this is going, don't you? It doesn't really matter which one of us it is, as long as you get your share," she mocked him. "Or are you happy you found a girl who could solve the blight? Make sure your dearest sister won't be tiring herself out treating strangers for her entire life? I can fix that."

"Crowe, please…"

"This lacked conviction. Or maybe she's gone for good," Etro taunted him. "I'm sure after this, she won't know how to look you in the eyes."

Her fingers played him like a lifeless doll, toying with his pain, reaching too far and too deep. There was no reaction she didn't comment, no sound that didn't sharpen her sick hunger for more of his fear and pain and he felt a little more helpless with every of his gasp and shiver. The more he fought, the harder it was to talk, the void threatening to take away his sense of self, the voice in his mind belittling every part of his past. He couldn't see Crowe in her, couldn't imagine what she might be thinking, trapped beneath that monster.

"A gentle giant she calls you. But you're weak and small."

Her next move crossed the last line, and his body betrayed his will at the sudden rush of sensations. There was nothing gentle about her, no love in his reflexive jerks or the way she handled him.

"Let her go. You can't… You're hurting her," he pleaded, his voice shattering.

"By hurting you," Etro pointed out, her face remaining cold despite the rare panting coming from her.

So that was her plan?! Suddenly, she'd decided the one way to have Crowe's obedience was through him? What a protector he was! He had to find a way to reach his girl.

"Crowe, I know you're… I'm sorry, babe, but I know you can defeat her."

"You waited an awfully long time to…"

"Shut your trap! I want _my_ Crowe back."

He wasn't sure why, but his right hand finally managed to move and he gripped her thigh. Usually, whenever Etro left, he was holding Crowe one way or another, not only talking. The pressure diminished and the dark eyes blinked. He spotted a hint of brown.

"Crowe!"

"Not… not again…" Etro countered, one hand gripping his throat.

But without magic, she couldn't hold him silent.

"Of course again! We'll shut her off as many times…"

It was hard to complete his sentence, because she still looked white and she was too unlike Crowe yet. With his blood on her hands. Blood from places he didn't want to think about. His whole frame shook, but he pushed the pain and humiliation away, focusing on the woman straddling him. The dark veins slowly receded. Her skin flushed in places, her eyelids closing and opening too many times. Her hair was its rich brown again. She held her stomach, wincing. It was only when her eyes fell on him that Gladiolus finally understood how badly he could hurt.

"Oh lords… I'm so sorry, Gladdy, I tried, I swear I tried so hard, but she wouldn't…"

She pulled away from him, which made him panic even more. He knew that this could be their end unless he found a way to make things right. He didn't want to fear her, wasn't sure he could face everything else on his own and he didn't want to remember her with Etro's face or hands.

"She can't win. I don't know why she was this strong this time, I'm sorry I couldn't…"

For an instant they remained apart, with Crowe staring at her hands, not even trying to hide herself in modesty, and Gladiolus wondering if the awful shivers could ever leave him. He felt so cold inside, moving hurt. But he shuffled forward, tentatively reaching for her. She flinched, her eyes blinking as though tears would come, but only a hacked sob shook her.

"She did all… You have cuts everywhere," she deplored.

"I need you in my arms. I don't feel strong, I was… I don't want her to break us apart. I don't want you to pity me or hate yourself or start imagining this could…"

Why couldn't his damn voice hold on for a full sentence? He wanted to comfort her, and he needed comfort too, and he couldn't find it with anyone else. Despite the terror he'd felt a moment ago, all he saw in her right now was someone just as lost as him. And with her -the real her-, he wasn't lost. He was found.

"Why would you even want me in your life anymore?!" she finally snapped. "She's growing stronger and I'm pushed further away every time…"

His arms surrounded her, his hands shaking on her back, emotions raging a war inside him. It might be childish, it might be wishful thinking, he might be too rough in his rush to make her realize he cared, but the words barely made any sense in his mind. Crowe shivered, making herself smaller, shuffling away, but he followed her until she was stuck between the wall and his body. Her panicked breathing and the goosebumps on her flesh scared him, but he swallowed back his own dread. Gladio lifted her head, leaning his forehead against hers, his eyes locking with hers.

"Don't run away from me!" he almost begged. "I know it hurts. But even before she started…"

"Please, don't say I'm worth this, Gladio," she pleaded. "No one should have to endure this…"

Her hands and eyes fell on his chest, and he could tell she was asserting the damage.

"Crowe, look at me, okay?"

Her tears rolled down her cheeks as she met his gaze. The blood on his face was drying, but it was still there. _She_ did this to him. Not of her own accord, but it had been her hands, it had been… What else would she do during the next episode?

"When I started falling for you, I had no idea what would happen," he told her. "I had rules I followed, rules saying not to mix love into my life, because of my work, my duty… but my heart did it anyway. And it's not because of some divine intervention. You challenge me, and you support me, and you shove me back in my place when I need to be reigned in. I have my work to cling onto, but take that away and…"

Crowe blinked at him, not remembering a moment when he'd been more open. He was always so strong, always barking or teasing, but somewhere beneath all that… He was a young man looking for his own place. Outside of the King's Shield and the big brother, could there be a role for him, somewhere to fit his too large frame? His life belonged to someone else, he'd worked hard accepting it and somewhere along her fight against Etro, he'd realized he wanted her to win. Because her life should only belong to her.

"Oh, Gladio… I want to hope, but it's getting so hard. Lately, she's commenting on almost everything around me. And when daemons come around…"

"Well, you got back from this one too. And I'm not saying I want to relive anything like this but… I'm supposed to walk through hellfire if it means helping Noctis. Can I really do any less for the woman I love?"

The roughness in his voice got to her and any protest she could still have simply died down. She raised herself to her knees, tugging on his neck. His arms instantly pulled her closer, their lips stroking and crushing together as the lingering panic mixed with relief. They were both too cold, and the shivers were half bad, half good. They kissed gently, roughly, desperately, in every way they pleased. Her hands on him were soft though, the ghost of a caress and when he pulled her to her feet, she gasped in pain.

"Crowe…"

"It's fine… I'm just sore. Keep your hands on me."

A dozen more kisses later, they reluctantly parted for air. Gladio had her turning around in a playful manner, a mockery of the usual way he checked her brand over the past few weeks and he let out a surprised cry.

"What is it?" she asked, dread claiming back her heart.

The Shield flashed her a smile, leaving her incredulous.

"The brand's smaller!"

"What? Are you serious?!"

He had to snap a picture with his phone to convince her and instantly complained about not having any nude photo of her, to which she instantly deleted the pic and tried hiding herself if he decided to snap anymore. Their feet were freezing by then, and Crowe begged him to get fully dressed, thankful for the shirt he wrapped around her and his arms instantly pulling her back in his embrace.

"What should we do now?"

"Get out and sneak back to our place," he offered. "We can shower and then… do whatever you'd like."

"Are you sure?"

He was certain. The locked door of the lab proved to be a problem and Crowe quickly resigned herself to call Luna. She wasn't going to try her luck with Ravus. The Oracle was aghast when she saw them walking out, Gladio's chest smeared with blood and Crowe not looking any better. Lunfareya had the good sense of not asking them a dozen questions, except the one that mattered.

"Are you two… okay?"

"I think… I'm sorry for the tests you were running. Etro couldn't resist and she managed to trick the lock into opening for her…"

Crowe was close to tears once more and Lunafreya shushed her gently.

"I should have waited with you. Don't worry about the tests, we can always run more of them. It sounds as though pushing her away wasn't quite as easy this time around…"

Gladiolus's left hand turned to a trembling fist and Crowe quickly grabbed his hand, trying to hold her own emotions at bay.

"She was getting really active in my head lately, I know I should have mentioned it, but it had been going on for weeks. It's like something snapped. I just don't want to sit down on an examination table and be prodded all night. I can swear to you, for the last hour, she didn't manifest in away way. And I'll warn you at the smallest sign, I just…"

"We need some time," Gladiolus finished her thought.

Lunafreya was clearly conflicted, but she couldn't bring herself to object, seeing how shaken the pair looked.

"If anything happens, anything at all, you'll let me know? I don't care if it's the middle of the night, I don't want either of you hurt."

They nodded, and Luna reluctantly watched them leave, entering the lab only when they'd turned the corner. Not too surprisingly, the floor had been wiped clean and whatever was left of Crowe's clothes had been thrown in the trash can. The only thing the couple hadn't touched were the cells with the daemons, now fully back to their human form. Ravus was going to be pissed, but his sister feared more for Crowe.

…

The walk up to the Amicitia's quarters was nerve-wrecking. Crowe didn't want to see anyone -or well, to be seen by anyone- and Gladiolus had to admit, he wasn't up for socializing. He felt on edge and too raw. Ushering his girlfriend inside, he saw Iris walking down the hallway and the way her face paled at the sight of him.

"What the hell happened to you?!" she asked, almost running up to him.

His shoulders moved an inch inward and he forced the steadiness in his voice.

"You and Talcott are spending the night with Aranea."

"You ask me for a full report of my day and you think you can get away with only that when I find you all bloodied?" Iris argued.

"Crowe needs me," he whispered, hoping she would understand.

"Did she…?"

Gladiolus nodded, and Iris didn't hold him back any longer.

"Try not to get any more hurt, alright?"

It was easier said then done, but Gladiolus was hoping most of the hurt could be mended. Inside his apartment, he found Crowe studying her back in the mirror. Her arms were hiding her chest self-consciously, which reminded him too much of the night after her first episode. He walked up to her, surprised to be met with a light smile.

"You weren't kidding…"

"What, you thought it was a trick of the light?!"

"I just don't understand how…"

The brand was only half as large as it used to be and the dark stain on it was incredibly small, despite Etro cleansing three daemons. Gladio stroked her arms, realizing she was still cold.

"We need to warm you up."

"First, we're treating your wounds."

They were both trying to find themselves in familiar gestures, but they were still shaken. While Gladiolus did his best to remain calm, he couldn't help a few jumps as she cleaned up his chest and coated the cuts with potions. He apologized for being too on edge, to which she apologized for making his life so complicated.

"It's not your fault, okay?"

"That's what I keep telling myself to sleep better at night," she sighed. "Let me see your face."

Gladio slowly relaxed, tensing only when her hands fell to his hips, tentatively working on his belt buckle. His breath caught in his throat and Crowe took a step back, her lips forming a thin line from how hard she was biting on them. He had never been shy or scared of this before, but he had never felt this helpless either.

"We could take our shower separately," Crowe suggested.

The hurt in her eyes was worse than the involuntary sounds he'd let out back in that lab.

 _It's Crowe, you dimwit. It's really her, so why are you even panicking?_

"I'm not… You don't scare me, I just feel bad… I really wanted to fight back," he hated the defeat in his own voice, but the Glaive didn't judge him for it.

Her hands gripped his.

"I know how hard she can make it to fight back. Don't feel bad. You're still you. The man I love. That didn't change."

He felt ready to shake like a leaf now and tried reclaiming some of his senses, to ground himself somehow. His best option was standing right in front of him, so he picked her up from the floor. The kiss they shared was beyond gentle and it wasn't clear which one of them started trembling. She tried to pull him into the shower, but Gladio insisted on her undressing him first. They held onto each other more than they washed up, but they still felt cleaner walking out.

His bed welcomed their damp bodies, the couple slowly finding the touches that could mend what was still broken. Crowe insisted on staying in his arms the whole time, refusing to let him leave her side even a second. She didn't want food, she didn't want dry sheets or background music. She wanted him, making her feel alive and herself. They kept the lights on the entire time and Gladiolus marveled at the fact nothing ever shifted about her. Her eyes, her hair, her skin. There were tears at some point, because feeling so raw was impossible to handle without tears, but somewhere along the night, Crowe found herself.

The woman who'd been a glaive, and a soldier in Galhad's militia. The girl without roots who let the waves of war carry her from conflict to conflict. In all the chaos, he brought her peace with his strong hands and gentle eyes. He made her feel loved like no one had done before.

When they finally cuddled close, trying to recover from all the love making, Crowe was soft and lax, nuzzling her nose against his chest like a cat, which drew a chuckle from him.

"Is it your birthday yet?"

"Wha… I guess… We're well past midnight, but I don't really feel like checking my phone. Or finding where you left my pants for that matter."

"Happy birthday, Gladiolus," she whispered in the crook of his neck

"Thanks. I sure hope we can sleep in tomorrow."

"I have a question for you, big guy."

His silence told her she was welcomed to ask away and Crowe gathered up her courage.

"I want to give you something really special. Because you've been bearing with far more than a cranky girlfriend."

"No kidding!" Gladio laughed, before kissing her shoulder and holding her just a bit tighter, feeling the need to comfort her again. "Wait, what was the question?"

"What would you want?"

"What are my options?" he shot back, his tone suggesting something lewd.

Crowe shifted a bit in his arms, until she could meet his eyes.

"Let's say you can ask for anything. What would you want?"

It suddenly sounded too serious and Gladiolus didn't want to deal with serious. The first words that came to mind weren't bad, but…

 _Stay. Stay yourself, stay with me, win that fight against her for good so I'm sure I don't end up having to stand between you and Noctis or…_

His face slowly fell, and Crowe reached for the worry lines on his forehead, for the tension in his jaw.

"Please don't worry. Anything normal, okay?"

She knew him far too well if she could guess what he was thinking.

"This is going to sound childish, but… Can you be my home? Iris is clearly growing and I… I'm nowhere near ready for it."

Crowe smiled at him, stroking his hair.

"You want a home or a family?"

"Both. I've got the guys and they're like brothers, but…"

"I can be your family. As for a home… I'm a bit small."

His smile was fully back now, and he kissed her forehead, heaving a relieved sigh.

"That was too philosophic, right?"

"I'll be your home, Gladdy. I just need to make sure there's no hidden defect in here."

"Don't say that," he warned her, sounding serious and a bit angry.

For an instant, Crowe hid her face against his chest, letting her various thoughts sink in. And her eyes widened as realization came. She almost hit his chin as she raised herself on her elbow in one smooth motion.

"Was that a proposal?!"

Gladiolus blinked, feeling a new kind of panic. How could she…? Why would she even think…?

"What!? No way!" he protested.

"What do you mean, no way?"

"I… Cut me some slack, I'm drained and working on an empty stomach here."

"It sounded like a proposal," she insisted.

"You said it was my gift, I'm not going to propose when asking for a gift!"

Their voice rose and in the adjacent living quarter, Prompto, Ignis and Ravus all gave up any pretense of sleeping, the gunman actually cursing out loud.

"They might keep us awake all night, you know?"

Ignis nodded after putting on his glasses, while Ravus was already putting on his boots, and looking for his coat.

"It's 2 in the morning," the advisor observed. "Are you thinking of running more tests and experiments at this hour?"

"I might as well," Ravus retorted.

"No, no, no, you're going to accompany us to the one place that holds the true solution to this situation," Prompto decided.

"A drugstore?"

Prompto shook his head.

"Hardware?" Ignis suggested, only to see the gunman shaking his head once more.

"Where else?"

"You guys are coming with me to the Golden Saucer. Ignis can bet on the Sabertusks races and I'll find a game to defy you on, oh mighty commander."

"Ex-commander," Ravus corrected out of pure habit.

He wasn't too used to Prompto's recent attempts at drawing him closer to the rest of the team, but a part of him appreciated the young man's efforts. Ignis's reaction shocked him.

"I am not betting on races," he started. "But if their black jack tables are finally open, count me in."

"Yes sir! Rave, you coming? Or you want to hear your future brother-in-law squirming longer?"

The current dispute on the other side of the wall wasn't progressing much.

"I swear on Iris's head, Crowe, if I ever propose…"

"If you ever do it?! Why don't you tell me outright…!"

Ravus wondered if smoke wasn't coming out of his ears. He already had to deal with three ruined experiments and the lost samples of serum, but this right now…

"Let's just get out before I forget myself and go punch them both."

The three men quickly got dressed, Ignis closing their walk down the hallway.

"Maybe we should tell Gladio the walls aren't quite as soundproof as Libertus said," he reflected out loud.

"It's not like it happens on every freaking night," Prompto defended their friend. "Although he could try to be more discreet. I have to say, you and Aranea are my role models on that front."

Ravus rolled his eyes and Ignis snorted.

"Argentum, if you don't drop this subject in the next seconds, I'm punching you with my prosthetic."

"Iggy is perfectly capable of defending hims… Ouch!"

Ignis had just inadvertently stepped on his foot.

"While you make a point Prom, I think it's not very polite to comment on the volume of your friends' bedroom exploits."

"He's just cranky," Ravus commented. "When was the last time your mechanic texted you?"

"Why do you care?" Prompto nearly snapped. It was true that Cindy's texts had been growing rare lately, but they were both excessively busy with their respective works. For an instant, Ravus had the feeling he'd kicked a puppy. But that puppy had bite. "I wonder… Did you drag Iris in a closet before or after today's operation?"

Metal grinding on metal just strongly enough to be heard reminded them both Iris was off-limit if they wanted to talk with the Tenebraen prince.

"Careful now, lack of sleep isn't the best medium for patience," Ignis reminded the gunman.

"I intend to warn your friend before punching him, Scientia. Consider yourself warned, bird head."

"How sportive of you."

"Can you cut the crap, Iggy?" Prompto chimed in. "We're all cranky, alright, it was a long day and a short night… and I think we all just need to unwind."

Both Ravus and Ignis had to call him right on that. But the banter they shared was their new normal and unwinding didn't seem quite possible unless they imbibed in a few beers.

Little to say, the three men didn't stop at a few beers. They were all trying to erase far worse than the dispute about a badly timed non-proposal.

To be continued…

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So there it is. Some of you might suspect that this was one of the last apparitions of Etro. I really wonder what you think of this. I'd like to thank my friend fuzzi fox for beta-reading once again!

Ravus, Ignis and Prompto's adventure at the Golden Saucer (I'm not sorry, FFVII, Free Crown needs a game center) will kick off next chapter, because we need something lighter after all that angst. Next chapter will also include the departure from Free Crown, so I can finally start the one last arc before Altissia. The foreshadowing has lasted long enough.

As always, reviews make me happy. 😊


	64. Self control

Hello guys! Once again, this chapter is extra long. We have bromance in it, we have Fleuret sibling time, we have some Noct/Luna and serious, serious angst. I keep forgetting to mention I corrected chapter 1 to 21 during the holidays, which is one of the reasons I took more time writing. I also indulged in an Ignea fluff-fest fic lately, shameless mention, I know, but I do love my Iggy. Without further delay, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!

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Unexpected

Chapter 64 – Self control

"You know, Ravus…" Ignis started, his voice slurring a bit.

Prompto was snoring in his plate of fries beside them, and after making sure he wouldn't choke on his tongue or one misplaced fry, Ignis had decided to let him be, keeping up the drinking contest with the eldest Fleuret. It had taken him winning 40 000 gils and Ravus beating Prompto on their third chocobo race for the men to agree for a drink. And the first drink turned in a shared pitcher. And a second one. By the first shots, Prompto's smile had turned contagious and they started perusing the menu, Ignis wanting to try the local specialty. There were two different types of ebony shots that'd really caught his interest. Before they knew it, the gunman insisted on a new competition. And being incredibly competitive, Ravus found himself agreeing. Ignis followed if only to defend his pride. And now he felt pretty tipsy, wondering if the last beer pitcher hadn't been one too many.

"That's really weird," Ravus observed, all slumped in his seat and looking far from dignified with his sleeves rolled up and the racing prize hanging around his neck. "You using my first name, that is..."

"I'm certain I've done so before. But, I've been thinking…" Ignis hesitated only a second longer, hating how hard it was for him to admit his fault, even though it had been on his mind for days now. "Listen here… Back when we learned about Iris and you… I really should have stepped in before that Noctis even called his armiger."

Ravus hissed at the mention. They had all been careful to act as though nothing had happened, even though Luna insisted on them giving their excuses to her brother.

"You've already apologized," the prince stated.

He was uncomfortable with the turn in their discussion, because he was usually the one owing _sorrys_ to people.

"Yeah, like a scolded child," Ignis mocked himself before to continue with a more serious tone. "I was mean and… way out of line."

"Well, it's not like you threw an actual dagger at me. Are you expecting me to fall in pieces from one insult?"

Ignis scoffed at that.

"No. And you're clearly not a teary drunk…"

"I am nowhere near drunk yet!" Ravus shot back, his metal fist hitting the table without causing so much as a stir from the snoring gunman.

"Hey, no need to get angry," Ignis told him. "I'm just trying to make you understand I mean it. You're an honorable man, and we acted like hypocrites…"

"And asses. I'm quoting Iris on this," the prince explained with a smile as Ignis winced but nodded. "I'm quite the jerk when I have my mind set on something and I'm sure I've pressed all the wrong buttons a dozen times since I joined your little team. If you want me to call you wrong, I can only think of one thing." He paused, nursing his empty glass in his hands as his eyes turned rougher. "Your actions reflected how little trust you have in Iris's judgment. How much of a child you still see in her and how every one of you are convinced they know better than her what she needs. But does she really need your approval?"

Ignis hadn't expected that. And he had to admit that things had been different with Iris during the last few weeks. She evaded Noctis and tolerated him whenever they worked in the kitchen together. But something was different in her eyes, She did talk to Gladio and Prompto. The first had it rough, because a resentful Iris didn't mince her words, and the second got by after showing how many efforts he was ready to make to make Ravus more at ease within the team.

"It's true we didn't…"

"I'm talking to you, Scientia," Ravus cut him off. "Iris spent over a month alone in Lestallum with her butler and Talcott after losing her home. You had your friends around you when you heard of it, but she was pretty much alone as things unfolded before her eyes. When she first tried to join your team, you dismissed her as too young and untrained, although she had already proved she would protect civilians, because she's too damn stubborn to walk away from a challenge. And when she can finally tag along, you let her drift off because she's too young to join the planning. I know I've hurt her in a lot of ways, but her so-called brothers brushed her off for months, too focused on themselves to remember she was even there. When she had doubts, she called me. When she needed to share good or sad news, she texted me. When she couldn't sleep, she asked me for a diversion. And I talked to her until she fell asleep, don't go imagining things."

"I'm not…!"

"You and your friends have always been clear on the fact you doubted me and I don't blame you for it. But since Iris is like family, why did you let her feel so alone? Why didn't you advise Noctis more about the way he treated her?"

Ignis blinked once, teeth clenched, his eyes unable to hold the accusatory glare. He wondered if a punch or two wouldn't have been more tolerable than this. He couldn't help but recall the way they'd treated her running away to save Ravus without telling either Prompto or Luna. The many times she was left to fend for herself. How he had accepted to leave her behind to follow Monica deeper in Insomnia…

 _How dare I call her the sister I never had if I didn't look after her when it really mattered?_

Ravus heaved a deep sigh.

"Sounds like I might be a talkative drunk," he laughed at himself. "My point here is… If Iris can be happy with me, don't take that away from her. And don't try dictating or influencing what she should do either. Her free will is pretty much all she has, outside of the white magic."

Ignis took off his glasses at that. If there was any doubt remaining regarding the type of boyfriend Ravus would be for Iris, they were all gone now.

"You're… entirely right," was all the advisor could say.

"Well, you're not the only guilty party," Ravus reminded him, in a meek attempt of removing the frown from his face. "I should tell a lot of that to my future brother-in-law."

Ravus grimaced slightly as he pondered if he could muster such a tirade twice and Ignis allowed himself a smirk.

"I have a suspicion you wouldn't tell him with words."

"It's not like I don't have an excuse to be rough on him during our next sparring session. Say, did he drop the sparring schedule entirely?"

Ignis understood the need Ravus had for a change of conversation and had to admit, he was grateful for it, even though it meant talking about the other thing on his mind. Noctis's current state of mind. And he wasn't ready to fully open up about that to the Tenebraean.

"Noct has been acting a bit.. oddly lately. He was quite shaken from Luna's outburst. We're preparing to leave Free Crown soon, so I suggested he stopped the sparring altogether and focus on what's important."

In truth, while Gladio had insisted it was nothing, Ignis had had to grill Noctis for hours to even get an answer out of him. The Shield didn't usually break bones when he fought with their liege. His King had a very short temper lately, but that was switching to him growing distant and on edge. He'd used his armiger against Gladiolus out of nowhere.

" _It's like… my first reflex now…" Noctis had confessed. "I didn't even want more than one sword, I called the engine blade and they all came out. I guess I just need a change of scenery. I'm turning claustrophobic in here."_

"She was pretty harsh on him," Ravus admitted, uncrossing his arms, his shoulders sagging a bit. He wondered why Luna had barely mentioned this in between their work. "So, it's either worrying or listening to Gladiolus's bedroom antics… Guess we should just resume drinking."

"Agreed. Although… Which round was it, again?" Ignis asked, pointing to the empty shot glass in front of him.

His memory was starting to betray him and the Tenebraean furrowed his brows as he tried to count their glasses.

"Sixth one? I need one more!" Ravus called out to a barmaid.

"How often do you drink?" Ignis pondered.

"Once a season? Usually, it was an army thing, the guys wanted to kick off and relax back home. As a superior officer, I had to down a few beers for good measure. And that awful Dragon eye thing…"

Ignis pulled a face. It sounded like something Gladiolus would get excited about as a teenager and the sort of drink that put one's throat and stomach ablaze. He tried to hold on to rational thoughts and couldn't help the question that followed.

"Did Aranea join in those?"

Ravus seemed to sober up a bit at the question, his eyes clearer as he looked up.

"She did. And she ended every bar fight. She's got a mean left hook."

"Why would she need to hit you?" Ignis didn't sound accusatory, simply curious and Ravus had to admit this was refreshing.

He wondered if he was really drunk, because most of his usual distrust was gone.

"Wrong place, wrong time. And a few wrong words too maybe," the prince admitted with a self-derisive smile.

Ignis wondered why he hadn't thought of asking more about Aranea's time in the empire from Ravus. Had he been so prejudiced against him, he simply refused to address him a word unless it was absolutely necessary.

The barmaid set Ravus's new shot in front of him with a smile. Ignis motioned for his own refill and she shook her head before cautioning them.

"Don't overdo it now, boys."

"I hate it when they get patronizing," the prince sighed when she got out of sight. " _You_ might qualify as a boy, but..."

"I might qualify as a…?!" Ignis, repeated, lifting one brow, a hint of anger flashing briefly across his face.

"Well, since age matters so much to you… ," the prince quipped.

They bantered a bit more like this, veering away from the age question, since it was a delicate subject and settling to talk about Free Crown and how it might be possible to make the place more comfortable. Their solutions were a little more ridiculous as time went by and the alcohol settled in their system, but they could both agree that they'd overstayed their welcome in the mine city. Not in the Golden saucer though. A seventh shot was ordered just before Ignis laughed at him for even assuming he could do his day of work with Iris and Luna as though nothing had happened.

Ravus tried kicking his shin under the table but missed and hit Prompto instead, who sat up with a yelp, gesturing for his gun and holding up his phone in a weird way.

"What the hell? Dammit, my fries are cold!"

Ignis rolled his eyes at him, while Ravus gave the blond man a push to help him sit straight, seeing how he was leaning dangerously toward his side of the booth. He simply leaned toward Ignis's side instead.

"How long did I sleep? Which one of you two won?"

"It's still on," Ignis objected, right as the barmaid brought him his new shot.

"You'd better not need help when you three get up. Oh, you're back up blondie, do you want anything?"

Prompto's boyish charm had really gotten to her. That and surely the fact he'd given her his plushie chocobo prize after his third beer.

"Ice cream!" the gunman exclaimed. "Chocolate and hazelnut ice cream"

The young lady gave him a smile and Ravus nearly choked on his drink at the thought of ice cream with all the alcohol in his system.

"You're going to make yourself sick, Prom," Ignis warned.

"You have no idea what my stomach can handle, Iggy. Bring it on, ladybird."

"That's not her name," Ravus sighed.

He knew the barmaid surely had to endure far worse drunken antics from her other patrons, but he couldn't help himself. She left with an even wider smile and Prompto drummed his fingers on his plate, his phone forgotten on the table as he waited for his treat.

"It's almost six, guys. Ha! Astrals hour!"

Ravus ran one hand over his face. Prompto was a joyful drunk, and if it wasn't for how relaxed the alcohol in his own body had made him, Luna's brother might have run out of patience. A few minutes later, after arguing about who should foot the bill and Ignis winning his cause, they helped each other up to visit the men's room. Prompto confirmed that ice cream had been a very bad idea with colorful sounds and enough retching to make the gentlemen accompanying him a little green in the face. Ravus waited outside, wondering if his own stomach would betray him.

"You won," Ignis stated as he walked out with Prompto's left arm swung around his shoulders, the blond man needed his support to stand.

"Don't be so sure about that," Ravus warned.

The draft coming from the bathroom made his stomach churn in protest. He still held it in long enough to make it out the Golden saucer, and back to the hallway where they lived, helping Ignis in dragging Prompto beside them. Both Luna and Noctis were talking in hushed voices as they got out of their room, arguing about something. Prompto still had some pep in him despite feeling like shit, because he smiled and raised one hand to wave at his friend.

"Noct! You won't believe what we did. I won three races and Ravus beat me only once at it!"

Lunafreya looked over her shoulder, eyes widening as she took in the sight of them.

"You went drinking? With Iggy?!"

"Can you be any louder please?" the concerned man drawled.

Noctis felt quite concerned at that. He didn't remember a time when Ignis had ever drawled! Walking up to them, Luna pulled her brother to the side, a lecture in the making clear on her features. Noctis took Prompto's weight for him, suggesting he would look after him.

"We all know how he gets when he's drunk. And I have no idea what to do to help you," the King added.

"I'll grab a shower and a change of clothes," Ignis declared. "Mineral water should keep me up for the day."

"Wait a minute, Scientia," a voice called from behind them.

Ignis steeled himself, for his girlfriend sounded annoyed and he really, really regretted his seventh drink already. His head was aching as thought it had been stuck in a grinder and the various ways in which he'd slighted Iris were still on his mind. Somehow mixing with the jokes and crazy theories Ravus had entertained with him afterwards. He tried blinking away the haze and grumbled as the quick motions nearly cost him his balance. Aranea's hand gripped his shirt, the fabric already rumpled in places from a scuffle with a fellow player who'd lost 5000 gils against him.

"Are you seriously thinking of working when you're in such a crappy state?"

"Ari…"

"You're coming with me, Iggy," she decided, dragging him to her room, which had been deserted by both Iris and Talcott.

The first had left for the labs and the boy school, since it was 7 in the morning.

Ravus was leaning against the nearest wall, looking far from threatening as Luna chided him for getting "shit-faced".

"Come on, you don't talk like that," he objected weakly.

"And I thought you didn't drink!" his sister retorted.

Prompto exchanged a lopsided look with Noctis.

"Hide me?" the gunman asked with a tiny voice, afraid the Oracle would get on his case when she'd learned whose idea it had been in the first place...

"Sure buddy, but you'd better tell me everything."

"I will… If I can keep my eyes open."

…

Luna didn't give her brother a chance to walk away. The short trek to their quarters had been trying on him, his head slowly pounding to a thunderous beat of ache and his stomach was reminding him of the sound Prompto had made while retching. Ravus wanted to crawl in a corner by now and wait until the after-effects of his 3 hours of drinking faded. But his sister refused to leave him alone, sitting him in a chair after dragging it close to the bathroom door, pushing a glass of water in his palm.

"Did you drink any water tonight?"

Ravus sighed, feeling like a child, and the effort of going back over his various drinks was almost painful by now. Had Lunafreya managed to take away whatever was left of his buzz to leave him with the hangover itself? He wasn't that wasted, was he?

"I don't think I did," he slurred a little as he spoke, but at least the sound came out clear enough. "I'm not quite as embarrassing as a drunk Prompto," he added, hoping to defend himself. "Why did you need to hide me all of sudden?"

"I'm not embarrassed. I was just shocked," she explained, before to lift his hand in a firm gesture, bringing the glass to his lips. "Drink up."

Ravus obeyed, wondering why lately it seemed their role had been reversed. Or was Luna bossing him around right now because she was on edge. She had been arguing with Noctis about something, that much was clear, but he felt dizzy and a bit nauseous now. And his bladder was killing him. How was he supposed to focus when his body betrayed him like this?

 _This is why you don't overdo it,_ he chided himself.

"You don't sound shocked," he observed. "You're angry."

"Can't I be on edge? Crowe nearly killed Gladiolus yesterday when she was possessed," she reminded him.

While he hadn't seen the state the Shield was in after the Etro episode, Ravus could tell the man had been shaken. He usually had the decency to keep his voice down to a tolerable level when he… His foggy brain drew vulgar pictures in his mind and he almost spit the water back in his glass, turning even greener than before.

"Yes, nearly, and in order to cope…," he started, his patience running out "…they decided to copulate like animals and make sure we'd heard everything! _I am_ their neighbor."

Luna grimaced. Even her and Noctis had heard some of it from their room across the hall. But that didn't make his choice of words any less acceptable.

"You're really awful sometimes," Luna sighed.

Ravus deflated at that, his eyes holding hers as though to confirm she meant her words. Her guilt was instantaneous.

"I'm sorry, brother, you're not…" She raised her hands, gesturing as though he had to understand what she meant, to which he gave her a light nod. His stomach protested to the movement and he tried to recall a nice picture, a nice feeling, anything that could save him from the humiliation of throwing up. Luna stroked his hair, before sitting on the edge of her bed, removing imaginary wrinkles in her skirt as she collected herself to give him a truthful explanation.

"I never ever expected you to get drunk, brother, and it got me wondering. For an instant, it seemed to me you were running away… Or maybe that accident in the lab was the last straw..."

Ravus felt himself soften at the notion Lunafreya was still so worried about him. He really wished she wouldn't fret so much about him and he could tell something else had her worked up.

"It's true," he conceded. "I'm tired of running into walls. But I'm not ever giving up. I was just indulging in a break. If it wasn't for Prompto insisting on it, I would have gone to the lab…"

His sister looked even more worried if it was possible and the pounding in his head made it hard to read her fully. Why was she biting on her lower lip like that? It reminded him of the few pranks she'd pulled on him as kids, when she was worried she'd get caught by either Gentiana or their mother. His brain clearly wanted to focus on light thoughts, but his stomach was threatening to make its content lighter by the minutes. He stubbornly fought against the sick feeling, wondering which glass had crossed the line. He'd never really tested his limits with alcohol and was too used to will his way out of any pain and discomfort. His pride might be holding on to that petty victory he had over Scientia, while he should have been happy he was able to defend Iris thanks to his drunken talkativeness.

Luna heaved a deep sigh, snapping him out of his thoughts spiral.

"Maybe I'm just jealous that you got drunk while I haven't been tipsy a day in my life," she tried to explain herself, her eyes gentler.

He could hear the truth in her words. Although he was still missing something and Ravus hated that impression. He tried to tackle the problem with a new angle.

"If I'm not embarrassing you in front of your…" Oh god the room seemed to be spinning now and keeping his face turned in her direction didn't help. "… your friends, why hide me here?"

"Well, you clearly need supervision right now. And I'm certain you'd rather not have Iris or her older brother seeing you like this."

The thought hadn't even crossed his mind, maybe because he was too relaxed earlier, or because he really hadn't meant to drink that much when he sat with Prompto and Ignis at the booth. Ravus slowly tried to picture what Iris's reaction to his current state could be. The girl had seen a lot of things in her life, and he sounded mostly himself, so he doubted she'd be too traumatized by it. Except his thoughts slowly veered. Again.

Holding Iris right now would be nice. He'd need a wall to support himself, but that would only mean she'd be awfully close to him and she liked being in his arms. He could imagine her cute eyes looking up to his as she leaned her head back. Her welcoming smile and gentle hands on his shoulders. The arch of her back under his fingers as he'd embrace her warm body and gently kiss a path down her neck, her collarbone and shoulder… His cheeks heated, and he snapped his eyes open, wondering how he'd jumped there in a matter of seconds. For an instant, his churning stomach and headache had vanished, but he was too afraid of facing the next part of his fantasies to even nurture it further. The fact he could actually pull Iris in his arms and kiss her senseless whenever they were alone was a blessing, but sometimes he found himself pinning for more of her skin, more of her soft moans and right now… His self-control was barely enough to rein in the thoughts and the notion scared him.

"What's that blush about?" Luna teased him.

"Oh gods, just stop, would you? I'm..."

He could tell a lot of words wanted to come out and halted himself, looking away from her as he tried to regain as much countenance as he could, given the circumstances.

"I could call Iris over if you'd rather have her looking after you instead of me," his sister suggested.

"No, I'll pass on that. I must look awful and she has to be worried about her brother and Crowe…"

Saying it made it realize how unfair he'd been to Iris, not even texting her last night to check on her. He wasn't sure she knew what had happened to either Gladiolus or Crowe, he wasn't quite sure of it himself, except for the daemons cleansing, but Luna was shaken enough as it was. Then again, would anyone blame him for not sending a single message to Iris when he could hear her brother…? His stomach protested again and he tested his legs, Lunafreya instinctively shuffling to her feet and offering him her help.

"Don't patro…nize me, sis, I can still walk…"

He leaned dangerously to one side and wondered if his clumsy steps could be considered a walk. His body clearly didn't like the movement, but he reached his goal and somehow managed to pull his hair out of the way before throwing up. Luna was kind enough to come by his side to make sure he would be fine, tying his hair to free his hands. He wasn't sure he'd allowed anyone else to see him like this, but her hand on his back and the knowledge she could care for him even in such a state weren't lost on him.

When the nightmare of burning alcohol and bile finally stopped, Luna offered him a cloth to wipe his mouth and suggested that he'd take a shower in such a polite way, he wondered where she kept all that patience. Testing it wasn't the best option, but he did nevertheless.

"Say, you wouldn't be able to heal this?"

"And prevent you from learning a lesson? No way," she declared. "You reek of chocobo, puke and alcohol. Shower."

"I don't have a change of clothes," he objected as she helped him back to his feet.

"I'm sure you could wear one of Noctis's…"

"No way," Ravus almost snapped.

He sounded childish now, but his sister gave him a smile.

"I'll grab something from your room," she decided, knowing he wouldn't back down on this. And he was taller than Noctis too, so it might not be a bad idea. "Then I'll make sure you rehydrate yourself properly."

"Don't you have other things to do?"

"I consider this behavior a call for attention, so you have my attention, Ravus, whether you want it or not."

He grunted but resigned himself to his fate. If his stomach was done controlling him, he might enjoy the chance to spend some time with his sister. She left him with the instruction not to drown himself, and twenty minutes later, a clean but still groggy Ravus sat on her bed, fighting against his wish to just curl up on the mattress and drift to the sleep he'd been denied.

"You should get some sleep," Luna told him.

"Not in this bed," he retorted, even more childish now.

Despite her smile, he noticed her face darkening and pondered why she would…

"You don't have to worry so much. Noctis haven't sleep in this bed for at least two weeks now."

Her pain was evident and Ravus blinked at her, wondering why he felt cold and alert all of a sudden. A few months ago, he might have been happy to hear as much, because he was overprotective of his sister and didn't want anyone near her. But he could tell how good Noctis was for her. Them being at odds sounded almost as wrong as any of Verstael's experiments!

"I saw him walk out of the room with you… Why wouldn't he… What's wrong?"

Luna hadn't meant to confide in this, but it weighed heavily on her mind and while she knew Ravus might put Noctis through hell, she also knew a word from her would be enough for her brother to understand she simply needed an ear.

"Can this stay between us, Rave? I don't want Noctis and you fighting again. He still loves me, he's just… I don't really know what's happening with him, but he's scared of himself."

Ravus grit his teeth, not liking where this seemed to be going, but he insisted on having a clearer explanation of the situation. With a sigh, Luna asked him to look to the other side of the room. And as he peered down, he noticed a tangle of sheets and a few pillows lying on the floor, the current nest of the Lucian King.

"It started not long after you two had that horrible fight," Luna commenced. "At first, I thought he was simply on edge, but Noctis slowly realized he was growing angrier by the day and taking it out on the people around him. He's even more ruthless than before when he hunts daemons, or the few remaining dropships and he used the armiger against Gladio during a sparring session. He didn't intend to and he's terrified he could hurt someone, anyone."

"Your fiancé is going crazy and you didn't deem it important to tell me before now?!"

"He's not crazy, Ravus!" Luna vehemently objected. "He carries the Lucii ring at all time and his ancestors are talking to him in his sleep. I think the way he attacked you was the first sign of this… change. I tried healing him, but he's in perfect health. It's as though he just… warp into someone else whenever the crystal takes hold on him."

Ravus didn't like this news. He had half a mind to run tests of his own, but Luna admitted she had run all the tests he'd taught to her already. Whenever Noctis lost control, his eyes would be deep crimson, imbued by the magic of his ancestors. And after using the armiger so many times, would it be so difficult to believe it started using him sometimes? Lunafreya explained her theory, that he might be suffering from the pull of the crystal, which had been away from Lucis for too long. It was clear she was grasping at straws to defend Noctis, but Ravus had to admit, while the young King had been acting odd lately, he didn't appear outright dangerous.

"Should he even stay with you, considering he's this scared of hurting you, Luna?"

Tears welled up in her eyes and her brother wished he could comfort her. Things were supposed to be good and normal for her. She was happy, she was preparing to get married to the man she loved, and he'd never seen her smile so much before… Why couldn't this last?

"Well, you are scared of hurting Iris, which you really shouldn't, but you're still here."

He almost flinched away from her, as this brought back all of his own insecurities about his relationship with the young girl.

"That's entirely different!"

"Is it? Crowe is possessed, Noctis feels as though he's not himself anymore and Prompto barely knows who he is with his twisted childhood. And normal people are already afraid of hurting the persons they love. That's just how… things are."

Ravus wondered if she was trying to justify Noctis's situation somehow. Although her words comforted him. He lifted his prosthetic just high enough, Luna taking it as an invitation for a warm hug. Her tears still flew, but she didn't falter in his arms, trying to let out what she could and to ground herself.

"You always end up taking the suffering of everyone around you on your shoulders, Luna. If something's wrong with anyone on this team, we should know it. I get that you don't want a panic starting all over Free Crown. Lucis needs its king, no matter how young and stupid he can be."

"Ravus, please," she asked, her voice muffled through his shirt as she made herself small next to him.

"What if Noctis took off the ring? What if this is the toll he has to pay for it?"

He wanted to find a solution for her, but even with his headache going strong, all he could do was question things with his usual logic. They had never really talked about the Lucian relics, not since Luna had met Regis and Noctis as a young girl. Tenebrae had its own relic, the trident their mother used before Luna came into their power, but the toll was different.

"I asked him to take it off, but he's stubborn. He might accept to do it once we'll leave Free Crown. He hasn't kissed me once in days, Ravus," she confessed, her voice a bit higher than she'd intended and he felt her shaking her head next to him, as she tried to swallow back the pain. "Isn't it unfair that I ask him not to be a King when his people so badly need him?"

"I think it's unfair that you ask yourself to go through all this for their sake with everything you've already given up for this world, sister."

She heaved a shuddering breath at that. There was so much on her mind and he realized once more just how similar they were. Standing on their own, trying to protect the people closest to them by facing the hardships alone. She might open up more than he did, but her first reflex was still to keep her wounds to herself. She'd thrown herself into their medical work and research in order to forget what was right before her eyes.

"I'm so sick of being like this, Rave. Your head must still be hurting, and here I am…"

"It's okay, Luna," he cut her off, stroking her hair. "You should know better, but I guess I didn't give you the best example when it comes to leaning on others."

"Well, you might be switching to better example, minus this night of drinking."

The mention of it seemed to remind her of her previous goals.

"You should drink more water," she said, gently detaching herself from him.

"Luna, let me see your eyes," he pleaded with her.

She glanced at him, barely holding his gaze and what he saw made him wonder how blind he'd been lately. The dark circles around her pale blue eyes were almost purple, her skin looking translucent. She needed sun and rest and maybe to feel safe again. She'd been just as starved for love as him, maybe more, because there had been people actually hugging her in thanks after the healing, giving her a glimpse of what she missed on. And now, after being showered in love by Noctis, she had to deal with an outright rejection birthed from fear.

"I need to catch up on sleep. And it looks like you do too, Lunafreya."

She might have protested, but when he offered to stay with her and hold her in his arms, she realized she couldn't say no. She needed the comfort and Ravus was glad to give it, not even able to worry about what people might say. This was his sister and he'd be damned if he hadn't the right to comfort her in whatever small way he could.

…

Prompto was a mess and Noctis felt bad for his friend as he listened to him being sick for the second time since they'd stepped into the room. Lunafreya had briefly visited them, only to grab fresh clothes for her brother, exchanging a brief look with Noctis. The King felt awkward around her and it pained him greatly, after everything they'd been through. But even now, as he wanted to care for his friend and worry about Free Crown and Lucis, the voices were hard at work in his mind, remnants of his nightmare.

 _ **This break has lasted long enough**_ , one had said.

" _ **You've yet to collect all the royal arms, when are you even going to do it?"**_

 _ **Did you give us empty promises, saying you would reunite us with the crystal? How long do you think your powers will hold?**_

" _ **Yes, your father listened to us every day of his life. We are the collective wisdom of the kings of old."**_

 _ **Have more respect for your ancestors, boy.**_

They commented on his friends too, mocking Iris.

" _ **That girl is such a nuisance. And that cheery gunman too…"**_

Doubting Gladiolus.

 _ **Is your Shield really apt to his job? Keeping that possessed freak by his side?**_

 _ **What about that imperial dog? Why didn't you kill him when you had the chance?**_

Belittling him. Giving ground to all his old fears.

 _ **Coward. Lazy-ass. He's an impetuous child. Petulant. Whiny. Dragging things on for his own entertainment. Sick of his princess. Aren't you sick of her yet? She's played her role. Her healing is only saving time. You will stop the Scourge.**_

 _How?!_

At first, he could barely hear them whispering by the edge of his mind. There had been no sign of any toll from wearing the ring of Lucii except for the brief talk with his ancestors when he'd first put it on. Now, they invaded every of his nights. He would wake up screaming and kicking, to the point where he almost punched Luna awake once. She'd looked shocked, but that was because of the sleep daze and when she'd tried comforting him, he backed away, wondering if he wasn't going to snap again. Wasn't that what had happened with her brother? When he'd turn brutal and nearly feral in his need for vengeance… He hoped it was the true explanation behind it, because he was starting to scare himself.

"Oh Six, I swear, I'll never drink again and… eat ice cream afterwards," Prompto swore, retching some more.

Noctis wasn't sure how many times the bowl had been flushed yet. He was barely focused on the here and now, although he wanted to be, and that infuriated him, but he was so on edge right now…

 _Don't be angry, you don't have enough control right now,_ he reminded himself.

He'd had a rough phase during his teenage years, until his father let him have his own place and live a normal life. But even back then, he had been more careless than ruthless. Now, he felt frantic, always on the defensive. He'd grown cold and harsh during the meetings with Libertus and the others. He was impatient, and nothing was solved quickly enough for him. As if that wasn't enough, petty crimes were starting all over the city and he had half a mind to cause some sort of disaster that would shake the people awake and remind them about the dire situation they were all in.

Ignis was his voice of reason and somehow, the man managed to keep him in line so no one could doubt his capacity to rule. Because he was starting to doubt himself. He felt more out of control than Crowe on one of her bad day, and apparently, she collected horrible days. It didn't help that Iris barely talked to him anymore and how Luna had remained angry with him about the whole Ravus deal, but Noctis wasn't trying to blame anyone. He'd been at odds with his friends before and he had never gotten like this. He could blame it on Free Crown, but a brief camping trek to hunt a pack of Elder Coeurls threatening Longwythe rest area had proved letting off steam wasn't helping. If anything, it made the bloodlust worst.

 _Bloodlust._

He'd heard of some of his ancestors turning crazy with their powers, but those were legends. But then again, hadn't his father stopped at seven royal arms? He had eleven of them now. One was away from Lucis, in Succarpe apparently, one was Luna's trident, which he would never take from her, and the last one was hidden in the nefarious Costlemark Tower. Just reading about that place gave him the creeps. Had he pushed himself too far? Was this really the ring's full influence on him? Was it because he was too idle and once he started moving towards the empire again, he would return to his old self?

He wanted to hope, but a part of him retained those horrible visions of his father with a horn. Sometimes, he would scratch at his head until he drew blood, only to be found out by Luna and healed by her light. He was growing more scared of hurting her, seeing how his armiger was so volatile at the moment. He'd almost summoned it the other day when Libertus disagreed with him on a new rule they needed to vote on. Was it the slow politics getting on his nerves? He knew things wouldn't be perfect, he knew being King would be frustrating, but he wasn't getting results as quickly as before and with the constant taunting of his ancestors whispering to him at night, he was a little more frenetic by the day.

Blinking, he realized he couldn't hear any more retching, or any sound coming from the bathroom and forced his dark thoughts aside.

"Prom? You okay in there?"

A disheartened yes answered him, making him worry a little more.

"Do you need help?" Noctis asked.

"It's too late," the gunman whispered, dragging his feet back to the main room.

He was paled, his freckles standing out on his cheekbones, but he seemed better than when Noctis had helped him into the room.

"What's wrong?"

"I sent Cindy a picture of my butt earlier. At like 5 AM. I'm a moron."

Noctis cracked a smile despite his best intentions. It was clear that Prompto was already envisioning the end of his relationship with the girl, while Noctis doubted Cid's granddaughter could be prude enough for that.

"Doesn't she like your ass?"

"You don't get it, dude," Prompto insisted, plopping himself on his bed with the look of a condemned man. "There was no preface, no nothing, just a pic of my stupid ass in bad lighting and one "miss you" half an hour later. I think I made a dozen typos in it too."

"In seven letters?!" Noctis teased him, only to hear him groan in desolation.

There was no anger in the King at this moment, only a mix of amusement and genuine empathy for his friend. The poor guy missed Cindy so badly, his smiles were starting to feel forced again and it pained him. The mechanic was the cure to his awful childhood and many insecurities and Noctis had to admit, he'd resent her greatly if she was to leave Prompto with a broken heart.

The gunman had dropped his phone unceremoniously next to him, his feet on his pillow, his head deep in the covers of the bed as he was apparently trying to hide his shame, or maybe drift to sleep. The light buzz of his phone made them both jump, but after peering out of the bedsheet, Prompto resumed his previous position.

"Not checking if it's her?" the raven-haired man asked.

"I'm wallowing in shame!" the gunman protested, the sound coming out more like "Aye malloming in fame" thanks to the way he pressed his face into the bed.

"Want me to check who it is?" Noctis offered.

Prompto pondered for an instant before giving him the weakest thumb up of history.

Noctis carefully grabbed his phone, turning it around his hand as he sat back in the chair he'd pulled in the middle of the room, tapping his right foot to the floor.

"Are you sure? What if she sent you a picture back?"

"Heh, I know Cindy might not look it, but she doesn't want any part of her body on tape, even if it's only for my personal use."

"Does she still wipe the cars' hoods lasciviously when…"

"Shut up, Noct. Leave me in my head-aching shame."

Raising one brow, Noctis unlocked the phone, a smirk instantly coming to his face. It was Cindy alright.

 _C: I'd tap that._

"Sounds like she likes your freckled ass, buddy. What should I answer?"

Before either of them could add a word, the phone buzzed again and Noctis' eyes widened.

"Shit, is that her…?"

Prompto shot up, instantly regretting it, but he still reached out for his phone, wondering if Cindy had decided to reward his drunk texting with one of her heated text. He really, really didn't want Noctis to read that. From the look on Noctis's face, it was worst than that and he frantically got off the bed as his best friend held the phone away from him.

"Oh come on, what did she say?"

"Think you can wrestle the phone away from me in your state?"

Noctis wasn't sure how he dared to even put Prompto in such a situation, since he was certain the gunman would retaliate, and he had no idea how he would react to that. He didn't want to hurt any of his friends again, but he needed any semblance of normalcy he could get. And he needed to test his control if he wanted to hold Luna again soon.

"Give it back! That's not… fair!" Prompto complained.

After stretching his arms and feeling dizzier, he resorted to tackling Noctis, which got them in a heap of limbs on the floor, the fighting stopping as quickly as it had started when Prompto finally managed to see what was on his phone screen.

 _I miss you too baby. Next time, you'd better get drunk with me around._

"Aww, man, she's not mad at all," the gunman marveled an instant. "But wait a minute… You tricked me, Noct!"

"Serves you right, sending her pictures like that. Your butt looks like a…"

Prompto tried punching him and grazed his nose with his first, things almost turning into a full-on brawl, although they were both tired for very different reasons. Noctis was amazed when he realized none of his royal arms had shown, not even a flicker of blue, despite the fact both guys rolled over a few times and exchanged playful kicks and grunts.

"Get off me," Noctis begged in the end, as the tumble and play turned to abject tickling and Prompto laughed with him, sitting back with a smile that reached his heavy-lidded eyes.

"Iggy really have good tricks," he chuckled. "You're way too ticklish."

A light push on the shoulder was his only answer, but Noctis had to admit this right now had been exactly what he needed. He grimaced slightly when Prompto looked up in alarm and pretty much run on all fours to get back to the bathroom for a third dance with the bowl. Maybe his friend would have preferred to tumble a little less.

"Sorry dude."

A few minutes later, he could hear Prompto brushing his teeth and saw him coming back, looking just as pale as before, but the smile still wide on his face.

"I felt like a little kid back there. Thanks for that, Noct."

"Back at you."

Prompto plopped back on his bed and Noctis remained sitting on the floor, his back to a cupboard, wondering what his friend could be writing as his fingers ran over his digital keyboard. They remained in comfortable silence, until Noctis thoughts went back to all those little moments where his control over his powers had started to slip.

"Say Prom? I've been wondering…"

"Hmm?"

"Feel free to not answer if you don't feel like it, okay? I was just… Remember that time when you asked me if you were really you? It was before the whole Otto ordeal, and back then I didn't get it."

Prompto sat up, looking at him with a dark expression.

"What of it?"

His voice was a tad too sharp and Noctis felt bad for bringing it up. He felt a mix of anger and guilt and wondered which emotion was the worse for him right now.

"This is going to sound weird, but lately… I haven't been feeling entirely myself. So I wondered if you'd found your answer."

"Not yourself, huh?"

Prompto was staring now, and from the way he was studying him, Noctis could tell he was looking for the fury he'd seen in him back on that day they'd learn about Iris and Ravus. The silence stretched, and his fidgety friend remained unmoving, deep in thoughts. When he finally talked, Noctis was shocked to say the least.

"You do remember I killed a kid because I was fed up, stressed out and drugged with daemon blood back when I was four? I don't know who I'm really supposed to be. The digits on my arm, the cheerful guy behind a camera or the lame fat kid too scared by people to look at them without a lens standing in between."

"Prom…"

"I'm stating facts, Noct. I'm too tired to be angry about it right now. I've got a messed-up life so far. But despite that, I've got a girl who loves me, I'm one of your crowns guard and your friend. So whatever could be worrying you…"

Noctis sighed.

"The crystal chose me when I was five as some chosen hero to save the world," the King explained, wondering if he'd ever put it into words. "I've killed people wearing your face, countless daemons and all the human soldiers that stood in my way, using godlike powers as though I had a right to be stronger than any of them. But how do I stay good? How do I know I make the right choice every day?"

Prompto's shoulders sagged and he ran one hand through his messy hair.

"That's freaking deep man. Anyone would go crazy wondering about that all the time. And you have Luna to look after you if…"

"No! How do _I_ know?"

The gunman crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back a little, biting on the tip of his tongue.

"You want the truth or something cheesy?"

Noctis looked up to the ceiling as he saw his friend smiling a bit.

"Whichever."

"Truth is, we don't really know. Even now that you're a King, you miss a lot of variables to get the full picture. And there's no use looking for that full picture. Maybe Iggy can see it sometimes…" Noctis chuckled at that, nodding his head in approval as Prompto went on, "But I don't think we're the bad guys. We don't pit children against each other to build a freaking army. And with all the people you've saved so far, I hope you realize you're a good guy. You saved me too, you know, more times than I can count."

"That… that might be too cheesy even for you, Prom."

"I mean it, dude. So, stop doubting yourself so much. You're the best thing this country has. Except maybe for my goddess of the gear, but…"

As if on cue, his phone buzzed again, and they laughed together. They tried talking some more, about lighter subjects, but Prompto's head was slowly dropping and so were his eyelids. Noctis had one last meeting with Libertus to confirm a few things and had an inkling Ignis wouldn't be up for it. Or permitted by Aranea to walk out of her room before a few more hours. Not feeling up to check on Luna just yet, the King decided to test his new-found peace at the meeting. There was a flicker of magic or two as he argued with Cor about the defenses of Free Crown, but things stayed under control and once again, no one but him seemed to realize what was going on.

He found Gladiolus, Crowe, Iris and Luna at their lunch table. His Shield waved at him, while Crowe gave him a very light nod of the head, Iris extending him a forced smile. Luna seemed self-conscious about inviting him to eat next to her, which made his heart sink. She wasn't sure how far the distances were supposed to be anymore, and he felt bad for even putting her in that situation.

 _If I can't be with her, I don't know how any of this was even worth all my efforts,_ he reminded himself.

He sat next to her, pushing away the nightmares he'd had.

"So apparently, the guys went to drink without us?" Gladiolus asked his liege.

"From what I heard, they were given a very good incentive," Noctis started, wondering when he'd become so bold. "Should you two even be up after keeping at it so long into the night?"

"Noctis!" Iris and Luna nearly screamed in unison, Gladio nearly choking on his gulp of tomato juice and Crowe blushing just enough to draw an amused smile from the King.

"Your brother has teased me my entire life," Noctis defended himself to Iris. "I have a right to embarrass him every now and then. Unless Crowe is against it," he added, hoping it would calm Luna's own disapproval.

The former Glaive started shaking her head before catching herself.

"Well, I usually don't mind, but could you go easy on him for the next few days?"

Gladiolus immediately seemed ready to take offense, but Crowe gave both royal a serious look.

"I almost lost him yesterday."

The seriousness to her voice made them all uncomfortable and Gladiolus shifted a bit in his seat, especially as he saw the way Iris was tensing up.

"Things looked bleak, but I was more worried about Crowe than myself back there," he declared. "And before any of you start worrying, we have things under control. I just need to keep her close to me until this whole deal is done."

"That's really all the explanation we're going to get? You were bleeding when I saw you yesterday and it's only because Aranea lent us ear plugs that we could sleep, Talcott and I."

Gladiolus would have grinned smugly if he wasn't talking to his sister, but Prompto joined them at this moment, looking a bit pale, but better than his earlier state. And the gunman had been waiting for his chance to tease the Shield.

"How was this whole fiasco settled this morning?"

Crowe rolled her eyes, her cheeks remaining flushed despite her efforts to keep her emotions in check.

"Back off, kid." Gladiolus warned.

"I don't mean to pry, but you sort of made it everyone's business. Maybe it was only Iggy, Ravus and I who could hear the missed proposal bit…"

"Proposal?!" Iris repeated. "Are you going to be my sister, Crowe?"

She looked so excited and cheerful, Gladiolus almost felt bad.

"No…" the former Glaive answered. "I… apparently got ahead of myself."

Gladiolus tried to squeeze her hand, but she pulled away from him, clearly not over Gladio rescinding his word.

"It's not like that…"

Iris could tell her brother was only going to dig himself in deeper and cleared her throat.

"How about we have a talk you and I, as potential sisters-in-law? In the meantime, you guys can teach some sense in my brother's thick skull."

"Wait a minute…"

"I think that's not a bad idea, Gladio," Crowe cut him off. "I'm not angry with you," she added as an afterthought, planting a kiss on his cheek before getting off her chair.

Her movements were slower than usual, because she was quite sore, but no one commented on it. They all waited as both brunettes walked off to another table of the cafeteria, the Shield glancing at his friends with a mix of annoyance and resignation.

"I know I'm a moron, Prom," he started before any of them could tell him anything, "but couldn't you wait until we were just between us guys? I mean no offense by this, Luna."

"None taken," she assured him.

"I couldn't wait, because I'm still hungover. And it's mainly your fault for being so damn loud."

"Lay off me at least for that part, okay? When I get emotional, I…" He cursed, still far more emotional than his usual.

"I'm sorry, dude. We heard from Ravus some bad stuff had happened, but a guy needs his sleep at some point."

Noctis gave Prompto a gentle slap behind the head at that, which brought a very light smile to Gladiolus's face. Lunafreya was looking at the Shield as though she could take his pain away and after the initial lightness back to their table, his morose mood seemed to take over again.

"If that's you being worried about me, just stop. I'm not talking about that bad stuff."

"We didn't ask you to," Luna objected. "But you should know that bottling it up…"

He slammed one fist against the table and Noctis noted how his shoulders shook slightly, for the shortest moment.

"That bitch of a goddess tested me, and I nearly failed, alright? I don't need to have it rubbed in my face."

Noctis and Prompto paled while Luna turned almost grey. Neither of them was sure how to react.

"It got that bad, huh?" Noctis whispered.

"Don't give me that look, Noct. I know you're strong, but I don't think anyone can get her back if not for…"

He cursed as he noticed that his fists were shaking too now.

"Okay, man, let's not go there if you don't want to," Prompto quickly said. "We can skip the whole proposal too and just…"

Gladiolus's face soured.

"I just didn't think it would be such a big deal for her," he sighed.

"Sounds more like it's a big deal for you," Luna observed, her voice calm, her eyes peaceful.

Noctis still bit the inside of his cheek to hold himself back from intervening in the discussion. The look Gladio was giving his fiancée made him uneasy.

"Well, that's not like it's weird," Prompto interfered. "A wedding is all about the bride. We guys get the bills, the angry father, brother or grandfather in law, the nerve-endings and all the judgements."

Noctis wanted to object, but it wasn't like he could really see things the same way, being a royal and never needing for anything until he started his travel with his three friends. He also wondered if Gladio's position as his Shield wasn't a good part of the problem.

"If you don't want to talk about it, Gladiolus, it's fine," he told him. "But after all you've done for me, I hope you know I'll always be ready to help you."

As she sat next to him, Luna asked herself if Noctis even realized how calm he was acting right now. She certainly hoped he did.

"I know that," the Shield said. "I just don't think it's the best time for any of us to fall apart."

Luna remained subdued for most of the remaining lunch and the talk was uneasy. Prompto convinced Gladio to play cards with him and Ignis later in the day, if they could extract Ignis from Aranea's room that was and the princess was surprised to hear her King talking to her.

"Would you… like accompanying me on a stroll, Luna?"

"What? But I thought…"

"Prompto helped me realize something. And I'm really, really missing you." At her surprised look, he added with a raised brow, "Didn't you read my texts?"

She blinked at that.

"What texts? I don't think I've…"

She picked up her phone, which she barely ever used in Free Crown. She was still so used to not having one, she let out a small groan as she realized her battery had died. It had surely been long ago too.

"I'm sorry, I'm still getting the hang of those things," she whispered. "Can I see them?"

The eager look in her eyes made his heart skip a beat. She hadn't looked at him that way in such a long time.

"Don't judge me. I should have thought of asking you to check your phone, or used our notebook instead, but I felt so out of control…"

He had merely greeted her in the morning and before going to bed during the last two weeks, their other talks consisting in her pleading for him to trust himself more, while he refused her plea. To think she hadn't seen any of his texts made him feel worse about the whole thing. Had he been so obsessed with keeping his distances that he never cared about the fact she didn't answer back? He knew Luna wasn't big on texts, and a part of him had thought he was owed a silent treatment from her, with how lonely he made her feel.

She didn't have to thumb along his messages for long to feel comforted by the hours and dates she could see next to each text.

 _Today- Don't push yourself too hard today._

 _Yesterday pm - I heard you found the final step to develop that new serum, you never stop amazing me. I wish I could hold you._

 _Yesterday am - Are you angry with me, Luna? Or maybe is it just what I deserve for not controlling the ring better. I don't think it's the ring. I don't want it to be me. Sorry for rambling._

 _Before - How are you doing today? I tried not to wake you when I left. To think I managed to get up before you for once. I did wake you, did I? Or maybe not?_

 _I miss you…_

"Oh Noct… Why didn't you ask me directly…?"

"Because lately, when I'm direct with people, the armiger tries to show up…"

He felt embarrassed as she scrolled up the apparently never-ending tread of messages he'd send her.

"I should have called Pryna, but she barely answers to me," he started apologizing.

As they'd talked, he'd guided her in their stroll with the lightest brush of the hand.

"Once again, you should have told me," Luna observed. "I've felt as though we were strangers for the past weeks. It was so hard."

She wanted to ask him what made him change his mind, but Lunafreya was afraid any direct mention to his lack of control might lead to more rejection. Noctis had meant to wait until they were in a more secluded hall, but the shudder in her voice got to him. He wanted her in his arms, to have her voice shift into shivering moans. Luna almost yelped when he tackled her to the nearest wall, even though he cushioned her head with one arm, pressing himself against her gingerly, since a single word from her could push him away. Her initial tension shifted to pure need as she felt his fingers in her hair and the warmth of his body next to hers. She cupped his face, reminding him of how precious she made him feel.

 _ **She's holding you back.**_

 _She's holding me up._

He kissed her, hoping she'd closed her eyes and wouldn't see the fear resurfacing in his features. The voices thundered in his head. The ring seemed to pulse on his finger and its power raged in his veins, wreaking havoc in his blood.

 _ **She's a dream you must wake up from.**_

 _Get out of my head!_

He blinked, pulling Luna closer, fighting against the various rushes welling up inside. _Get away before they hurt her through you. Get away before you turn too rough in your fear. Make her yours now, so they understand._

 _ **Her royal arm should be yours.**_

"Noctis," she called his name, his hands so possessive on her, trying to caress and revere every little bit of skin they could reach. "Noctis, we're in the middle of…"

 _ **She's weak. Mortal. You must let go of…**_

"Luna, please, please, can you push them away?" he asked her, leaning his forehead against hers as he looked for his breath.

He sounded so lost. Her eyes barely met his, they were close, so close and yet she could tell he wanted to part from her, his fears entirely back. She gripped to his jacket, willing her magic into her heart. And then pouring out and into him.

 _Reach him,_ she prayed. _Protect him._

Slowly, the voices faded. All that remained was her and more than ever, he wanted to hide in her arms. His new kiss was soft, but not any less desperate and Luna wished for those lazy embraces they'd shared not so long ago. Although she would take what she could now. She'd missed him so much.

"Are they… gone?"

"For now, at least. Luna, I'm so sor…"

"Kiss me, Noct. Don't ever push me away again."

"I don't want to. But they keep telling me…"

His voice broke and Lunafreya shivered in his arms. It was easy to understand exactly what was going on. The kings of old wanted her dead. And a part of her couldn't help the feeling that with the serum completed…

 _No, don't think like that. You can't leave him._

"Could it be the crystal in Free Crown?"

It should be dormant, but Noctis was ready to grasp at any explanation and Luna was ready to take it.

"When can we leave?" she asked him as she pulled on his hair to kiss him again.

"Tonight, if necessary. I can't stand this anymore."

They would head to Cape Caern then. Confirming on the road whether the influence of his ancestors was due to the Lucii ring or the blasted crystal. Lunafreya knew things might be hard, despite all the talks they'd had with Accordo. But she'd rather face hardships then this loneliness again.

It was somewhat hard to explain to any citizen why their King and future Queen had been acting as though they were the two last humans on Eos that afternoon, but Libertus was still sad to see the King and his retinue leave. Ravus's research would be on hold for the time being, their troops had just lost two of their top trainers and a few of Iris, Luna and Ravus's patients came to wave them goodbye, although the departure was quiet and it felt to the citizens as though their King had left like a thief in the night. But they knew he was working for their future. One day, Lucis's nation would be able to stand, with cities like Lestallum and maybe even Insomnia restored to their former glory. It was only a question of time.

To continued…

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I meant to add Ignea fluff in this, but things were already long enough, so their scene might appear in a flash-back eventually. Noctis is facing some really hard times. And we're finally reaching one arc I had been meaning to write since I started this fic. Now if only I could properly focus on school and write only in one story at the same time, things would progress smoothly. But oh well. Please review, you know how it motivates me! Next chapter will kick off with a brief chocobro ride and serious action.


	65. Daemon emperor

Hey guys, I don't know how long it's been, but here is a new chapter! Writing is my current catharsis since I'm facing a lot of unexpected changes in my life lately. Action is on and things are going to stay dark for a while. It was already planned, but my current mindset doesn't permit for something else either. I'm already getting better, I just need to face these changes with a positive mind and I don't feel positive enough to take it with a smile. I just hope the story doesn't suffer from it and that you'll like this chapter and the new arc it opens. I had this planned from day one, over a year ago, when I started this story. For now, I'm calling it the Daemon arc. It's pretty much Ardyn's origin story for this fic, and while it's not what SE did in the game -we finally know some of it now- it was what I had hinted at back in Chapters 13-14. Without further ado, enjoy your read!

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Unexpected

Chapter 65 – Daemon Emperor

"We never really had a chance to talk before, did we?" Ardyn asked.

Noctis was looking for his breath, the numbness down his back drawing on all his old fears. The one thing he needed refused to answer his calls and the stones were cold under his trembling hands.

 _Don't be weak now,_ he asked himself. _Just wait until he slips and then…_

But how was he supposed to try anything when his legs refused to work?

"I'm Ardyn Izunia, former chancellor of Nifelheim, Lunafreya's guardian now that Caligo Ulldor kicked the bucket. I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with our Oracle. Did you train her into killing people? Even I wouldn't have thought of that."

Noctis could barely see him, only his amber eyes shining in the dark. He wasn't sure where he was anymore, but it was too dark, damp and cold and he could barely hold back his shivers.

 _Why aren't my powers working? Why did…?_

The ring had fallen off his fingers after Aldercapt bit his hand. There was a glint on the floor and Noctis reminded himself that he simply needed to inch forward…

Ardyn stepped on the ring.

"Not so fast, your Highness. I have waited a long time to enjoy a serious talk with you. Don't give me that look. I only mean to talk things out for now. When I'm done talking, then you might want to worry about yourself, _chosen King_."

The loathing was clear in his last two words and Noctis wondered once more what he could have ever done to anger this man so much. He had to be crazy, there was no reason to any of his actions, no…

A kick in the ribs broke his thoughts, pushing him back on a few centimeters. His legs ached, too broken to endure movements and he fought against the whimper that threatened to cross his chapped lips.

"Noctis Lucis Caelum," Ardyn hissed, drawing out every part of his name. "Did you know how people should really call you? Izunia is actually your name. Your ancestors were careful to hide that fact."

"You're mad," Noctis managed through his ragged breath.

This time, the heel of his boot kicked him in the head and blood slipped down his throat, making him cough and spit more of it out. His skin was already sticky with all the dried blood and he couldn't hold back a scream when a talon-like limb added pressure on his shattered legs. He tried to pull away, to crawl back, to muster even a flicker of his magic, but the elements had given up on him and it seemed the crystal had too.

"Noctis Izunia," Ardyn repeated, his voice almost cheery. "Have they started talking to you yet? Did you realize what your beloved crystal truly wants? Or are you still its puppet?"

Invisible strings pulled on his shoulders, lifting him up with a pained groan.

"I'm no one's…!"

"Fine then," Ardyn flashed him a dark smile. "We'll teach you better."

… 18 hours earlier…

The pit stop at Lestallum was mandatory. They'd slept a few hours at Hammerhead, Cindy welcoming Prompto with a wide smile and the apparent urge to grab his ass, which made Noctis laughed, since he knew the inside joke for it. The King had kept his princess close to him, observing how Iris openly pulled Ravus to the side for some alone time. Noctis felt nothing but self-loathing at the sight, because the smile on the young brunette was so wide and luminous… Ever implying that Ravus couldn't make her happy appeared ludicrous right now.

Gladiolus still had his frown from their ride on his face, not quite comfortable with the way his friends had insisted about the whole botched proposal.

" _I want her with me," he'd defended himself._

" _But what, is commitment that scary?" Noctis had insisted._

" _Technically speaking, I'm already committed to you, Noct. I never really saw myself as the married type."_

" _Why not?" Ignis inquired. "It doesn't have to be right now and I'm sure the knowledge would alleviate some of Crowe's worries."_

 _Gladiolus looked torn._

" _Your heard everything, right? I want her as my family, what more could she want?"_

" _Well, we left before we could hear the rest of your talk, so I have no idea what you told her to defend yourself, but I know from the movies, and my own life that you never assume you've given a woman everything she could want." Prompto stated._

 _Gladio seemed ready to object that the gunman wasn't the most experienced of them when it came to relationships, but the look Ignis gave him in the rearview mirror reminded him that he might not be quite the expert himself. He knew how to be friendly and flirty, but maintaining an amorous relationship was something foreign to him. And the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to push away the wedding word._

" _Marrying her won't keep her alive," he sighed, surprised the words came out loud._

 _It might have been because they were only between friends right now. Noctis had insisted on riding with his original retinue in the Regalia, for old time's sake. He was sick of not acting normal and determined to win over his fears. Luna, Crowe, Aranea and Iris shared a car with Ravus, who really didn't like not being behind the wheel, but the commodore insisted on driving._

" _Well, not marrying her is not a way to keep her any more alive either," Noctis sighed._

" _As a man of a noble family, Gladio should eventually get married," Ignis remarked matter-of-factly. "Is it one obligation too many?"_

" _I don't know. I guess looking at my parents, I never really… got to believe in that word. I didn't think I would find a woman like Crowe either. And she's still possessed by a goddess hellbent on turning daemons into human corpses, so excuse me if the situation is a lot for me right now."_

 _His friends either paled or gave him a knowing look. Hearing Gladiolus admitting he was in over his head was new and his recent vulnerability made them all uneasy. Overprotective and full of bark Gladio was one thing. But the steady rock of their group shaking lose on its foundations?_

" _Welcome to my life," Prompto sighed. "I wonder why the Astrals like making our existence so hard on us."_

" _Maybe because they need us to be stronger yet," Ignis offered._

 _And Noctis fell deep in thoughts at that. He felt too strong already when it came to his royal powers…_

…

Lestallum was cloudy when they arrived and Prompto could have sworn he saw a weird glint on a ceiling. But then again, Lestallum was a scrap pile of metal and bricks, so reflects on a building shouldn't really worry him, right? He should have wondered where the light was coming from considering the dark sky above their heads.

"Where did the sun go?" Iris wondered out loud as they parked and finally walked out to stretch their legs.

"If only that crazy heat would leave with the sun," Ravus muttered under his breath, not too surprised to get his sister's approval on that front.

Crowe was trying to convince Aranea that Gladiolus didn't need any lesson for getting cold feet about the now infamous "proposal"… when she felt a shiver run down her spine.

 _ **I-can-feel-them.**_

"Gladio," she called, her voice almost white.

The whole gang looked up in alert, but instead of white hair on the Glaive's head, they were greeted with a vision far worse. A man on the other side of the street screamed and the kids who had been playing around looked up too as the clouds seemed to draw closer. Except they weren't clouds.

They were winged beasts, with talons and thin, jittery limbs that made them look like a nightmare. Noctis instantly spotted Iedolas Aldercapt, the largest of the flock, with his brown hide and red eyes. His wings had been patched up with wires and metal plates, turning his flight into erratic patterns. Ignis took a step away from the gas station, spilling some fuel on the ground as he tried counting all of them. Over thirty, over forty and there was something else hiding the sun, something wide, almost as large as the Quezacoatlz flying fortress used to be.

"They brought Sylph here? How is that thing even working?!" Ravus held back a curse.

Iris wanted to ask him what Sylph was, but she soon realized it was a flying warship. Red dots danced on the cement as a large seesawed hole opened on the ship's dark belly. Green tentacles appeared on the edge of the hole, Luna gasping as she understood what Verstael had brought with him.

"A bunch of daemons and a Malboro?!"

The monstrous mountain of vines made the ship swerve a little, before slipping off, falling in the zone near the powerplant.

"How did we not hear that…?" Crowe asked.

"It's a stealth model," Ravus replied. "He shouldn't have been able to complete it yet…"

"Are you telling me… my old man is the one piloting that thing?" Prompto couldn't help himself, his face turning dark with hatred at the thought his father was here.

"At this point, does it really matter?" Noctis nearly snapped. "They're going to level the city if we don't… Iggy?"

The advisor had clenched his fists, but remained calm, stating their options as quickly as he could. They had all drawn their weapons already.

"Aranea, Noctis and I can attack the daemons as they fly. Prompto can take out some of them. I'd advise that Crowe stayed away from the daemons, so maybe…"

Gunshots covered his voice, Ravus instantly shielding Iris with his body, Gladiolus wrapping one arm around Crowe, while Noctis warped to stand in front of Luna. Ignis sighed as Aranea lifted her spear like a mock shield, but much to their surprise, the bullets ricocheted on an invisible barrier.

The sound coming outside of the light dome surrounding them were somehow muffled and Lunafreya's eyes almost glittered from her use of white magic. For an instant, no one moved or talked, too shocked to know how to properly react. Prompto managed a nervous laugh.

"I didn't know she could do that," the gunman said through his chuckle. "Am I the only one?"

"That's a new one for me too," Ravus admitted, his eyes searching intently for the shooter. If only he could find his line of fire...

"We need to help the citizens to safety," Luna whispered, holding up the barrier without batting an eye.

Noctis noticed she was making her light shield even larger to protect the people who had been standing nearby. Fathers dragging their kids to safety stopped running as they felt the change in the air around them. The King could only imagine how exhausted his fiancée was going to make herself if she kept that up for too long.

"I need someone to take out that ship before it drops more nasties on us. Ravus, can you…?"

"Get me up there and consider it done," the Tenebraen prince shot back.

"Ignis will drive you with the Regalia. Aranea and I will disturb those daemons to clear you a path. Crowe, how's your control over…?"

The Glaive held back a shiver, stepping out of Gladiolus' arms. She seemed to be in pain and Iris wondered if Luna's magic wasn't giving her one of her headaches.

"I think I can handle it," she replied. "Malboros aren't daemons after all."

Noctis smiled at her, glad she understood his intentions.

"Gladio, clear her a path to that thing," he ordered. "Prompto, you're our gun expert, can you take out their shooter?" His best friend nodded, and Noctis turned to the last members of their team. "Luna, Iris, you two take care of the citizens while keeping that shield on Prompto."

Ignis's disapproval was clear. Luna also wanted to protest, but they were outnumbered and needed to react quickly.

"Noct, this is…" she started.

"I know it's dangerous," the King cut her off, "but it's the best shot we got. I'm calling magic as soon as Crowe will be away from those daemons. Aldercapt wants me."

"I still need to hand the guy my official resignation," Aranea quipped, winking at Ignis to reassure him.

There wasn't time for good luck wishes, the daemons roaring, now only a few meters above their heads, the flock ready to disperse. Noctis cast his strongest thunder spell, striking half of them down. A body dropped and bumped against the shield, making Luna shudder. Crowe steeled herself, expecting Etro to take over with their corpses so close, but her otherworldly voice was gone and her headache barely ached. The citizens who were still outside had either crawled under Luna's protection or cowered to the farthest corner of the plaza, trying to hide any way they could.

A single look from their King got the team moving. Aranea leaped, Noctis throwing his engine blade forward, while Luna signaled for the citizens to get closer to her, in order to reduce the size of her protective shield.

Gladiolus wasn't happy with the idea of leaving Noctis to his own devices, but any sky battle ruled him out as a fighter and right now, they needed Crowe in full control of herself. He certainly didn't want a repeat of what happened the other day now, considering Etro might not leave this time around.

Lestallum was nothing but chaos by then. And for an instant, Noctis thought he might just have the chance to use his full powers and get his ancestors off his case. He zig-zagged around, cutting off a pair of dark wings here, a talon there, before feeling a scaly body tackling him into the nearest wall.

"I'll have my revenge, small prince," Aldercapt sneered, his talons digging into Noctis's skin.

"It's King now, you damn freak!"

Eyes red from both anger and anxiety, Noctis let the full expanse of his armiger out. 11 weapons rushed in the air, blue fire in their mist, the burst of energy rippling over, pushing Aldercapt away. The bricks which had cracked at the first impact were blown to smithereens and the heat radiated down to the street.

A few feet away, Aranea almost tripped as she landed, the wave of magical energy hitting her, just as it dropped the nearby daemons to the ground. They all writhed and wailed, the dragoon getting to her feet with a nasty ringing in her ears. Where had Noctis been hiding that much power?! Only Aldercapt seemed resilient enough among his flock to hold his head up, growling and jabbering nonsense. The silver-haired woman decided to finish off the fallen daemons, quickly looking for another way to make herself useful.

Ignis had shifted the Regalia into her flying mode, wishing he could take a good look at the current situation, instead of focusing on his first solo flight. Ravus didn't like the situation much either, but the Sylph was aiming its turrets at the bridge linking Lestallum to Cleigne and Exoneris' headquarters. Verstael could very well level the city, and it was the heart of Lucis right now, still furnishing Free Crown in pretty much all it's needs in exchange for the minerals excavated from the mines.

As the car took flight, a violent crash made both men jump, the car swerving a little before the advisor could right it back. He swore as he saw Aranea in the rearview mirror, her spear planted in the trunk.

"I needed a lift, Iggy," she yelled so he could hear her above the wind.

"This paint is brand new," he retorted.

"That car sure isn't," Ravus observed, leaning over to analyze the battle going on.

As they were gaining height, he could get a better look of the streets. And he noticed bodies lying down, motionless. The shooter wasn't aiming for them earlier, but for the city folks. They had just been in the way.

"Fleuret, look up!" Aranea asked with a commanding voice.

He did and felt a twinge of pure dread. The Sylph was dropping pieces of metal. Bomb shards. In Tenebrae, they'd called it _fire rain._ They would blow and burn on impact. Verstael wanted to destroy the last visible bastion of Lucis, and from the number of bomb shards he was sending, he was going to be methodical about it. Wave after wave of explosions.

"Do you have ice magic on you?" Aranea insisted.

Ignis could tell what she had in mind. He really didn't want her down there. But he also didn't appreciate the fact she was car surfing when the Regalia was flying. In fact, this visit to Lestallum might be the worst of their life yet.

…

Prompto had fallen asleep with lessons about choosing a firing spot. The right angle, math that used to make his head hurt. And he was pretty certain he knew who was threatening the people of Lestallum with those shots. Only a few MTs were equipped with fire arms, although a few could open their arms and… He pushed the thoughts to the far back of his mind, focusing on the task at hand. Spotting a few wooden boxes propped against a wall, he saw his way to the rooftops.

"Wait, where are you…?" Luna called after him as he rushed away from her shield.

"You focus on the people down here. I'm finding my doppleganger," he shot over his shoulder.

Iris exchanged a brief look of worry with Luna. Crowe and Gladiolus had already slipped down a back alley to get to the Malboro faster, Iris cautioning them to remain careful. Both healers of their groups were making sure the citizens were getting out of the way, inviting them to hide inside their home or the nearest apartment. Iris would treat the wounded they found while Luna kept her shield working, even though the gunner was barely hitting the street they were in, understanding he couldn't make victims that way.

"Do you think I could do that shield thing too?" Iris asked. "That way, I could offer Prom some sort of cover…"

They were both just as worried about letting him go off on his own, remembering how broken he'd been the last time he confronted his "brethren".

"I wish I could explain how it works," Luna started. "But I can't heal people and use it at the same time. And you're already putting quite the strain on your body with all of this."

Iris knew she wouldn't be able to keep treating such gunshot wounds for long, even if she drowned herself with ether. The magic recharging potion never worked as well on her as it did with Noctis or Luna. Not that she ever bothered telling anyone of it.

"Lady Lunafreya?" a woman called. "What is happening?"

Luna looked at her with kind eyes, knowing how panicked she had to be.

"We're doing the best we can. Is there anywhere you could…?"

A clinking sound behind her was the only warning before the explosion that ensued. Iris covered the child she was healing with her arms, while Lunafreya held her trident harder. Debris were hurled against her shield and her magic flickered as fire roared. It was a second bomb shard hitting right upon her shield that finally broke her concentration, sending Iris down the street. Luna sensed the fire on her back and legs as she fell to her knees and cried out from the brutal pain, instinctively calling Shiva. Ice shards covered the raging flames, but the harm was already done for those who'd been burned. The sounds of more explosions came from all over the city and for an instant, the Oracle remembered the fall of her home.

She looked up, almost expecting to see the burnt corpse of her mother, but this time there were no MTs falling from the sky or looming over her. The street was dark from smoke, ashes and people were crying in pain around her. A few windows had been bashed in and Luna realized that her shield had protected her from the full brunt of the explosion, and that most of the people who'd been inside had only been pushed around, but they weren't burned like her. She wanted to check on Iris, but a voice interrupted her line of thought.

"Lady Lunafreya… Seems Ifrit didn't give you anything to face fire even though you fixed him."

"Izunia," she whispered back, wondering why he'd even show up now.

Looking up, she met his amber eyes and condescending grin. His fedora was fuming a bit from the blast and the cuffs on his coat burned, but he shrugged it off, extending one hand to her. Luna ignored his help, getting to her feet in one swift motion and summoning her trident without hesitation.

"I don't think it will reassure you, but I didn't plan those bombs," Ardyn stated. "I'd rather not burn today…"

"Did you plan for the shooter?"

"How aggressive. The little bird has turned quite rough in the past few months. And your light is still as pure as ever? I'm impressed."

Lunafreya raised her trident, her eyes glinting with magic. Her shield was about to reform itself, but Ardyn summoned his own magic in swirls of smoke and tendrils with a daemonic aura. For an instant they stood before each other, light and darkness, two sides of the same spectrum.

"I'm guessing you won't come back to the empire now. Or summon Ifrit again?"

"Just get to the point, chancellor!"

"There's something I'll be borrowing from you, princess," Ardyn started. "And I want you to fight to have it back until your dreamy light gives out."

The Oracle's patience had already been running thin, but that outright threat was the last straw. She charged him, her shield wrapping around her skin, thrusting her trident in his face. With a spring in his step, Ardyn merely dodged the attack. He was the puppeteer of this little game and he wanted to take as much fun in it as possible. People screamed and wailed in the distance, but Lunafreya was focused on the chancellor before her. The man who wouldn't die even after turning to ash. The back of her legs were raw from the burns, her back hurt and her heart was begging for her to look for the wounded. To treat those who suffered from the same pain as her, and even worse.

 _I'm sick of letting you have it your way,_ she couldn't tone down her belligerent thoughts for once.

Her light was meant to heal, but the blight seemed to be one with this man and even though he dodged her, nearly floating next to her, Luna had a feeling she could fix the anomalies he could summon. Iris called for her and the princess let her shield grow once more. Poured her anger and will into the magic.

Like shards of glass, the shattered light rushed through the air, drawing spark-like threads. Ardyn's smile fell. For a second, he winced, the white magic seeping into the dark tendrils dripping from his fingertips. The trident drew dark and bubbly blood from his shoulder. It fumed too, and the chancellor grit his teeth, his eyes turning a dark yellow, his gaze predatory and wild.

"Pretty thorns. But you're going to wear yourself out at this rate."

Nothing could heal him, he was banished, and the daemons were too deeply ingrained inside, their wretched souls an entire part of him. But the light prickled and burned better than fire. As he raised one hand, Luna summoned Shiva once more and the Glacian looked at him with disdain, her ice wrapping all over him. His fedora touched the ground with the first snowflakes, the chancellor vanishing with one last threat.

"There won't be a warning the next time we meet, Oracle."

Iris reached up to Luna, her hands grabbing her shoulders, pulling her back to reality as the princess stared at the empty road. A wince was her first answer, but Iris insisted.

"Luna!"

"Wha… What?"

"This was amazing!"

"I didn't stop him," Luna observed.

"You clearly hurt him. But right now, we should worry about what's…"

Iris's sudden silent couldn't mean anything good, but Lunafreya still yelped as the brunette yanked her backward and pushed her in the nearest back alley. A new explosion roared, the heat reaching them, but at least, neither of the girls were hurt further. The gunshots had stopped, but the screams were a continuous complaint now.

"We need to do something about the people outside. And those bombs," Iris sounded almost discouraged, but Luna wondered if she could use Shiva's power to somehow shield Lestallum.

She wasn't going to give up now.

…

Prompto realized the bombs were falling after jumping on a second rooftop. He held one gun in his hand, bent in two as he half ran, half crawled between boxes, converters and pipes to get through the maze Lestallum was. His ears were flowing with noise, the screams, gunshots and various crashing sounds. Noctis's fight against the daemons could be heard from all the way down the lower quarters. Here the streets were narrower, and the doors remained locked despite how many people were looking for shelter.

The shooter was quick on the trigger and didn't miss many of his shots. Prompto was even more certain this was the last living Otto. Number two. He wasn't ready for a confrontation with the man, but he also didn't want to let him continue like this. He shot a lightning bullet, unleashing the bolts when he finally neared the one spot Otto should be using to cover this many streets. The gunshots stopped as a man screamed. His voice was so similar to Prompto's, for an instant, the gunman wondered if he hadn't been hit.

But then the blond hair showed up, Otto-2 rushing out of his hiding place, his limbs shaking from the lingering electricity running through his veins, eyes shot. The feather tied to one of his ears was sizzling.

"Zeroman. I should have known you'd find me," he hissed, struggling to control his limbs.

"Two," Prompto greeted him back, his voice almost harsher. "Why are you even listening to those monsters? This is no war."

"You can call me Otto now," his doppleganger stated, his anger temporarily switching to disbelief. "And do you really want to talk things out? With the way you killed One, Four _and_ Fifteen?!"

The elite soldier shot at him, missing from the shaking in his right arm. Prompto paled at the accusation and held up both of his guns with a firmer grip.

"With how many people you've killed, I don't see how you can teach me any lesson, Otto."

An explosion touched the right side of the building they were standing on, breaking their stance, but not the glare they were exchanging. Otto seemed furious now.

"I won't be your redemption, Argentum. No way you're using me to feel human and pretend you're worth more than any of us were!"

Despite knowing better, Prompto wondered why his "brother" was referring to himself too in the past tense. Did losing all the others make him feel already dead? They both struggled to their feet, keeping their gun pointed at each other.

"I never said anything like that!" Prompto defended himself. "I'm sick of killing people who look like me."

Otto flexed his shoulders, bending his neck to one side until it cracked. Maybe was it a mistake to try and explain things with him. But for once, their words seemed to reach each other.

"You think you're sick of this?!" his clone laughed, dropping his gun arm one instant. "You've been free for years, while I had to watch them, watch **him** … You may think he was crazy then, but you have no idea what sort of horrors he did to us after you ran. Three was…"

Otto halted himself, realizing he was rambling instead of just getting rid of Prompto like he should. He could see the mix of pity, uneasy resentment and comprehension in his eyes. In that face that was his face but not… him. That made him even angrier.

"So what if I kill innocent people?" he almost snapped. "You would too in my shoes."

"No, I… Dammit, Two, I won't fall for your mind games." Prompto decided, not sounding quite convinced himself.

Otto-2 raised his gun then, Prompto doing the same, leaving them in the same situation as before.

"Pull the trigger then. But don't forget, we were the best shots at the firing range as kids."

His allusion to their shared past was enough to throw Prompto in one more of his repressed memories. A moment where all the sounds had been blocked. Where screaming amounted to being starved and shushed and locked in a dark room. Being the best at shooting but too young to fully understand why they should wear ear protectors when they stood at the range, Prompto and Two had both blown their eardrums. It took weeks for the healing to be done. But when Verstael had locked them up out of impatience, instead of fighting each other, the boys had found a way to communicate. They'd traced symbols on each other's arms or hands and imagined stories. Otto-2 was pretty inventive back then. It had been a brief cease fire, since the competition started right as they'd been freed and put back with the 13 others Ottos…

"We made each other deaf and you started that crazy story about a gunblade-wielding guy in a soldier school…"

The memory seemed to trigger more anger from Two and he clicked his tongue.

"Are you going to shoot me or…?!"

Why was Otto-2 waiting for it? Did he want to die now?! Had he reached that point? The elite MT was cut off as a second bomb sent them sprawling to the ground. This time, Prompto dropped one of his guns and the roof leaned to one side, caving in with a violent crash. They both began sliding downwards. Otto-2 drove his blade between the nearest pipe for support and caught the gunman's arm as he slid his way.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Prompto asked, his eyes wide with shock.

"We're the last ones, it's just weird killing you. Especially if all you do is… talk." Otto retorted, his voice struggling to stay even.

The roof was leaning in such a steep angle now, they could either slide down into the flames running all over the street or hold on until either of their arms gave out.

"You talked too much yourself," Prompto observed as he stored his gun in his belt and grabbed a pipe.

What would his friends say if they knew he wasn't taking down the shooter just because they used to be some sort of buddies as temporarily deaf kids?

"She called you Prompto right? This whole thing isn't going to end well. And I'm accountable for it. I had orders, but we both know what following orders means."

Prompto remembered too well the look in the others' eyes when he'd gotten out of his cell, 15 not following behind. He really didn't want to go there again.

"I wonder what that says about me not following my own orders…" the gunman sighed.

From the corner of his eyes, Prompto saw the Regalia landing on the warship.

"Is V up there?" he asked Otto.

"That loser will run at the first sign of trouble if he had the nerves to come here himself."

The clear animosity in his fellow clone's voice made Prompto wonder how Verstael had even managed to keep them all under his thumb for so long. He realized he had a dozen things he wanted to ask Otto-2, about One, and the reasons why he hadn't come after Noctis. Had he been holding back on his questions and decided he would get his answers, even if that meant sparing the life of someone who'd hurt countless citizens all over Lestallum and Insomnia?

"So you're really working for Ardyn now…"

"I'm as good a dog as Ace was," Otto explained. "I wonder if you even remember that guy. Anyway, I'd better leave before they drop something else. Or when your conscience grows back."

He pushed with his legs to pull his sword free and ran down the roof to dive right into the fire without a single look back. Prompto wondered if the flames were any smaller, but the pipe he was holding onto broke before he could check. He went tumbling down and was welcomed with a punch to the face instead of fire. Someone was throwing a blizzard flask over the flames, or at least, had been trying to before he'd barge in out of nowhere. It was hard to tell which scream was the most high-pitched, between Prompto's and Aranea's.

"The hell?!" the dragoon yelled, raising her fist once more, falling into her survival instinct as her heart reeled from the shock.

Prompto tried hiding his face with his arms in self-defense, but he wasn't sure if he was standing or kneeling, his legs were wobbly from the fall, his head ached, and something was shaking in the distance. Or was it not so far from him? Was that any reason for his arms not to work?

"Roof… The roof!" he whispered, not sure if the words came out right.

Had she broken one of his teeth? What was she even doing here?!

Aranea's fist came for his face and he cowered at the sight, only to feel her fingers gripping his collar and pulling him to his feet. She dragged him down the streets and between two buildings, breaking another flask on their left and hoping the large ice shards forming a wall would be enough to contain the new explosion. Bubbling water rushed forward, the ice melting in places and their skin turned red where the droplets reached them, but despite his ears ringing, Prompto had to admit, they were mostly safe.

"Can you hear me?!" Aranea started, her voice sounding far too high for his throbbing head. "Prompto? I just saw you running away a second…"

"That wasn't me, that was Otto, I mean Otto-2. Sorry, can you lower your voice? I think any louder and I might throw up."

"You're not making a lot of sense. Sorry for punching you, I'm more used to have the drop on people than the other way around," the dragoon apologized, and through the haze and remaining mix of snow and ash falling, Prompto saw a light grin on her face. "So you didn't take out the shooter?"

"I did take out his stash of guns, he's left with a single handgun. And with all the stuff falling on our heads, I think he's going to hide somewhere and not…"

"Good, good, then use your magic bullets to put out some of those fires or trigger the bombs before they reach us, would you?"

Although still confused from his fall and the brief altercation with his clone, Prompto agreed to help her. This would make him feel a lot more useful now. He could only hope the others were faring well.

…

Ravus couldn't believe Verstael didn't have sensors to detect something like the Regalia flying this close to the Sylph. The car wasn't as big as a dropship and wouldn't leave a dent on the warship, but something that large might still cause a problem if it were to hit, say, one of the engines for example.

"How are we getting in?" Ignis asked him for the third time.

"I'm getting in, you should stay on the lookout. If this car falls down, neither of us is getting out of here alive."

It was a sound strategy, since Ravus was more accustomed to the imperial machinery and programming, but the advisor didn't like the idea of having nothing to do. Was he going to remain a simple pilot and lift for this entire battle? His friends were risking their lives back in Lestallum. Ignis gave him a light nod of approval, the tires of the Regalia screeching a bit as they landed. Aranea had warned him that the car might be difficult on anything not cement and they skidded on a good distance, Ravus gripping to the passenger's door till his knuckles turned white. They came to a halt after a full circle, both men releasing the breath they'd been holding. Ignis let out a string of colorful words as he got out and checked the paint on the royal car. Ravus got out of the flying machine, giving a brief look around the warship, noticing no activities or cameras. Why didn't Verstael put out sensors?

 _Then again, how often does a foreign flying object land on something this size?_

"How are you going to take out this warship?" Ignis asked him. "We can't have it crashing into the city."

Ravus glared at him, although he had already pondered the risk.

"I'll do what I can to get it away before sending it down. You think you can make sure this _thing_ doesn't roll off if we get moving?" he taunted the advisor.

"You'd better start respecting that car, Fleuret," Ignis warned him. "It's a long way down from here."

The prince sneered at that, but he looked more amused than annoyed.

"I'd better get to work before the city tips over," he declared.

Ignis didn't watch him walk away for long, focusing on his immediate surroundings and securing the Regalia. The emergency break was on and holding. He paced for a bit, checking his phone once. Of course, there were no new messages, but he could check for the GPS signal of his friends and get a better idea of where they were…

Iris and Luna were still together, it seemed Aranea was not too far from Prompto, while Gladiolus and… Crowe's signal was missing. And so was Noctis's.

 _Please be safe_ , Ignis couldn't help but think. He was tempted to address a prayer to the Six, but three of them were already backing Noctis and Luna and that hadn't done them much good.

…now…

Noctis tried to keep his breathing even, because anything too fast made the aching worse. His legs were hanging in the air and he could feel his bones shifting around. Was it just in his mind? Was he losing it already? How long had it been in there? Why was…

"A puppet," Ardyn repeated. "Like your father, and his father before him. Like they wanted me to be."

"You don't make…"

Noctis didn't want to hear his explanations. The stuff Ardyn was hinting at was too much.

"Any sense, yes, I know," the chancellor mocked him. "Do I have to tear out your vocal chords to get you to listen?"

The invisible treads holding Noctis up tightened around his wrists, breaking into his skin. Something circled his neck and the instantaneous struggling only made it harder to handle the pain.

"I think I can make daemons small enough to crawl up your mouth," Ardyn went on. "Can you imagine how it would feel? Something moving down your throat. Here's that spark of fear again. Listen now, Noctis Izunia, as I spell it out to you clearly. Your ancestors took everything from me. Then the Astrals closed the door to heavens and hell, binding me to an eternal existence of suffering, of forgetting who I am, of warping a little more everyday into what they called me."

Ardyn's eyes were yellow now, tar dripping from his nostrils and mouth, his smile devilish. He took a step forward, gripping Noctis's torn shirt, growing talons on his fingertips. The King tried to back away from him, but he had no hold and his legs wouldn't help either. All he could do was grunt and shiver helplessly. Ardyn etched a line of blood on the young man's chest, making sure it was large enough to leave a defined mark in the future.

"I am a calamity," the chancellor continued, tracing the letter F on Noctis's pec. "While I strayed, your line was "chosen". Some say the crystal king is blessed, but I know the truth. You were cursed by the crystal, like it cursed me."

"Shut…"

The talons kept at their job, drawing the letter A. And L.

"I was born to the first King of Lucis," Ardyn explained. "You might want to take note for future reference, because this history lesson won't be repeated." The letter K. "This barren land was green then, alive, we had a dozen cities prospering. Millions of people under my benevolent rule."

Noctis wanted to laugh in his face, because there was nothing benevolent about him, he remembered how badly he'd treated Luna, his damn daemon nails were making him bleed a little more and the monster had tried to get Prompto killed.

The letter S. E. And K again. What was he…?

"The Scourge had befallen only a select few. Our world was changing, but there was a way to cleanse ourselves from the blight and I was ready to make any sacrifice for my people."

Noctis blinked, barely feeling the line on his sternum. "I". Was Ardyn deeming him a False King? Was that…?

His eyes fluttered open to light, light as far as he could see, marbled floors and the dark spires of a Citadel against the sun. Not any Citadel… When he blinked, things changed to the throne room. A line of people stood, waiting, each of them covered with bruises, no stains from the blight. And a young man with purplish brown hair and a perfectly shaven face stood before them, his hands alight with magic, his eyes more brown than amber. When a woman walked to him, he simply held her shoulders, the light from his hands coursing through her while the stain on her skin shivered and slowly vanished. Dark veins covered Ardyn's face for an instant, receding and Noctis had to blink because the air was too dry and he couldn't believe…

"I healed them all, travelling to them when they couldn't come to me. I took their pain on me, absorbing the blight into my body, the crystal having vowed to burn it for me. But my powers changed. The crystal slowly revealed its true colors. I lost my light when Bahamut appeared to some little girl. The dark marks of the blight started showing on my face. On my hands. People said I was corrupted."

The next two letters confirmed Noctis' doubts. F-A-L-S-E. K-I-N-G.

Noctis's next vision showed him an infant thrown in a blue fire. People ushering between themselves comforting words and warnings. Than it was the horrible sight of a tortured woman, her body bleeding and abused in ways that seemed far too inhuman. The talons dug in his skin for new letters.

"People started fearing me. Your ancestor saw his chance to strip me of my position. If only the crystal could get out of his way. He stole my ring. Started making promises to it. Spread more rumors about me. Took my wife to the most degenerate people he could find and ripped her of her will to live until I had to kill her myself."

U-S-U-R-P-E-R.

It had to be a lie, but Noctis couldn't escape the various visions Ardyn was planting in his mind. He tried to analyze every picture he could see, to notice incoherent details, something that would confirm his doubts, turn the "history lesson" into lies. But a part of him wondered. What if it was the actual truth?

"The crystal has started asking you to move on, didn't it? It wants blood and results. Healing people or the scourge is the last of its problems, as long as you can make it whole again."

"Stop this," Noctis asked. "I won't believe a word you…"

"When I saw through the crystal and rejected its plan, it banished me. You've been feeling the pulls. The war raging inside. A darkness mirroring mine. How many voices does it use against you, Noctis Lucis Caelum? Do you still believe you're the good guy of this story?!"

Ardyn's breath was cold and rancid on his face. He'd torn his shirt off him and etched a new string of letters on his sides.

F-O-O-L.

"Your father knew what the crystal wanted. Those nightmares you had about the horn on his head…?"

Noctis gasped in shock. There was no way he could know that! Ardyn's smirk flashed in the dark.

"Regis should have turned if he'd been strong enough. I wonder when the corruption will root itself inside you. But enough of that for now, a picture speaks louder than words. Wanna see something neat?"

Noctis felt the ties holding him up vanishing and yelped as he roughly hit the floor. Next thing he knew, red blurs of magic rushed around him. His hairs raised on the back of his neck.

 _This can't be true…_

But Ardyn's eyes were back to amber, except when they were flashing with the same godly crimson as Noctis's eyes usually did when he summoned his armiger. This was an armiger around him. Weapons of old zipping through the air. A curtain of steel and shimmering metal. Noctis felt like throwing up as their movements made him dizzy.

"I'm the fallen King of Lucis," Ardyn stated, his voice cold, void of emotions. "And your own descent has only started, False King."

To be continued…

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I'd like to thank Fuzzi Fox for beta reading and supporting me. I want to thank everyone for reading and reviewing the story so far, you don't know how much it means to me. I swear that all the angst I'm setting will lead to extra fluffy hurt/comfort. I will need that fluff when it comes, but first, we must get there.

Next chapter will conclude the battle for Lestallum, more of Ardyn torturing Noctis and fluff with the couples that are together as the team sets out to rescue Noctis. What led to Noctis being captured will also be explained. As always, reviews motivate me immensely.


	66. Daemon King

Hello everyone. I wanted to bring this chapter out sooner, but I've gotten pretty sick on top of ending a nearly 7 years long relationship. It was my choice after making some big realizations and getting pretty shaken up and I don't want to turn this into a slice of life, but it wasn't an easy decision. Although I don't regret it. Little to say I have been going through a lot of ups and downs, but the unexpected changes in my life are somewhat back under control. If I can stop coughing and get full night of sleep, I'll be fully back on track. Albeit slower than my usual for a little while. This chapter is mostly action and angst. I hope you'll enjoy it!

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Unexpected

Chapter 66 – Daemon King

Getting down to the powerplant took a full ten minutes, even though they cautioned people to get to safety. People were running away from the power plant, coughing and crying from the awful stench of the Marlboro's bad breath. Gladiolus wasn't sure they had enough remedies to even face that thing, but Crowe was already summoning her fire magic, diving head into the fray.

They'd heard of Marlboro, but never seen one for themselves. Every shade of green merged in its endless tentacles, some pointy, some ending with a gaping suction cup. The monster was about 9 meters high and had left a crater of splattered tentacles and green fluids where it fell. It still slithered about like a snake, its lower tentacles digging and parting the stones of the street to find soil, its mouth letting out toxic gas that was slowly forming a cloud above their heads. Gladio thumbed through the few magic grenades Noctis had lent him for their previous hunts. He had a few fire grenades and had an inkling fire would be the right thing to use against a mutated pack of tentacular vines.

He quickly aimed, using all the strength he could muster to throw the fire grenades above the monstrous plant, but a raging tentacle pushed the projectiles higher and while the resulting fire burned the squishy limb's tip, it also took on the cloud of toxic gas. Crowe was standing next to the monster by now, even though Gladiolus had asked her to be careful. He hadn't had the occasion of noticing it before, but Crowe considered herself invincible now that Etro was healing every of her wounds with a spark of blue lightning.

 _ **Too close.**_

It was Crowe's only warning, as the gas burst in a wave of fire, sending her flying. Gladio caught her in his arms, even though he was pushed backward too by the strong shockwave. His back hit the wall. Windows cracked, and shards stuck to their hair, the pair holding their breath and trying to understand what was going on. The monster slid with its main body held closer to the ground, the cloud of toxic gas above it reduced to green ash. It was snowing poison now. The weird ash-like flakes stick to the skin and Gladiolus mentally chided himself for not wondering of that potential consequences. Were those going to snow all over Lestallum?

"Take a remedy," Crowe instantly told him.

"What about…"

"Stop worrying about me," she cut him off.

He almost flinched. There was something in her voice that reminded him too much of Etro and he couldn't think of that goddess now. He needed to see Crowe and no one else. He was already struggling enough as it was. When she shrugged off his arms, he couldn't help grabbing her wrist.

"Crowe, you can't simply rush up against that thing," he warned her.

She stifled her protest, her eyes looking up to his briefly. Brown. Worried, her pupils too wide, but entirely herself. Gladio realized he had stopped breathing and wondering if it was the ash on his face.

"If we cut off the vines, do they simply regrow?"

"There should be a lapse in between," the Shield hypothesized, feeling a coughing fit coming. The smell in the air was horrendous. "But we need magic to take it out."

"I'll handle the magic. Be careful of its acid."

"You be careful, babe."

Her hand patted his shoulder in a reassuring gesture. Crowe stepped away from him, fire surging from her hands, Gladio taking a remedy and wondering why his sword felt so heavy as he pulled it out. The green snow was sapping his energy and vitality, which meant he needed more potions. They wouldn't win against this thing in a fight of endurance.

Crowe ran up to the Marlboro, dodging its waving tentacles with a jump, taking the full wave of its bad-breath. Her hair was covered with shards of glass and the toxic ashes by then, but she simply wanted to confront this challenge head-on. To do something meaningful. Etro had no reason to show up considering they were facing an honest to goodness beast.

The stench made her stomach turn and Crowe wondered which god had decided such a thing should even be allowed to live. She couldn't see eyes on that monstrous pile of vines and teeth, but its mouth turned to her, the tentacles reaching out for her. The gaping mouth exhaled pure death, but Crowe knew Etro wouldn't let her die like this. If anything, she wanted to wound that beast badly enough to make sure Gladiolus wouldn't have time to get hurt.

She let her fire out, burning a dozen vines on its left side. They turned dark before to burst into rancid liquid that fumed a little on the ground. What sort of damage would that Marlboro leave behind? The monster leaned to one side, swatting at her legs, a suction cup aimed for her head. Crowe jumped out of the way, wondering why the surge of adrenaline felt so good in her system. She couldn't feel scared for herself. Even though the largest jaws in the animal kingdoms were snapping at her.

 _ **If only you didn't have to breathe.**_

Etro really had a way to put her at ease, Crowe thought bitterly, missing a step and only dodging the following drift of bad breath thanks to the fact Gladio had gotten through a dozen more tentacles on the left side of the monsters, skidding over the acid blood it left behind.

"Any more magic, please?" he asked her, managing to stay upright while coughing. He'd rushed right through the green mist to give her his support with this little charge of his and Crowe had seen green stains on his skin.

Her head was starting to turn now, and blue sparks ran over her chest and up her throat. Etro was trying to remove the poison she was breathing, leaving a metallic taste in her mouth. Crowe barely realized the Marlboro had gathered its vines under itself to slitter towards her. She was too close to it, but the green snow and nauseous stench was getting to her head.

There was a wave and then a turn. The tentacles were coming alive, rushing for her. Crow hadn't realized that she was so close to it. It was hard to keep her bearings, with her mind turning and her thoughts running from one picture to the next. It might not be her being too close, but the monster moving too fast. She should be running away, but she needed to destroy that thing.

Fire, she told herself just let me use all the fire I can muster.

The magic burst from her fingers. It was like a spiral of fire. The flames wrapped themselves around the marlboro. It burned and screeched in pain. Gladio did his best to keep was running. He was running, slipping, hacking through more vines. It was hard to breathe for both of them. Telling where the monster ended and where it began was almost impossible. The streets were covered in poison powder, but its effects were different. Crowe was in a daze even as she moved forward and zigzagged between the beast's vines. Unlike the other times, when she went back to the night where her fellow glaives tried killing her, she was seeing glimpses of shimmering light that made her dizzy. Had she been confused by the few puffs of green fumes she'd breathed in?

If so, the confusion induced by a Marlboro was similar to what Etro did to her.

 _ **How dare you?**_

 _Shut up._

Crowe evaded a cloud of green smog and threw more fire at the vines.

 _ **I'm the only thing keeping you alive right now.**_

 _Because you need me._

 _ **So what? Shouldn't you be glad that I even do? Where's your survival instinct?**_

It was gone now, Crowe knew it wasn't something she was ready to pay for if it was the only way for her to stay alive. How else could she explain how much of a daredevil she'd become? As fire refused to answer her call, her magic running thin from all the exposure to the gas, Crowe was left to dodge and parry as best as she could. Gladio grabbed the creature's attention a few times, slashing it apart and throwing one more grenade at it, careful of not hitting its nefarious breath.

The air felt sicker and sicker around them. Gladiolus was green in the face and Crowe wasn't sure if the blue sparks ever stopped running over her upper body. A false step and she slipped, her forearms preventing her from falling head first in the oozing acid that fumed on the stones. Her feet already hurt in her boots, the sole of her shoes threatening to melt. The stinging bit into her flesh,making her recoil and gasp. Gladiolus was instantly next to her, pulling her off the ground, holding her by her waist as though she weighed nothing and cracking an ether on her back.

"Thanks," she whispered.

A groan was her only answer as he moved away from the raging Marlboro. The beast rasped and gurgled furiously more than it groan, but it wanted to get revenge and was regrowing its vines at an impressive speed. And it was nearly rolling their way now!

"How much more damage does it need to stay down?" Gladio called to her as he ran in a large circle.

He didn't want to draw that Marlboro closer to the city's building if he could help it.

"A lot more…" Crowe sighed. "Their core is in their body, isn't it? Behind that awful mouth and beneath all the tentacles."

"I think. All I have is info from bestiary books. Hunters rarely take out these things. The ones we have…"he paused, raising his blade to cut through the vines coming for him, Crowe jumping to her feet, fighting against the throbbing in her forearms. Her skin burned awfully and she really didn't want to look at the damage yet. It felt as though her jacket had melted into her flesh.

"I'll go in for the kill," she offered, "keep it busy for me."

The King's shield didn't ask her how she intended to work this out. He rushed to the Marlboro and phased through it, planting his smaller sword in a thicker tentacle to stick it in place for a bit. The monster focused on him, groaning angrily at the man, its many vines waving frantically around. Crowe had to be careful about evading them all, but she managed, while balancing a ball of fire in her hands. She'd infused it with a core of wind magic that made the flames grow stronger by the seconds.

Gladio let out a scream on the other side of the Marlboro and for an instant, she felt Etro's own worry.

 _ **Your Shield better handle himself. Otherwise my doll might break.**_

 _Maybe it you weren't such a damn bitch…_

Crowe missed the tentacles raising by her feet and almost fell another time, catching herself with a fright. She didn't want to taste any more acid.

 _ **Something's different about you…**_

Etro sounded perplexed, but Crowe promised herself to worry about that later. She skipped a step and jumped to hit the Marlboro square in the back with her fireball, which was now the size of a tonberry curled in a ball. This time around, the green skin shivered and melted as it turned gray. Vines reached for her, but she drew a wall of fire in front of her, not sure the magic would hold as long as she needed it.

 _Die, just die, please, I'm still dizzy…_

The Marlboro whipped around, holes appearing in its thorny flesh, some of its tentacles dropping lifeless by its side. But the suction cups were aimed for her and Crowe felt her strength leaving her. The breath that moistened her face made her even weaker and Etro merely burned the poison once more.

Gladio phased through the charging pile of vines, coming out with slime in his hair and on his clothes, but he still picked Crowe up as delicately as possible while continuing his mad dash. His own strength was failing him so he couldn't go far, but he would keep her safe. The monster pursuing them was losing more vines and body parts as it moved forward, creating a large cloud of green smoke in his tracks. The former Glaive saw the bomb shard falling and winced as she expected a repeat of Gladio's first attempt to hurt the Marlboro.

The fire taking over the toxic gas created a violent ripple through the air that launched the dying creature in their direction. Crowe's only satisfaction was that the ball of green rolled on itself and wouldn't hit them with his fanged face with some chance.

The shockwave pushed them into the nearest wall, Gladio taking the brunt of the shock with a sickening crack. Crowe was nestled in his arms, his body pressed strongly against hers and while she couldn't breathe, she worried as his sharp intake of breath resounded in her ears.

"What was that crack?" she asked him.

"My elbow ?" he groaned back, sounding a bit confused but mostly in pain.

Crowe wanted to chide him for being so careless with himself once more, but as he managed to shrug the burning carcass of flesh-eating-toxic-waste, he saw the angry look in her eyes.

"You're still mad at me…" he sighed, dropping his head in the crook of her neck.

"I…"

She wasn't sure what to say when he sounded this defeated and the shaking in his shoulders made her heart ache.

"I said I want you as my family and my home… Why do you need a paper and a ring to believe me?"

He seemed lost now, and Crowe blinked in shock, wrapping her arms around his large frame.

"It's not…"

"I'm sorry," he cut her off. "I just don't see how burdening you with my name… The whole freaking line…"

"Gladio, wait, listen to me! I… My name never… I had such a hard time finding a place where I really belonged. When I think I have that with you, a freaking goddess barges in… and since you can push her away. How can I know you really want to be with me and are not simply clinging to me to protect the others?"

Gladiolus looked surprised, even though her doubts were entirely justified. Their situation was complicated. Overly so.

"I might be… A bit scared of Her Crankiness," he admitted reluctantly. "But I love you. Not because of circumstances or that it's convenient. Handling my feelings is not…"

He coughed then, reminding them both of how a new green snowfall was falling on Lestallum. All the people that were bound to get hurt. He had more words he needed to tell her, but her first motions made him yelp in pain. They carefully extracted themselves from their stuck position.

A few feet further away, Crowe insisted of making him a slink so his wounded arm would hurt him less until they could find Iris or Luna. He shivered whenever her hands brushed his torso and Crowe realized any touch on his tattoos reminded him of Etro. Still, Gladio did his best to keep himself together and when she motioned to pull away from him, her job done, he held her back, gently tugging on her wrist.

"Do you really feel like you don't belong with me?" he asked her.

"If you keep getting hurt around me…"

"Crowe," he cut her off. "Getting hurt to protect other people is my job. But making you happy… Well, I'd like it to be my job too."

She smiled at that, clearly touched.

"Are you going to shy away if I kiss you, big guy?"

He did blush at the accusation, which half worried half amazed her. Before she could add anything, he'd bent her neck with his good hand, stealing her lips for a really soft kiss that turned heated from their near-death experience.

"So you want me to make you into a decent woman, lady glaive?"

"Don't call me that!" she shot back with a light smile.

"You want to be my sister's sister-in-law?"

He sounded serious and Crowe blinked at him, uncertainty and self-doubt taking over her expression.

"Lady Crowe Amicitia…" he thought out loud. His voice changed as he went on, shivering lightly, "If you sign up for it, you might very well be a widower before you know it and I can't…"

His large hand squeezed her waist and in that instant Crowe was reminded of how close he'd come of losing her. To lose himself because of the goddess pulling the strings of her mind whenever she felt like it.

"I'm not so good at dying," she declared. "And you'd better not make me a widower either. Can I have some hope about this being… somehow a serious proposal? Because I won't take rejection twice."

"If we survive this war, the least I can do is marry you," Gladiolus told her.

He sounded certain now. And for the next few hours, Etro's voice couldn't reach her at all.

…

"Fleuret? What a nice surprise!"

Verstael was more daemon than human, dark stains running up his neck, a mad look in his eyes. Ravus had tried to remain out of sight, but only three steps in and he found himself face to face with the scientist, who was walking in a strange suit of mechanical armor. It was a movement enhancer suit. The fur on the shoulders seemed out of place, but one couldn't really question the fashion sense of a man half mad from the blight.

"I've been trying to reach you for quite some time now, prince commander," the scientist started.

There was a floating screen hanging by his shoulder, displaying pictures from Lestallum's streets. Ravus had a biting retort for him, but the brunette he saw running on the screen, burn marks on her clothes and a gash on one arm was enough to reduce him to silence.

 _Iris._

"She was your first real test, wasn't she?" Verstael deduced. "And somehow, she became a second Oracle. A living serum until we can find a synthetic one. Do you realize what could be done if I had a sample of her flesh?"

Ravus knew too well. His hands were already turned into fists when he got in, but the retractable sword in his prosthetic surged forward as rage took over his mind. His face was white with anger, teeth snapped together tight enough to hurt. Iris had been hurt enough as it was, and he wouldn't let her anywhere close this mad man if he could…

His fleuret struck the metal of the suit, scrapping against it. A blast instantly followed, Ravus barely evading the bullet coming for him in retaliation. Verstael had hidden automated guns in his suit. Blood marked the white fabric of his uniform, the fallen prince barely acknowledging the graze on his arm, charging once more. He went for the face of the scientist, switching his target to his legs as he realized there was a strange glint above the man's forehead. There was a bubble of reinforced glass around the scientist's head.

Verstael's sarcastic smile grew as two more guns showed up.

"Young people always get excited too easily. I knew letting you inside the ship was a mistake… But I've been meaning to test my new toys. And before you try another assault on my person, perhaps you could consider the situation down in the streets of Lestallum…"

The screen showcased Luna and Iris's struggle to reach every wounded and put them somewhere safe amidst the chaos. Fire raining from the sky, green flakes of poison.

"This young girl can even treat ailments, just like the Oracle…" the scientist observed.

"Aren't you tired of being so obsessed with the Oracle?" Ravus warned, trying to contain his anger as he considered the seven guns now pointed at him.

"Obsessed? I'm researching. Your sister is the greatest specimen of Oracle we had in centuries. It would be a crime not to record her capabilities. And if we can expand on them… Replicate them… She can shield herself now. She's been healing people for over an hour and she's barely faltering despite her burns. Do you remember her old limits?"

How Luna ended up wounded by her captors only to verify the extent of her healing powers. Not for herself. Never herself. His blood burned in his veins as he saw Iris rushing further away, kneeling by weeping child.

"How can she be so kind?" Verstael pondered out loud. "Did you train her? From the original subject, I can understand, but for such a young girl… What's her pain threshold? She's going to collapse soon at this rate. Not very sound as a tactic, to let your healers wear themselves out like…"

"SHUT UP!"

Ravus cut him off by snapping off a gun's barrel from his suit. The metal of his sword was far too resistant, thanks to the engineering secrets he'd kept from the empire. A bullet ripped through his side, pushing him backward despite his quick movements.

"Your training really paid off," Verstael commented. "It's too bad they didn't let me replace your brain instead of your arm. I can see now that human soldiers aren't reliable. Even if I start from the incubating tube…"

"Since when have you started rambling?" Ravus shot back, cracking an articulation of the armor with a thrust of his sword.

"Might be due to the scales growing on the back of my tongue," the scientist declared, his smile growing too large. Grotesque.

The screen hanging by his side still displayed pictures from Lestallum's streets. Ravus recognized Luna's hair and spotted awful burns on her pale skin. Iris was dragging the Oracle with her, but from the few glimpses he had of her face, the brunette woman was already exhausted. She was pushing herself too hard.

 _You should be keeping them both safe, not wasting time with that lunatic…_

His ideas were running wild and it was almost painful to take his eyes away from the screen to focus back on the man in front of him.

"I don't have time for this…" the prince groaned.

"Did you really believe you could take out my Sylph on your own?!"

Ravus had to admit it was a bit conceited of him, but he had been taking out the airships back in Insomnia all on his own.

"You taught me too well, you'd better not underestimate me."

Verstael sneered at him, shrugging slightly. They could have kept on bantering for a while, but the ship moved as though it had a will of its own. The scientist's suit hadn't been made with such motions in mind and he slipped down the corridor in a violent screeching of metal scrapping against metal. Ravus barely caught himself on a tube as everything was turned upside down.

 _What did Scientia do?_ He wondered as the ship slowly dipped toward the ground. _Unless this is Aldercapt's work?_

One thing was sure, he had to find the controls and make sure the damages could be kept to a minimum. Iris and his sister needed his help and he wouldn't stay in this empty warship longer than needed.

…

There was no up or down. Noctis's feet skidded against bricks and a railing as his swords, axe and spear rushed around him. Aldercapt's dark blood had splattered all over his clothes. A talon was stuck in the King's back between two ribs. His lungs were burning, his scarlet eyes aching from the powers rippling through his nerves. Whirling around, ripping through metal, flesh and stone, bringing more thunder down on the daemon emperor, Noctis was every bit a destroyer. But as hard as he fought, Aldercapt kept getting back up, his battered wings flapping open, his eyes mad with fury.

So many people wanted him dead. For an instant, Noctis wondered if it might not be better for Eos if his line was gone. Were there demons because he was inhumanly strong, or was he inhumanly strong because…?

 _ **Just get rid of that thing,**_ a voice told him.

 _ **It's not even a 6 armed naga.**_

 _ **Worthless. Too slow. No use… Regis would already be done with…**_

 _Shut them off, focus, just shut them off, you don't have to…_

"Little King, how about a waltz to celebrate the fireworks?"

Noctis grit his teeth. The fact bombs were falling all over the city made him feel helpless in protecting his people. Would he really stay stuck against Aldercapt for his entire battle? Up in the air, the Sylph was slowly turning on itself, halting in its tracks abruptly. He couldn't focus for long, feeling the charge of the human-shaped bat and barely evading its snapping fangs. At twist of the wrist, bone and scales cracking, his armiger fluttered closer, the various blades cutting into the corrupted flesh. Alercapt's head hit his hard enough to make his ears ring.

"You're a bad dance partner," the emperor commented.

"That's because your disgusting breath is distracting me from the steps," Noctis quipped right back.

He tried to disentangle himself from the daemon's hold to no avail, feeling his swords scrapping his clothes. In his urge to defend himself, he'd brought the armiger too close. While it mostly hurt the emperor and tore through the bricks and stones of the building he'd been scaling down, he realized he was causing too much damage. He needed to stir Adlercapt away from Lestallum before he himself lost control over his powers.

 _What's wrong with me?_ Noctis wondered for the nth time.

He reached out with one foot, thinking of his axe as a surf plank. Just a foothold to jump away from this building. Aldercapt flapped his wings furiously as the armiger carried them both upward. He flailed and screeched, but Noctis's magic wasn't holding fully enough to break his wings, merely making him angrier. An explosion surged to their left, tossing them to the west. They hit more bricks and struggled together as the armiger vanished. Noctis needed more magic in his veins, but it was starting to hurt and still his ancestors mocked him.

 _ **Are you even trying?**_

 _When have I not been trying?!_

He threw Aldercapt off him with a kick, spitting out blood. One blink, two, those bricks made the bridge leading to Cleigne. Was that one of the railing? Was he under the bridge or standing on top of it? His head hurt, and he needed to throw up after all this hurtling around. But it was far from over.

"You wanna fly, huh? Where did all your stupid swords go?"

Noctis tried calling them back but before he could utter something clever or even a spark of blue steel, Aldercapt was on him. He threw him in the air as though he weighted nothing and much to the King's panic, no royal powers answered either of his desperate calls. What was happening to him?

"Are you out of energy already? The blight makes us run on nothing for days. I haven't slept in weeks," the monster whispered to the back of his head.

Noctis tried to stay calm, to pull an ether bottle from his interdimensional pocket, but his fingers were shaking by now and he could have screamed if there was still air in his lungs. The Lucii ring burned his skin now.

 _ **You can use our magic if the rest doesn't work.**_

 _The only price is your life force,_ he thought bitterly.

But he delved into the foreign magic, sapping Aldercapt's energy and making their flight even more erratic. They ripped a street sign right off the concrete, one of Noctis's legs making a cracking sound, but Aldercapt wasn't done yet. The pain was overridden by an old fear and for an instant, the young King was back in his wheelchair, struggling to hold his own weight up with only his arms. His back ached from the over-exertion and he couldn't help but try to wriggle his toes in his boots, not sure which leg was the most painful. If he fell now, he wouldn't be able to get back on his feet, he would be… Why couldn't he feel his toes?

"Oh no… No, no, no, no."

The emperor cackled.

"Losing it too? Finally, we're on the same page!"

That shock Noctis out of his stupor, but there were green flakes in his hair and eyelids now and he couldn't breathe as they crashed far beyond the power plant, down in a crater covered with blue crystal shards. Comet shards. Energy source for Lestallum.

Aldercapt grunted, cracking a crystal. Noctis tumbled to the ground, his body nothing but pain and the very first thing he checked was his leg. Indeed broken. His throat tightened and he rolled on himself, finding his good leg too weak to move. He wasn't invincible, he'd make a mistake, he didn't want to be alone if he found himself this helpless.

 _Breathe, focus, just breathe goddammit!_

But things were still hazy at best and the sky looked like it was falling down. Or was that his dark wings? How was Aldercapt still moving?!

"You look scared… Finally…"

"I'm not… Get off me," Noctis weakly opposed.

The scaly jaw switched from a smile to an assault on his arm. The ring was torn off his finger, flesh ripping open. The King screamed. The monster dove for his good leg as Noctis tried hitting him back, nearly trashing from fear, but all he managed was to summon his engine blade. His arms were shaking as he willed the blade into Aldercapt, but his bones still cracked and something in his mind shattered.

 _I can't walk, I can't walk, I can't fight back, I'm just…_

"Now, now, my emperor," a voice started, quiet despite the various explosion sounds in the distance. "I told you not to break my toy."

"Your toy?!" the daemon repeated, letting go of Noctis's limb to look up to the newcomer.

Noctis recognized the chancellor as his consciousness threatened to fade. His engine blade dug against Aldercapt's ribs and more of his dark and too warm blood fell on the King.

 _Fallen King. Worthless King. Your first real test after making all those pretty speeches and for what?_

Surely his ancestors would have said that, but their voices were gone, and he still found the urge to hit himself on the head. Was he supposed to be inhuman to go with his inhuman powers? He tried to will another weapon into life. He needed his curtain of blades. He needed to feel even remotely safe, but the talons sank back into his flesh and his eyes flickered back to blue.

"Easy, Aldy," Ardyn mocked. "He might be made tough, but there are things even I can't fix. How about a little fix, your Highness? Or maybe you'd rather feel the pain to taste the full extent of your failure?"

A raspy breath was the only sound that came out of Noctis's throat as he did his best not to hyperventilate. His mind was threatening to leave him for good and he had no idea how to get out of this predicament. Were Lestallum's crystals interfering with his powers? Why now?

"I think you broke the King. That's a bad daemon, really bad. Get off him."

Noctis wondered why the emperor, even in his strange state, even obeyed the chancellor. Ardyn was far more powerful than they'd suspected, but it seemed he held every big player in the palm of his hand. A cough racked up his throat and Noctis blinked, feeling tears from the stinging of poisonous flakes in his eyes. He needed to move, to crawl away, to send his friends a message so he could get help. But wasn't that unfair to his people? Couldn't Lestallum get by fine without its King? He'd send his friends all over because he needed the population safe. He couldn't fail them like his father had failed the people of Insomnia.

 _Dad._

He was going to need more than a cane if he got out of…

"…to, carry him to these coordinates. If he resists, just whack him on the head. Gently though."

"Yes sir."

There was a shadow falling over him and Noctis blinked his eyes open, recognizing blond hair and freckles.

"Prom?"

Otto-2 froze a mere second, tying up his hands and ankles and quickly securing his broken legs to make sure he wouldn't hurt himself further during the travel. Above their head, the Sylph was falling down in a cacophony of grinding metal.

"Prom, tell me it's you. I need help, I…"

"I'm not him, royal blood. Help me, Aldy, would you?"

Noctis could tell he was moved around, but his consciousness was in and out by then and the thought he could reach out to anyone. That Prompto wasn't Prompto but that stupid Otto-2. _Not stupid, think, Noct, think…_ It hurt so much by now, he couldn't align his thoughts anymore.

"Please, Prom."

"I'm sorry," the gunman's voice told him.

There was a brief impression of pain and then everything went dark.

…

The first hint to their presence was a buzz. Ignis raised one brow before lifting his daggers and fall in a self-defense position. Their wings were translucent, their stringer and spikes a dark shade of red, the purple of their antennas and bellies clashing with the crimson shade underneath their exoskeleton. Soldier wasps. Bees the size of a chocobo. He counted six of them. What were they even doing on this airship?!

Ignis would later learn that Verstael had found them nested in the Sylph and considered them a good occasion to save on soldiers and a security system. They were territorial and aggressive enough to justify it. For now, Ignis was the intruder and had to worry about keeping the Regalia safe if he wanted another way off this ship than to ride a giant bee. He warped forward, his daggers cutting clean through two abdomens. The swarm instantly deployed, revealing over 20 soldier wasps.

 _Splendid…_

Ignis had a few magic flasks with him, but he doubted he should use them in such a precarious environment as the top of a flying airship. Although he couldn't exactly devise a strategy without some sort of magic. Taking out his polearm, he focused on his footing. After feeling helpless about all of his friends, it seemed he was getting his own share of the action.

 _If only we could get that warship away from the city…_

He broke the thin wings of a wasp, quickly cutting off her stinger and stepping on her legs as he tried to recall the observations he'd made of the ship. Ravus had told him where the main engines could be found. Rotors turning at a speed defying modern technology. Verstael never wanted to use crystal as a source of power for his creations, and Ignis realized this could work to his advantage. The swarm closed in on him, growing frenetic in their need to remove this invader.

Ignis dug a hole in the formation of wasps with his polearm, using a few fire spells to send them in disarray. The monsters flew in all directions at first, but Ignis didn't have much time to run towards the center of the warship, forced to bend in two as he held one weapon above his head and another one in front of him. Glimpses were all he could take as he tried to keep his eyes on the bees buzzing after him. They would dive after him and while he evaded most of them, Ignis was still tackled down by a more vicious charge, warping away from the assaulting wasp. Their antennas and bony legs darted for him, pulling on his clothes, threatening to pierce through skin. There was fifteen of them left. Thirteen.

 _I hate half-assed plans,_ Ignis though bitterly, his boots skidding to a halt as he reached the side of the airship.

The wind was stronger here and the engine roared, sucking in the air as it turned to keep the Sylph airborne. A wasp hit him square in the shoulders, sending him tumbling down, the swarm following and Ignis swore under his breath. This was somehow going as he wanted it to. Although he'd rather not become acquainted with the rotors himself. He managed to throw up a dagger and followed it in a blur of magic. Another throw and another warp got him back on the airship just when the first wasp hit the rotor's blades. There was a splatter of red and green pulp, Ignis fighting against the sick feeling in his stomach. Then a second wasp was hacked. The rotor slowed down. The Sylph leaned to one side. More splatter and soon all the buzzing was gone, replaced by the grunts of a struggling engine.

Ignis got to his feet and made sure the Regalia was still…

"Shit, shit, don't fall off!" he couldn't help himself.

He hadn't had the chance to drive the girl much lately and he'd rather come back to earth with the car instead of using his warping magic. He was dizzy and doubted he had enough energy left without an ether. If potions didn't work on him, what would ether do? The question hadn't been asked before and he resented himself for the overlook. Then again, he never relied on his warping abilities that much. It was an insult to the training he'd put himself through for all these years.

But this wasn't really the time for introspection, what with the Regalia rolling down the Sylph despite the safety break. Gritting his teeth, he tried one warp forward, finding himself stopping his blurry movements far earlier than usual. The black car made a swerve as the ship leaned to the other side and keeping his balance was all Ignis could do as his stomach lurched in protest. There was on ether in his jacket, he just needed a few drops so he could get there quickly enough to kick the Regalia into flight and…

The green liquid burned his skin, much like the potions did now. This new handicap was really getting on his nerves and he willed himself to carry on despite the pain. He'd been cut here and there and sported a few bruises already, but it was nothing compared to the controlled panic he felt at the idea his friends might be going through much worse. And where would the ship hit now?! How was he supposed to alter its course if it threatened to fall on Lestallum?

 _Here and now,_ he cautioned himself.

Another warp, more ether burning his nose, he felt like gagging but swallowed and jumped into the Regalia. It was a struggle to get into the driver seat, but he managed well enough by then, hitting his head against the steering wheel only twice. He could hear alarms blaring in the distance and wondered how long Ravus would take to get out of the ship. He certainly hadn't meant to doom Luna's brother, he simply needed to get rid of those wasps and had seen an opportunity to also take out the Sylph.

"Scientia!" a gruff voice called after him.

Oh, there was one of his answers. He kicked the Regalia into flight and made a silent prayer as he feared the quick change in direction might send the car spinning around. Thankfully, enough things had gone wrong in a single day and the re-engineered vehicle rose in the air, Ignis careful of keeping it stationary for Ravus to get in. The older man struggled just as much as him and didn't bother to get on the front seat, looking over his shoulder at a shadow flying off in the distance.

"What was…?"

"Verstael is abandoning his ship. I just managed to find the control room to stick coordinates for an emergency crash. But I doubt the Sylph can get there in time… What did you do to that thing?"

"I fought a swarm of wasps," Ignis explained. "What's your excuse for taking so long?"

"That scientist got chatty," Ravus retorted.

He didn't have to ask for them to fly away from the Sylph, Ignis was taking more and more altitude and after confirming the warship wouldn't hit Lestallum itself, but maybe the bridge leading to Cleigne, they tried to focus on localizing their friends.

"What's your girlfriend doing with Prompto?" Ravus asked.

"Keeping him alive?" Ignis suggested, although he knew better than to underestimate the gunman by this point. "Is Noctis's signal back on?"

"No. Unless he took a picnic in the crystal shards crater behind the power plant."

Ignis felt the urge to rush over there, but there was no way he could land the Regalia in that place and his throat was starting to itch horribly.

"You're having an allergic reaction to something," Ravus warned him. "You shouldn't drive."

From one look in the rearview mirror, Ignis noticed the bullet marks.

"You were shot."

"Grazed," Ravus corrected.

"We'd better find Luna and Iris before our stubbornness get us both killed," the tactician observed flatly.

It was hard to tell whether he was reacting this badly because of the ether, if a wasp had stung him or if he was letting his panic for Aranea, Noctis and all of his friends get the better of him. One way or another, they'd taken out the warship and there would be no further explosion on Lestallum. They could only hope the rest of the missions would be a success too.

…

Luna had lost sight of Iris and couldn't bring out her shield of light quickly enough as dark tendrils of magic reached for her. An instant, she'd been running and the next she was pulled away from reality, somewhere dark and cold. Her magic flickered to life, eliciting snickering from her captor.

"Lady Oracle," Ardyn saluted her.

She tried turning on herself to spot him, but for some reason, she was frozen in place, a prisoner of her own body and mind, as though time had stopped for everything but her mind. All she could perceived outside of the dark magic that told her it was the chancellor talking was his voice, mocking and too strong for her already damaged eardrums. All the screaming and explosions might make her temporarily deaf if it went on for much longer.

"You can save all the people you want. But I have your King now."

Her blood froze, her mind reeling. Her King?

Luna gasped at the notion Noctis could be in danger. She couldn't lose him now, not like this, not without even getting a chance to extend her shield to him.

"I have his blood," Ardyn whispered into her ears, eliciting awful shudders. "I have his broken bones. His fears are all mine now. And if you can't save him in time… Well, I wonder what will happen to this planet of yours."

Luna needed answers to her multiple questions, she needed a speck of light in the darkness, but all she got was Iris's shocked scream as the Sylph started diving towards the ground. The weird blackout left Lunafreya disoriented for an instant, her heart aching at the idea Noctis could really be captured. Ardyn hated him so much, there was no telling what he could do to her King.

 _I can't let him have his ways. I can't let him break Noctis now…_

He was already so fragile even though he pretended otherwise. Surely this would be enough for him to snap. There was no way she could handle everything that still needed to be done on her own. Noctis's ancestors wanted her dead, not him!

…

Luna was about ready to pass out when Gladiolus and Crowe walked up the street Iris and the Oracle were roaming for wounded. Iris gasped at the sight of her brother and rushed toward the pair.

"Did you break your arm? You're both covered with that awful green snow."

"How far did it go?" Crowe asked.

Gladiolus grimaced, feeling bad for his mistake. He wanted to point out how pale his sister looked, but Iris was already checking his arm.

"Luna stopped most of that snow with Shiva. I don't know how many ether she's taken by now, but we're both at out limits."

"Then maybe you shouldn't…" Gladio started, seeing the now familiar light in her eyes.

"We need arms to carry people to safety," she refused to hear his protestations, making her own point, "you can carry four persons all on your own, brother."

Crowe gave him an encouraging smile, before to take out her phone and see if she couldn't contact the others. Prompto answered right away.

 _Ignis suggested meeting up at the Leville with the wounded we could find. Think you'll need help getting here?_

 _We should be fine. Keep an eye on your phone._

Looking back up to the street and the few people still waiting for first aid, Crowe wondered how Luna could still be up and running. The Oracle's dress was stained with ashes, blood and drops of ether where it wasn't torn. Her eyes were rimmed with red and there was a mix of pain and desperate fear in her gaze as she briefly locked eyes with the former glaive. Crowe walked up to her, taking an elixir out of her pocket.

"Here, Luna, let me help. You're not alone."

Lunafreya managed a frail smile at that, even though a lone tear rolled down her face.

"We're not alone," she repeated, as though she had difficulty believing it.

 _But he is alone. He is alone…_

How much could a single soul endure before breaking?

To be continued...

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Next chapter will see the full reunion of the team, their reaction to Noctis's kidnapping, more of Noctis time with Ardyn and some well-deserved fluff and hurt/comfort. Since it's spring break, I might be able to write this chapter faster, but there's still some uncertainty in my life, plus school related deadline that require my attention.

Reviews always make me happy and I want to let you know that I'm not giving up on this story. We've come too far and I really want to exploit this new arc to the best of my abilities. Thank you for your time and until next chapter!


	67. Daemon Lord

Faster update is faster because my life is falling back into place and because I've been having a really good morale lately. There's also the fact I want this story to progress so I can get to a lot of scenes I've had planned up since forever! My cold/near bronchitis seems to be under control and I have a lot of energy. I also have a scientific panel coming up, and managed a productive day regarding school work, which I need to keep up for the rest of the week. All in all, I'm feeling happy and optimistic. I even have less allergies than usual. Today's chapter is going to be rough. More time with Noctis, the team reunion after the ordeal of Lestallum and some Ignea fluff, because I really needed the fluff.

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Unexpected

Chapter 67 – Deamon Lord

"Noctis? Noooctis. Wake up, sleepy head."

He didn't want to wake up, not when passing out was the only thing dulling the pain. But that voice… He felt something akin to hope.

"Can you hear me, Noct?"

It had to be her…

 _Luna._

He tried cracking one eye open, but something made his eyelids stick together. And then the pain ruled him all over again. His legs, his hand, his back, his face. Everything hurt. He groaned, instantly feeling her hands on his shoulders.

"What have you done to yourself?" she sighed.

 _Can this be real?_ Noctis wondered.

If his legs hurt him this much, surely the whole ordeal with Aldercapt and Ardyn was no nightmare and he didn't see how Luna could have already found him. She had to still be in Lestallum, she couldn't…

"Don't tense like that," she chided him gently. "Breathe. I'll fix you."

He wanted to relax but something didn't quite add up. Should Luna be so calm considering the circumstances? He tried to shift around, to gaze up at her. She ruffled his dirty locks and for an instant, he merely wished to hide in her arms, but he needed to be sure. His eyelids cracked open. Blond hair, blue eyes, her pale skin. She looked tired, but herself.

He could have cried if he'd have any tear left to shed, but he was so spent from the fighting and the visions Ardyn had imposed on him of a distant past. His skin burned where the names had been written. F-A-L-S-E. K-I-N-G.

"How did you get here?"

"Do you know where this is?" Lunafreya asked him right back.

There was a brief glint in her eyes and Noctis instantly understood. Ardyn could take on the face of anyone he wanted. This wasn't his fiancée. His blood ran cold, and his body quivered as a trembling threatened to take over. He tried to shuffle away from the apparition, but he was weak and exhausted.

"Whoa, easy, easy…"

"Drop the act, Ard…"

"Not before we've done something about your legs."

It sounded so much like her. Her intonations, the way she held her head. Had he looked into his head to get a better idea of how to impersonate the Oracle? Or had he used all the years of her captivity to perfect this act? And all that for what?!

Noctis raised himself on his elbows, his breathing too quick as this Luna knelt next to him. Arydn didn't bother with keeping the act perfect this time letting the face flicker until the engine blade appeared in the air and stopped under his neck. Noctis was the first shocked, since his powers had refused to work the previous day, but his brief time out might have help him regain at least some of his bearings.

"Get away from me," he snapped, his voice a little too hoarse for a threat.

"Ah ah ha, you should know better. I won't die and killing me with that appearance will only hurt you. Now, how about leg one?" Ardyn/Luna went on in a singsong voice.

Noctis couldn't believe the chancellor. What sort of twisted plan could he have in mind? He wanted to recoil and warp away from his touch, but mustering his engine blade into reality had already sapped a lot of his energy and his recent blood loss had greatly reduced his strength.

"First we snap everything back into place…" Lunafreya explained as though she was teaching a class of future healers.

The gesture that followed was quick and precise, but it caused tremendous pain, Noctis screaming out as the broken bones shifted and his muscles almost seized in protest.

"I might be rusty, but if you can be patient with me…" the fake Luna continued.

"No, stop…" he pitifully pleaded, his voice breaking a bit.

Her irises turned that predatory yellow and darkness oozed from the corner of her eyes as a dark light surrounded her hands. The magic sank into him, nothing like Luna's healing. It was like ants running inside his flesh, pulling on muscles and nerves as they went along to get their work done. The process didn't last long, but there were a dozen things about it that felt wrong. It was too quick, too aggressive. The worst was seeing Luna's hair turning the purple red of the chancellor as he slowly shifted back to his natural looks.

"Is it me or is that leg crooked? I really am rusty," Ardyn declared, hanging his head.

"Cut the fucking crap!" Noctis bellowed as the man got to his feet and motioned to focus on the other leg.

Somehow, seeing his actual face helped him regain his composure.

"We're going to be here for a long time, false King. Might as well make yourself comfortable."

Noctis was doing all he could not to freak out, which apparently implied swinging his engine blade at Ardyn with his royal powers. Why no other royal arm accepted to show as he called them was a mystery to him, but the very fact his powers were somehow working was already better than yesterday.

"Get to the point."

"This is the point, sleepy head. Keeping you guessing. Letting you see the face of a friend to give you hope. Making sure you regain enough strength to endure all that I have in mind for you."

"My ancestors took your kingdom and your crystal, but what does _this_ change?!" Noctis insisted.

"Oh, so you buy it already? While I have more history classes for you, I don't aim for a parrot student. No, this is a game. Where we both lose."

Noctis didn't dare ask him what they were supposed to lose. Ardyn was far gone and there was no understanding. The best he could do was survive this until he could find a way out. He gingerly moved his newly healed leg. While the bones were healed, any motion was painful. He couldn't rest his foot on the ground if he kept his leg straight, as though his knee wasn't aligned right, and he didn't dare look down at himself, because it meant looking away from Ardyn. The man was staring at the blade hovering around the chosen King, his arms crossed behind his back.

"You shouldn't be able to work that magic here," Ardyn started. "But that sword is special to you, isn't it? Could it be..."

His skin rippled as it wrinkled and his hair greyed, "a gift from daddy?" Regis asked him, a reproachful expression on his face.

The engine blade flickered in and out of reality, Noctis trying to control his thoughts. But his emotions were out of control as his heart hammered in his chest. He couldn't breathe. Couldn't blink. It was one thing to look at a grave and to wake up from feverish nightmares, but seeing his father like this…

He forced himself to focus on facts, to think like Ignis would. This wasn't Regis. This wasn't…

"This isn't the first time you're doing this…"

Back on Ravatogh's rock… The vision of his father talking to him. A version of Regis that couldn't be the actual Regis Lucis Caelum. Was it supposed to be Regis Izunia? How was he supposed to deal with this?!

"How observant, my son. Now, let's store that blade and have a talk. A heart to heart, father to son, huh? I'm sure you've been dying to ask me about Insomnia…"

"Don't you dare…!"

"Or maybe your mother? It had always been quite the sore subject…"

Noctis looked with growing horror as Ardyn switched voice and appearance once more, turning himself into Aulea. His eyes looked back at him, reminding him of how everyone always used to say he had her eyes. Brown hair in a complicated hairstyle. Something in his chest wasn't working right. He tried to back away as his body felt smaller. Colder. Her arms had held him once upon a time, before the crystal ever talked to him.

"Noct, don't look at me like that," she asked, sounding hurt.

"You're not… You're not real…"

He knew it, he knew it so well, but he couldn't believe his own words as she kneeled next to him, a sad smile on her face. They were both going to lose. This was a game, a sick game, but his mind couldn't follow those rules.

"How you've grown…" she marveled.

 _Mom…_

He'd missed her for so long, he wasn't sure he remembered his mother as anything else than an absence. But here she was. Here but not here. Smiling down to him an instant, testing a voice between sweet and rough. His mother had been a tomboy if he was to believe his father and the servants would fondly remember her deep voice, which might have been unbecoming of a queen if it had been anyone else. How could Ardyn know those little details?

Noctis covered his face with his shivering hands, squeezing his eyes shut, but he could hear his name said on a dozen different voices. Luna, his mother, Regis, Gladiolus, Prompto, Iris…

"Noctis? Noctis, look here. Hey buddy? Noctis, Noctis! Noctis."

And when he threatened to dive deep in himself to escape the friendly voices that weren't his friends or family, Ardyn pulled him into a new vision. A dark room in Tenebrae's manor. A teenage girl whimpering behind a glass. Noctis blinked, but the scene remained. Luna was trapped, tied to a dozen of machines, a victim of the blight waiting for her healing. Except that victim was too far gone for the healing to work, that much was clear…

"I didn't bring you here to pour lies into your head. But you'll look at every ugly truth I know. And when we're done, you will understand that nothing can be saved."

When Noctis blinked, Luna's torture switched to something else. Ulldor's games. Soldiers teaching her a lesson for standing up for her people or her brother. Another blink and a battlefield showed him the fallen Ottos… And more sickening pictures of people he knew. Until looking hurt just as much as closing his eyes.

…

Landing the Regalia wasn't quite easy with the streets in utter disarray all over the city. Ignis resigned himself to park by the stone balcony overlooking the disc and offered his shoulder to Ravus, both men supporting each other as they walked up to the Leville. The plaza in front of the hotel was uncommonly quiet, soot covering the sidewalks, debris lying in the middle of the streets. Iris and Luna were helping some people inside the hotel, both looking paler than ever. The sinking of the Sylph had caused some serious shakes a while ago, but the absence of recurring explosions and new debris falling from the sky made it easier to move around.

"Ravus!" Iris exclaimed, spotting his blond head first.

Luna raised her head at the name of her brother, feeling an instant wave of relief as she saw Ignis next to him, even though they'd both seen better days. Getting a message from him wasn't enough to reassure her and she needed to make sure they were all safe, after saving so many strangers. The people they'd been helping assured them they would find their way to the Leville by now and let them rejoin with their friends. Iris walked straight up to Ravus, spotting the blood on his white jacket easily enough.

"Haven't you two pushed yourself enough as it is?" the older Fleuret asked.

"It's not like the situation allowed us to take a breather and grab some tea," his sister shot back, glancing worriedly at Ignis. "What happened to you?"

"I'm afraid warrior wasps had made their nest on the Sylph," the advisor explained. "And my intolerance to potions might have run to ethers…"

Lunafreya didn't want any more explanations than that, leading him to a bench by the center of the plaza and quickly subduing his allergic reaction as best as she could. Ignis could tell she was in a hurry to treat him, because every little thing she could fix was one more thing she could control about this crazy situation. She needed all the illusion of control she could get.

"I've been trying to contact Noctis," Ignis started.

Luna's left hand tensed on his opened collar and her magic fluctuated, fixing cuts and bruises on him that she hadn't even been treating.

"Hey, I didn't mean…"

"He's not answering you, is he?" Luna cut him off, her voice rough, face white.

Ignis's throat tightened. There was something ominous about the way she'd asked her question. As though she already knew something about the King.

"His signal is in the crater by the powerplant. I can go look for him as soon as you're done healing me."

"But he's not answering any of your texts…" the princess stated. "That vision I had…"

"What vision?!" Ignis nearly snapped at her.

He would have jumped to his feet if Luna didn't push on his shoulders, her eyes pure gold. Her magic in his veins wasn't quite comforting anymore, like a cold, rushing river that mended in a hurry, making him even more confused. She was definitely hiding something, but he didn't see how she could know about Noctis's whereabouts or ability to answer a phone if he didn't. He'd been checking all their signals while up on the Sylph and Lunafreya had never gotten close to either of the areas where Noctis had been.

"I should wait for the others to get here…" she sighed when the healing was complete.

"You don't get to do that, lady Lunafreya," Ignis warned her. "If something happened to Noctis…"

…

Iris had pulled Ravus's coat opened and made quick work of exposing his ribs to get a look at his bullet wound. While he insisted he'd only been graze, Verstael had been using military grade weapons.

"You dodged the shots? Do you take yourself for some superhero in a comic book?"

"You've got friends that can warp around as if it was as easy as breathing!" Ravus objected, earning himself a very fragile smile.

"I'm sick of fixing you back up, you know…"

Her fingers brushed against his side, the flesh knitting itself back together. It was no surprise for the Tenebrean prince that her magic worked slower than usual. Iris looked positively exhausted. Ravus held her wrists to push away her hands and their shimmering light.

"It's not like I'm trying to get hurt," he defended himself, knowing how weak of an argument that might sound.

He was fighting against his urge to pull her into a hug, or to hide her somewhere until enough time had gone by for Verstael to be far enough. He couldn't push the threats away from his mind.

"It's not like you dislike having your own personal white mage, don't you?" Iris teased him.

He swallowed back the comment that instantaneously came to his mind, instead pulling her closer to him, until he could wrap his arms around her frame, cupping her hand with his metal hand without an afterthought. She did wince as his embrace put some pressure on her few bruises and burns, but her arms held on to him strongly as she hid her face against his chest.

"I was really worried for you, Iris. As if it wasn't enough to know you were out in the streets when all that crap fell from the sky… You've been gathering some attention from people I'd rather not..."

"What happened to you up there?" Iris asked him, bending her neck to look him in the eyes, her hands gripping to the back of his jacket. "You took out a freaking warship."

"Well, Scientia did…" Ravus observed. "While you got burned and surely poisoned and had to run from one wounded to the next. You're shaking like a leaf."

She felt too small between his arms, her breathe nearly too warm against his chest.

"I did my best, but I could barely…"

There was a sob on the back of her throat and he felt his protectiveness for her growing even more.

"What's on your mind?"

"I feel really weak," she confessed. "If you weren't holding me right now, I don't think I could stand. And we've yet to see the others and Luna mustn't be in a better shape than me, and… I've heard people saying they'd seen Noctis falling from the sky…"

"Iris, don't push yourself. We'll find him and…"

"What Vision!" Ignis asked Luna strongly enough to gather the pair's attention.

It was clear Noctis's situation was on the Oracle's mind, but their half of the team didn't have time to clear things up, as Prompto rushed to the scene, a bewildered look on his face. His clothes were either covered with ashes or torn in places. Iris noticed how

"You guys, you guys, we need to talk!"

"What is it?" Ignis asked right back. "Where's Aranea?"

"Patrolling some more, she'll join us in a bit. But we saw something that I really need to tell you about. And we shouldn't talk of it in the middle of the street either."

They all understood what it had to be about, but before they could decide to move to the Leville to talk between four walls, Iris collapsed next to Ravus, the prince instantly catching her.

"Hey!" Ravus called after her, taken by surprise.

"Whoa!" Prompto and Ignis echoed each other, too on edge to react calmly.

"Is she…?!" Luna started, worry laced to her voice.

As the trio rushed up to him, Ravus instinctively pulled Iris closer to him, nestling her head in the crook of his shoulder.

"She's burning up. Must be overworked…" he deduced, giving a questioning glance to his sister.

How come she was still standing up after everything she'd been doing, and the shields she'd deployed countless times?

"How long as it been since we parted at the entrance of the city?" Ignis asked.

Prompto took out his phone to check the hour and nervously tapped his foot.

"6 hours or so? No surprise I'm about ready to drop myself."

Luna leaned down on Iris to take her pulse, her eyebrows crossed. She knew Prompto was eager to share his news, but she wasn't sure she'd like it.

"She's been healing people nonstop, hasn't she?" Ravus inquired.

His sister nodded.

"How many ethers did she take? I know that stuff can usually get to your head if…"

Luna's frown deepened at that. She hadn't been able to look after Iris all the time, but now that she was thinking about it…

"I don't think she took a single one."

Iris uttered a pained moan, her eyes flicking open with some difficulty.

"Hey guys. I'm dizzy, but I'm not… out cold yet."

"What's wrong? I can surely heal…" Luna started.

"No, I think I am overworked. I… The ethers don't really work on my magic and I had been feeling under the weather lately," the brunette admitted.

"Why didn't you…?!"

"There as a lot going on and I don't want to turn into a burden and get left behind as you rush into more battles."

Tears rolled down her face at that and they all mentally berated themselves for leading her into thinking she had to keep things from them if she wanted to stay with their group.

"You need rest now," Ravus shushed her.

Luna let her magic lit her eyes and hands once more to take away the fever, but a wave of unease hit her, the light running away from her fingertips in the span of a heartbeat.

"What is…"

She faltered, Prompto and Ignis catching her before she could hurt herself. She let out a yelp as they inadvertently touched her burns.

"I think you're the one in need of treatment, Luna," the gunman observed.

They would have moved both women into the Leville right away if Gladiolus and Crowe hadn't arrived right then. It took some explaining and Ignis ordering the Shield to calm down for Iris to remain in Ravus's arms. Lunafreya insisted on taking one last ether and fixing the tall man's elbow, since potions weren't as efficient on this type of fracture and the longer he stayed with his bones damaged, the harder it would be for her magic, diminished or not, to fix it. Crowe insisted that her own burns could wait, considering Etro was slowly healing them now that there was no more poison in the nearby air.

"Where the hell is Noct?" Gladiolus asked.

"That's what I've been meaning to tell everyone," Prompto sighed, his nervous gestures returning despite the fact Luna was leaning on him for support.

"Let's get Iris comfortable first," the Oracle decided. "I don't want us to start a panic."

Ignis already knew what he was going to hear, but that didn't made it any easier. His arms were crossed so tightly in front of him, his muscles taunt to the point of cracking. Gladio was using all the self-control he could muster not to command Prompto to give him answers. He was feeling personally responsible of Noctis's fate and the fact he was still missing didn't sit right with him, especially with all the secrecy Luna and Prompto insisted on. Aranea had yet to give them a sign and Iris was half asleep, her fever refusing to be healed no matter how many times Luna tried herself at it. Crowe sat by Gladio's side, keeping one hand on his freshly fixed arm to show him her support. Ravus had taken a seat himself by the window, keeping an eye out despite knowing the empire couldn't strike again after all they'd done. Luna held her hands in her lap, trying not to wrung her fingers nervously when Prompto finally started reporting what he'd seen.

"First off, it all happened too quickly for either Aranea or me to interfere, because our first reflex was to run up to the scene."

"Stop beating around the damn bush," Gladiolus groaned.

"An explosion blew a wall by the crater right off and we could see Noctis down there, lied on a makeshift stretcher. I… Otto-2 was carrying him with some MTs, by Ardyn's orders. Aldercapt jumped in Aranea's face right as she stepped in the crater and all I could do was give her support fire until the emperor gave up on us and flew off. Ardyn was already gone and we couldn't… Aranea insisted on chasing after them, since there was no ship visible in the sky…"

"Are you telling me that our King was kidnapped?!" Gladiolus cut him off, his eyes furious and voice raging strongly enough to wake up Iris.

"What did he say? Is Noctis…"

Luna stepped back to her feet, clearing her throat to gather everyone's attention.

"Ardyn made his intentions clear. I want to look for him, but right now we need to recollect our strength."

Prompto frowned, while Gladiolus raised his voice a little more. "What do you mean, _Ardyn made his intentions clear_? That bastard was really here?!"

Lunafreya squared her shoulders.

"He was. I fought him back one time, only for him to run away in the middle of the explosions. He talked to me later on and said… he had Noctis…"

Ignis turned two shades paler. The one part of their plan which had been on his mind was proving to be a fatal flaw. Noctis shouldn't have been left alone. If only he had better thought things out, if only he could have prepared something in case of an attack on Lestallum, anything, he should have know an aerial raid could still happen even with the dropships gone, he should have…

But that wouldn't bring Noctis back right now, he was beginning to wonder if Aranea wouldn't try something crazy as she tried to keep up with the Niffs. What if Ardyn tried hurting her? He couldn't lose the both of them.

Iris looked accusingly at Luna as she wondered why she hadn't been told of that other "talk" with Ardyn before. Her tired eyes held a dozen more questions. Luna's throat was tied up as she tried to find the right words.

"We can't start a panic by letting it be known that we've lost the King. If I could go out right now…"

"None of us should head out," Ravus warned her, hoping she wouldn't run off as soon as she would be left on her own.

"We can rely on Monica's hunters to start a search party," Ignis interfered.

He had already dialed her number on his phone and Luna thanked him as he lent her the device.

Gladio wasn't ready to agree with this, not when he was supposed to protect Noctis. Exchanging a look with the advisor, he understood his friend was going through the same plight as him.

 _We wait, but first thing tomorrow…_ Ignis mouthed.

Gladiolus nodded in agreement. Prompto was shifting even more than before and only calmed down when Luna hung up and turned her attention back to him.

"I'm so sorry," she said.

He blinked, shock and surprise taking over.

"What?! Why? I'm sorry. I saw him with my own eyes and I couldn't even save him from those imperials! _You_ should sit down and pour some potions on those burns," the gunman objected.

Luna wavered at that, her shoulders hunching down, her eyes falling to her empty hands. A shiver ran through her and if Iris hadn't been sobbing in her pillow with his human hand stroking her hair, Ravus would have stepped up to embrace his sister right there.

"I shouldn't be safe when he's…" Luna started.

"Don't say that. You know Noct wants you safe, Luna," Prompto reminded her, opening his arms without thinking.

The Oracle stepped into the offered hug and broke down as silently as she could, making them realize how shaken she was despite holding on to reason. She did whimper when the gunman held her, because any touch against her burns was pure pain, but she gripped to his shirt, convinced she'd fall to her knees if he didn't have some support.

"Hey, he's… He's going to be okay, you know?" Prompto gingerly tried himself at comforting her.

He sounded genuinely convinced that Noctis would turn out fine, because he wanted to believe it with all his heart. Luna's voice came out weak and shuddering on every word.

"I know… I just… Helping so many people and I can't even…!"

It reminded the gunman of Otto-2. Of the victims he'd seen and couldn't avenge. Now there was a knot in his throat and for an instant, he needed Luna's arms as much as she needed to be held.

Ignis uncrossed his arms and crossed them again in an attempt to hold off the panic he sensed coming. Noctis had never been lost when he was under his care. Not even when he took him to a store or a restaurant on a whim of the prince. Not even during that chaotic parade for the Chocobo Moogle festival where Gladiolus had lost Iris and nearly trampled a dozen passersby in his rush to find his sister.

 _I need to make more phone calls…_

As though on cue, his phone buzzed, and he eagerly looked at the screen, feeling an immense relief as her name was above the only message.

 _A: I'm coming back. Prompto told you what was going on?_

 _I: Are you alright?_

 _A: No. Are you, Iggy?_

 _I: Just get here._

 _A: Aye, aye, sir._

She could still joke, which meant she had to be doing better than she let on. Ignis excused himself with his phonecalls, getting back down to the streets so he could wait for her. He felt bad for even temporarily abandoning his friends, but Prompto was comforting Luna, Iris had Ravus looking after her… And Gladiolus clearly needed to punch something more than he needed a serious talk and Crowe was doing her best to keep him as calm as he could be in the circumstances.

Ignis dialed Libertus's number and settled a few things while he hurried down the stairs. He talked with Cor a few minutes later and then with Monica again, making sure to keep his voice down as he walked pass a few people.

Ending up alone in the plaza was nerve-wrecking, because he could either study the various traces of damage made on the city or ponder what Ardyn and Aldercapt might do to Noctis. His brother was missing. His King was lost. He'd already been unwell before that they had to face this sudden attack and now they'd…

 _Stop, this is not helping him in any way,_ Ignis warned himself.

But he wanted to plunge into a panic for once, because this was just one of his worst nightmares happening. A pair of high heels hitting the pavement made him look up from the daze he'd fallen into and his eyes found her. There was blood on the left side of her face, her hair had fallen from her usual ponytail and some strands were a dry pinkish hue, while some others were dark with ashes. She didn't smile as their eyes met, because she felt guilty for failing him and his King. She'd been the one teamed up with Noctis, the one who'd run off on her own without a look back. How was she supposed to worry about someone who could take out over fifteen flying daemons like Aldercapt in one fell swoop?

"Aria…"

"I lost them near the marshes, past the…"

"We can talk about that later, you didn't have to follow them," Ignis cut her off, erasing the few steps left between them.

"But I let him out of my sight when you wanted me to look after him."

He couldn't remember a time when she sounded so distressed and wanted nothing else but to hold her. Feel her next to him. Confirm she was alive and not just an illusion made up by his desperate mind.

"I never told you to…"

"But you did!" she exclaimed. "I let you down, I lost your damn brother, Iggy."

Her guilt was contagious, or maybe did it mirror his own guilt too well.

"I should have gone back to look after him. I should have laid out a better plan," he opposed her panic.

"Don't talk like that," Aranea scolded him, putting her hands on her hips, although her right hand seemed to lie with less intent. Her wrist was twisted in a way that didn't look natural, but she went on, "Don't you dare hold yourself responsible. What happened here was… How were we supposed to deal with this?! It was madness."

"I know. Rationally, I know we've already done more than we should with how dire the situation was… It's just… When Prompto told me what he saw, I thought I would lose you too. Not just my brother, but also my Aria."

His voice wavered a bit, every of his professional masks gone and the dragoon shrugged off her remaining shoulder pad to step into his arms, unable to hold on this weird, confession standoff.

"I was worried about you too, you know?"

"You think I wasn't? Every time I see you leaping off into battle…"

"I'm tougher than…"

"I don't care how tough you are, Aria! When I look at how many times we've deceived death, I can't help…"

His hands gripped to her back so she would feel closer to him, but she was already too close and she let out a yelp of pain as her sprained wrist got stuck between them.

"I'm sorry," came Ignis's instant apology, but Aranea shook her head, refusing to let him pull away from her.

"You can hold me, Iggy," she told him. "You can always hold me."

"You're hurt…"

And he couldn't even put potion on her without hurting himself, he realized bitterly.

"I'll live. Keep your arms around me."

She motioned to pull him into a back alley and he couldn't resist her. A part of him couldn't help the thought that if he let go of her for even an instant, he'd fall apart. The alley was empty except for some vapor coming out of pipes, but the smaller, somehow intimate space was exactly what he needed. His shoulders lowered and Aranea slowly slipped one hand under his jacket, pulling on his shirt's collar so his face would lean to her level.

"I know you're scared, Ignis."

"You shouldn't have to comfort me…"

"Of course I do! I'm your girl. You don't need to be strong or proper around me. Ignis, we all just went through hell. And Noctis…"

His hands tensed on her at the mention of his King's name.

"I saw his signal was off the grid. I saw it and instead of leaving right away, I just kept a lookout on the car!"

"This is not your fault!" Aranea insisted. "If you need to blame anyone…"

His chest heaved and there was a broken scream in his throat, half howl, half sob. He didn't want a culprit that wasn't him. Noctis had always been his to protect. Gladiolus trained the boy, while he trained his mind, but Noctis was his charge. His protégé. His entire life.

"In all these years, I never failed him, not even once."

"So what if your perfect record is broken?!"

Ignis physically flinched, but Aranea's good hand was in his hair, on his nape and her eyes reminded him his world didn't end with Noctis.

"They broke him one time. I don't think I can…"

 _What if he's beyond fixing when we find him? What if we don't find him? What are the probabilities…? Think, stop feeling, just think and then you can help him._

"Stop thinking so hard," the dragoon told him.

His shaking got worse and Aranea found herself shaking with him. She was scared too, because Ignis never broke down.

"I should have made the plan," he insisted. "I should have taken the lead, Noctis was in no shape to…"

"He's supposed to take charge, for the Six sake Iggy, you can't always cover for him. I don't mean he owed to be kidnapped or to have his legs…"

She instantly stopped, realizing her mistake too late. Aranea couldn't help keeping that detail in mind. It reminded too much of her own brokenness despite how tall she stood nowadays.

"What?! What did they do to him?!"

She bit her lip, realizing she'd let her own panic get the better of her.

"You don't need to hear…"

"Tell me!" he nearly yelled at her, his hands gripping to her shoulders too hard.

"They broke his legs," she shot back, pale and holding back a shiver of her own.

Silence was her only answer as Ignis's face fell. He knew how badly Noctis had taken to being stuck in a wheelchair. There had been a few times where Gladio and even Ignis himself had had to carry him from one place to the next, thanks to all the stairs in the Citadel. There was a reason why the King didn't let anyone near his back. Or why he always accepted Gladio's challenge when he taunted him into a race. Aranea tried to find a comforting word, a string of them that could remove the pain from his beautiful eyes. His shoulders were hunched, his stance skewed, his hands sinking to her waist. There was a quiver in his lips, his eyes blinked and his adam apple bopped along his neck as he tried to hold down the panic he felt.

"Iggy, you have a right to hurt."

"I have Luna here to heal me. He's all alone. Reliving his worst nightmare."

Aranea knew there was no reasoning him, so she tried to give him the one thing he couldn't find on his own. She guided his head into the crook of her neck, hanging her bad wrist over his shoulder as the idea Noctis was lost and suffering at this very moment made his way from his brain to his heart.

"They can't kill him," Ignis said, his voice muffled against her skin.

She couldn't speak as she realized where his fears had gone first.

"I mean, if they wanted him dead, they would kill him right away, not kidnap him, so they can't kill him…" he rambled on.

It sounded as though he was trying to convince himself and she could understand his doubts. Ardyn was unpredictable. He heaved a deep sigh, taking a shuddering breathe that made her heart ache a little more for him. He was trying so hard to stay together. But then he snapped.

"But they can do everything else…"

 _Oh Iggy._

The first sob wracked through them both, as the advisor clung to her, his imagination running wild. He could picture so many horrors in his mind. Would Noctis even be able to walk again if he stayed wounded for too long? What of his mind? He'd been on edge and unstable enough as it was. It wouldn't take a lot to tip him over the edge and Ignis knew how their needed the chosen king. With monster like Ardyn out there… They had yet to understand who that man was. He'd barely had any time to search the family name of Izunia with all the rebuilding they had on their hands, and even when he did, the records held no trace of that name.

Ardyn had apparently appeared out of thin air, or vanished at some point in history, without leaving so much as a trace. And now he had Noctis in his clutches. He could take the face of people the King knew. He could poison his mind with lies and fill his heart with more nightmares, when the kings of old had already turned Noctis into a frantic warrior, too on edge to trust himself around the people he loved.

How would things be when they find him?

"How are we even going to get him back?" Ignis asked out loud.

"Don't think like that."

"I can't think any other way!" he protested, gripping her waist and lifting her against the wall roughly. He wanted her closer, so he could be distracted from the hurt inside. The skin of her lower back scrapped against the brick and Aranea couldn't hold back a gasp that almost pulled him away from her. Her eyes filled with understanding held him in place. It felt as though parting from one another would mean crumbling into dust. "It's logical, isn't it?" he insisted.

"Yes, you're always logical, Ignis, but you don't need to be right now. I know I did a lousy job…"

That got him to pull away far enough to look her in the eyes.

"Can't you stop blaming yourself!?"

"Only if you stop blaming _yourself_!" she opposed. "You can't watch over Noctis all the time! He's going to get hurt sometimes. But you have to believe in him."

"It's not that I don't believe in him, I…!"

 _If he's lost, then I'm lost too,_ he realized bitterly.

"You can't believe in yourself if he's not around, huh?"

He winced, but she was hitting so close to home. It was easy to be collected and keep his mind straight if he had people to look after. He couldn't crumble when the whole team depended on his cooking skills and his sharp mind. Noctis was his charge. His to guide. And now he'd failed him.

"I need to be stronger than this, Aria. He's not eternally lost."

"Of course not."

He took in a deep breath, exhaling slowly. His shoulders were still shaking, and he pinched his lips together.

"Can't you stop thinking for a bit? You could have been eternally lost. I can take a jump from pretty high, but you were on top of a freaking warship…"

"Things got sort of hectic…"

She pinched his chest through a tear in his jacket, to which he pinned her even closer to the wall, her legs wrapping around his waist. He was definitely trying not to think for once.

"Describe hectic."

"Giant bees?" he offered.

"Is that what that smell on you is? Bee guts?!"

Aranea raised her nose with mock disgust, but she didn't try to push him away either.

"When was I supposed to have the time to shower?" he observed.

"I think I've said before that I…"

He cut her off with a short kiss, unable to handle the closeness without moving in any longer. She let out a soft whine as her bad wrist was pulled to the side by the sudden gesture but reassured him when he gave her an apologetic wince.

"I'm with you right now. Focus on that, Iggy."

"Okay… Can you promise me you won't car-surf again when I'm flying the Regalia?" Ignis asked her. "Or when I'm driving it period."

"I wish I could. But then I'd be car-surfing on another's guy car," she teased him.

He raised one brow at her, not sure this was the best time for such jokes. But they both needed some sort of comfort. Her good hand tugged on the top of his shirt and his fingers drew gentle lines up her shoulders and neck as they both let themselves be glad for this brief embrace they could share. Even though they were tired and on edge and covered with ash and blood. Trying to wrap herself around him as best as she could with her armor still mostly on, Aranea welcomed his second kiss and the fact he was entirely there with her despite everything on his mind. Despair on their lips, they tried to convince each other fear could be held back. It felt half wrong and half right, but the right was winning over as she claimed a third and a fourth kiss.

"I really need to confirm something with you and then take you upstairs so you can bandage that wrist…"

"I'm listening."

"No other guy?"

"Are you kidding me?!" she laughed in his face.

"I'm easy to scare right now," Ignis confessed.

She cupped his face, resenting the fact she couldn't reach for him with both hands.

"I don't feel so strong myself," Aranea admitted.

"And yet you ground me better than anyone else could."

"Crazy, huh?"

"When I love you this much? I don't think so."

To be continued…

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I hope you liked this chapter. Next one will include more fluff and also some organization about Lestallum after this massive attack. The rest of the chocobros will also have their chance to react about Noctis's kidnapping. And we'll get more Ardyn, because I need the title to work.

The next update might take some time, considering I have to fully focus on school again, but writing is my outlet now more than ever. So we'll see how long it takes me.

Like always, review keeps me motivated. 😊


	68. Stumbling in the dark

Hi guys! I had my scientific presentation this weekend, after one horrible week of hard work – not kidding, I tried to salvage a colleague's work to realize all my efforts were going down the drain anyway- and to make a long story short, I'm still going through ups and downs. My thesis is doing well, I've started collecting my data for my second study and my presentation rocked. In news more related to this fic, I have a ps4 again (no comment) and the royal pack, so I can enjoy time with the chocobros once more, even though I need to redo everything I already had done from scratch. No boat ride for me yet… :S I'm around chapter 3 right now, doing every sidequests and hunts on my way. The first-person mode and the fact I can already switch between every of the guys is quite nice. This chapter covers the team's reactions regarding Noctis's kidnapping, raviris and SilverGold, because we had been getting little time with these two.

I'd like to mention that I intend to go over the past chapter involving Cindy to try fixing her accent. Which is why her accent barely showed up in the few interventions I gave her recently. Oh, I almost forgot to mention that Gladio is a monumental dick today. Consider yourself warned. Without further ado, enjoy today's chapter! :D

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Unexpected

Chapter 68 – Stumbling in the dark

 _I haven't held you in four days. I get the feeling I'm doing more bad than good. Your eyes tell me so many things, I can barely hold your gaze in the morning. I know I sound pathetic… I feel pathetic. I thought writing some of it down would help, but since you're not answering, I might as well have put a letter in a bottle and thrown it in the sea. Or maybe it's your way of paying me back for being so distant? I know this isn't fair for you, Luna. But I can't risk you._

He'd decided that all by himself and Luna couldn't even find it in her heart to resent him for it right. If she could only know he was safe, there wasn't a price she wasn't ready to pay. Lestallum was far behind as they rode towards the marsh Aranea had tracked Ardyn to. They'd flown over the broken bridge of Duscae and their ride had been spent in utter silence except for the few pointers Aranea gave Ignis as they got off the road, the dragoon driving one of their motorcycles and Prompto arguing time and again with Ignis about how the Regalia wasn't made for such a bumpy ride. Gladiolus was messing with a pocket on his jacket, tearing off leather stripes without even realizing it. Crowe sat by Luna's side, trying to make herself small enough so that the Oracle wouldn't be too squeezed against the passenger door.

They bumped into each other a bit, but Luna was determined to read the texts Noctis had sent her. It felt like her most recent link with him, since they'd barely exchanged a word before to part in Lestallum. If only she'd known…

 _I'll find you, I don't care how far we have to go and how dark of a cell he put you in._

She couldn't let her imagination run wild, because she knew what Ardyn liked to do to people. Or at least, what he would suggest to Verstael and other high-ranking officers in Nifelheim. Crowe yelped as a violent bump nearly sent her between the front seats and into the windshield, but Gladiolus pulled her back. Luna had to curl up against the door to evade an elbow in her chest and Ignis let out a groan. He hated mistreating his passengers in such a way.

"This is getting ridiculous. We'd better continue on foot. I'll buzz Aranea."

Luna stored her phone in her jean pocket, getting off the car before it was even stopped, much to Ignis and Gladiolus's annoyance.

"Don't go breaking your neck, princess," the Shield warned.

A icy glare made him raise one brow, but Crowe cut the potential argument short.

It had taken them 36 hours before they could even leave Lestallum and Luna had grown a little more impatient with every passing hour. Even though Cor had deployed hunters to look for traces and hints, the trail had already turned cold by the time the men had gotten there. Aranea insisted on checking the place herself and Lunafreya was agreed that it was as good a place to start as any. The only other option would be to track down anything related to Izunia and she wasn't sure such a thing existed. This man liked his mysteries.

Although his obsession with Noctis and the few things he'd told her a few months ago could lead her to believe he might be Lucian instead of Nifelheimer. And with the capacities he showed and his story about being a leader and a healer a long, long time ago…

 _An immortal man cannot go entirely unnoticed,_ Luna tried to encourage herself.

Her hands itched to pull the phone back out of her pocket and text Ravus for the nth time, but he'd promised her he would look into Ardyn Izunia as soon as Iris's fever would go down. She needed all the solutions she could find and was under the impression they needed to try a lot of different things. Her eyes blinked to gold as she tried to sense the strange stitch in magic when Ardyn used his powers.

"Whoa, she's gold again," Prompto couldn't help his exclamation.

"Lunafreya, saving your strength is…" Ignis started.

"I rested up more than enough," she nearly snapped at him. "I can recognize his magic if he's near, making sure he isn't won't cause us any harm."

"Well my lady, your pretty magic is doing wonders finding him. Go catch up to Aranea, I think we're close," Gladio interfered.

"Gladiolus!" Crowe instantly slapped him in the shoulder.

"No, he's right. My magic can't save Noct right now. We need to find him first."

Prompto clearly had something to say and Ignis's hands had turned into fists, but Lunafreya trudged on without another word, the others exchanging a quick look.

"If you can't be remotely civil with her, I'm sending you back to Lestallum," Ignis warned.

"Think Noctis being gone makes you king by interim?" the Shield shot back.

The advisor grit his teeth, feeling his composure hastily put back together ready to crack. He knew Gladio was hurting and didn't know how else to deal with it. That didn't make him any less of an ass. And Ignis wasn't sure he had the patience to deal with an ass, even it was one of his best friends.

"Well, I sure didn't think you'd lash out on people hurting just as bad as you," Prompto observed, hoping that stating the situation would reduce the tension.

"We took down our Marlboro while you let your clone go free," the tall man reminded him. "And what was the first thing he did, huh?! Take Noct away like a good little soldier."

The gunman flinched at the accusation but couldn't find any retort to throw back in his face. Luna calling out for them was the excuse they needed, both Ignis and Prompto rushing forward. Crowe shivered as she wondered what words Gladiolus might have for her if she walked in his line of sight right now. But she still held him in place, throat tied as she tested her voice.

"You can't push them like this. They could break at any…"

"Well, maybe they should break for a bit and let me handle things instead of pushing me to the sidelines! I can't remember the last time I was even allowed to be Noctis's actual bodyguard and look where we are now!"

"Can you stop yelling at everyone? Please, Gladio, we're not going to make progress if we fight between ourselves…"

He had a comeback all ready for her but thought better of it, his shoulders lowering ever so slightly.

"Sometimes, people don't understand things unless we beat sense into them," he declared. "Prompto was able to kill Otto-1, but not that other one?"

Crowe's face fell a little more.

"Don't you think he's killed enough people looking like him as it is? Ardyn would have taken Noctis anyway."

 _Then maybe I should have left while you were handling that Marlboro. You didn't need me there._

 _ **Oh, that's interesting. You really are a burden to him,**_ Etro mused.

The former Glaive looked away from him, her arms instinctively wrapping around herself. The sight made him wince inwardly, but he wasn't sure why she even reacted like that. What he had in his heart was ugly right now, but it wasn't as though he'd said it out loud.

"Your attitude won't help us find him anytime sooner," she declared, holding her voice as steady as she could.

"Looking here won't help us either and you know it. They all do."

The search revealed a bloody talon that surely belonged to Aldercapt, but there were no tracks or even a trail to be found. Prompto and Aranea insisted they'd seen Noctis taken away on a stretcher, but they couldn't find traces to corroborate their tale and Gladio was ready to lash out against the dragoon too. Ignis wouldn't stand for it and when both men seemed ready to jump at each other's throat, Luna ordered the Shield to keep his mouth shut before that things escalated any further.

They were bitter as they searched some more and were forced into battle against a pack of coeurls. Gladiolus took his anger out on the animals, actually going far and beyond to keep Luna from having to fight. He made it a point to steer away from Crowe during the battle, having the lingering impression he was only getting in her way now that she fully relied on Etro if she got hurt. Prompto could only wonder how long they'd last without Noctis keeping them together. It had only been one and half day and they were already beyond themselves with grief.

…

It had been 38 hours when Iris stirred from her feverish daze. Monica had gotten to Lestallum in record time and when she wasn't looking after the city, she took care of the young lady. She fed her when Ravus couldn't, cleaned her and watched over her sleep with her notepad in her lap. The Tenebraen prince worked himself ragged with the rescue effort. The people of Lestallum had seen him by the Oracle's side often enough and didn't fear him like they'd done in Free Crown. He helped carrying debris around, organizing the salvaging effort, the rationing of their healing stocks. They ran through the potions stock in a matter of hours and the situation was looking quite dire. The few hospitals were filled with wounded, the cemetery piling up with corpses and panic threatened all over the city. For the first time in years, the people of Lestallum asked where their King was and what he was doing for them. And no answer came, because the only answer would upset them even more. Monica had proposed a speech from Luna, but both Ignis and Ravus opposed the idea. The Oracle alone talking to them would only make it more apparent that Noctis was missing. The goal right now was to keep the casualties and fear to a minimum.

Ravus wasn't sure how many worried persons had asked him for answers as he checked on the few refugee camps and help volunteers with passing food and supplies. He was bad at giving comfort and the few persons he actually wanted to comfort were either out in the wild or stuck in bed with a magic-induced fever.

Getting a text from Monica asking him to come over to the Leville in the middle of the day got his full attention. He quickly wrapped up what he was doing and was shocked to find Iris up on her feet and struggling with Monica to be let out of her room.

"I can help…!" the young girl insisted, half out of the door already.

Monica was resisting as best as she could, but she'd been pushing herself hard enough to be just as weak as Iris.

"We've got things under control," the administrator tried rebuffing her, letting out a yelp as her shoulder hit the doorway. Iris had finally gotten through her.

Her small victory didn't last long, Ravus already up the stairs and wrapping her in his arms without even thinking about what Monica could think.

"You should be in bed," he warned.

"I should be out there doing something, like everyone else!"

Exchanging a brief look with Monica, the prince silently promised to handle the situation. He'd visited Iris's bedside as many times as possible, but she'd been incoherent when she wasn't sleeping, and he couldn't deny the fact he needed to spend time with her. A conscious version of her at least. She tried fighting out of his hold, but he was already lifting her up, handling her with care despite staying firm.

"Ravus…!"

"Don't be stubborn," he told her. "You're still weak and we barely got you to eat anything. You won't do anyone good if you go out there and collapse after healing one person."

He carried her back inside her room, Iris keeping her eyes down as she tried to focus her thoughts on anything else than Noctis's situation. She'd asked about the King or her brother whenever she uttered a word while her fever was still strong and Ravus had done his best calming her down since the rest of the team had left. His metal hand usually calmed her, being colder and it had amazed him how her whimpers would stop just from the foreign touch of his prosthetic. It made it easier to forget she didn't call for him in her daze. Not even once. Her hands tensed on his forearms as he motioned to put her back on her bed and he held her closer.

"Don't lie me back in a bed. I don't feel sick anymore."

He shifted her in his arms, so he could lean his forehead against hers. His beard tickled her, and her surprised laugh made something shift in his chest. It had been two and a half days, but he'd missed her.

"You still feel too warm," Ravus observed.

"That's because you're so close," she tried.

"Oh really?"

He nuzzled her neck at that, sitting down on the mattress with the girl still in his arms, kissing her until the first moan came from her lips.

"Ravus, I'm all sweaty from…"

"I-don't-care." He whispered to her matter-of-factly. "You scared me." He kissed the top of her head, cupping her face with his human hand. "You kept the fact ethers didn't work on you from me. And you laughed that adorable laugh of yours earlier."

She shivered next to him, shifting around as his kisses trailed up her neck and to one earlobe. A part of her wanted to surrender to this, because she felt loved and oblivious to anything that wasn't Ravus when he held her like that. But she couldn't help but worry about Noctis. Was it fair that she enjoyed being with her boyfriend when her King and childhood friend was…?

Her hands pushed him away as gently as she could, her eyes looking up to his.

"Where are the others?"

He heaved a sigh, his shoulders sagging. He needed the distraction, maybe even more than her.

"Don't you care even a little about me?" he asked her teasingly.

"Rave… You should know I do. You look exhausted. And like you haven't been eating enough."

He frowned, realizing he might have skipped two meals out of three during the last few days. It wasn't like it was the first time, but the realization she knew him well enough to tell from one look…

"I think they still do room service, even though things are pretty hectic."

Iris paled a bit, and the way she worried her lower lip gave him the rush to lean over, just so she would stop and…

"Can't you answer me? Are things looking so bad?" she insisted on cutting off his line of thought.

"No, things are… We just don't know how things are, okay? The others went to find a trail, but Luna has been thinking we should research Ardyn. In fact, when you're back on your feet, we're headed to Insomnia. I need to search the Citadel's library."

Iris blinked at the notion. Could this plan work? Could there be anything on Ardyn back home? Had the real enemy been this close from the beginning? She could see the worry in Ravus's eyes and pushed her doubts and resentment away. He had always done everything he could to look after her and she knew he wanted Noctis found just as badly as her. His sister's happiness depended on it after all.

"Gladio must be taking this really badly. We always used to joke about him failing his job but…"

"He is not doing well," Ravus declared before to add on a rougher voice. "He was worried about you."

Iris huffed at that. He was half telling the truth, half echoing his previous statement about being scared for her.

"A fever is not going to kill me, you know?"

His chuckle was weak and forced, and the brunette reached one hand to pull his chin up.

"I've seen many people suffering because of that light in your veins… I really wish you didn't have to suffer too."

"Would you even look at me twice if I didn't have it?" she asked, sounding playful.

But her question held truth and doubts, and Ravus blinked at her. Their circumstances were so messed up.

"I would! You piqued my interest way before the magic was even…"

"It certainly helped, didn't it?"

"In giving us common grounds?" he suggested, clearly doubting the magic was the main reason for their relationship. "Iris, don't get insecure about how I feel about you."

"What if I lose my powers? What if I can't be your white mage anymore?"

"You fix me without magic," he shot back instantly. "Iris, I… You have to know by now how unworthy of everything I feel."

Her lips quivered, because she wondered how worthy she was if he couldn't see his own value. She'd barely accomplished anything, and he'd already been through so much. It was hard not to feel rushed into claiming her own successes.

"I'm scared we might not find Noctis," the girl started. "I'm scared my healing might vanish after some time, burn through me like that fever. I don't want to let Luna deal with this responsibility alone."

"Iris, Luna isn't your responsibility. None of this is. You should enjoy yourself and…"

"My country is on fire! And the King was kidnapped, and I might never see him again… I can't remember if I was nice to him the last time we talked… I don't want a repeat of what happened with my father, Rave."

Her tears came down, the prince instantly pulling her into a warm hug.

"We'll get him back. It won't be easy, and you have a right to be scared, but we'll get him back."

He hated using such empty words, even though he believed them. It was logical to think Noctis would survive the ordeal with Ardyn. Killing someone was easy. Breaking them down wasn't.

Iris cried against his shoulder, soon curling upon herself, her face drifting to his chest. He hated each of her sobs, but he held on to her, eventually leaning back so they could lie next to each other. She clung to him desperately, her fingertips digging into his shirt, relishing the way his fingers stroke her hair and gently drew circles over her back. It was after a few minutes that the worst of it seemed to pass, and Ravus couldn't help emitting an affronted sound as he realized Iris was sniffling and nearly blowing her nose in his shirt.

"Are you for real?!"

"I… I want you to take that shirt off," she offered, blushing furiously.

He blinked at her, his hands squeezing her waist.

"Any other item of clothing you want off me?"

Her blush intensified, but the teasing was clear in his voice this time and she was grateful for it.

"Earlier, you seemed ready to help me stay distracted," Iris started. "I… I could really use a distraction, or I'm going to cry some more and…"

"I doubt I can deal with more of your sobs," he confessed, pulling her flush against him. "But you're playing with fire."

"Well, I already got burns… Wait, when were they healed?"

"I begged Luna to fix them. In truth, I didn't have to beg, but I really appreciate the fact I can already touch you."

His human hand sneaked up her shirt, finding goosebumps on the skin of her back and Iris couldn't hold his gaze anymore. She shifted forward, their nose bumping together before that their lips could find each other. She was still running a fever, Ravus had half a mind to call this wrong, but he was tired of keeping her at arm's length. And the gods knew he needed her arms around him. Three kisses later, he was obediently shrugging off his shirt before to pull her closer, rolling on his back for the first few minutes, before turning them around.

Getting close was still new and incredibly scary, but he loved her, and her soft whines and light shivers were all worth it. Her fingers followed his sides, mapping the scars on his back, pulling on his hair when he threatened to part from her. It was desperate, but also exhilarating. Her hips moved at some point, a need for more slowly taking over and Ravus mentally talked himself out of it.

Making out and touching and teasing each other was as far as he was ready to go. He felt almost too alive and he knew Iris wasn't entirely in her right mind, no matter how articulate she sounded. He wanted her fully there when they'd finally…

"I love you," she sighed, a lazy smile on her swollen lips as they parted for air.

"Me too," he whispered back, gathering her in his arms.

…

 _Heard what happened in Lestallum on the radio. You were passing by on that day. Are you okay? – Just let me know you're fine._

Prompto hadn't seen how to answer Cindy's question at first. He wanted to tell her he was fine, but he wasn't. Too tired at first, he put off answering her, only to find more texts on his screen a few hours later and over six missed calls.

 _Prompto, I'm getting worried. There's been bombings and the only thing telling me you're safe is the fact the texts get there. - Are you too hurt to type an answer? - Why don't you pick up your phone? - Should I come over?_

 _P: Sorry for not answering earlier. You should stay where you are, babe. We're more afraid of an outbreak among the civilians than another attack by the empire. Plus, there's a guy running around with my face. Again or still, not sure how to describe it._

 _C: So you're alive! Things sound bad. How are you holding up?_

Prompto had waited a little longer and called her during a pitstop on the following day. He knew his voice was bad even now, but he couldn't type down the word "missing" or "lost" without his eyes going all blurry with unshed tears.

"Hey stranger," Cindy greeted his call.

"Hey, how's my goddess doing?" he tried to sound casual.

"Missin' my beauty sleep over you. What have you been up to that you can't even answer my texts?!"

"I… Cin, don't tell your old man, okay? Noct is missing. He was captured by the empire and… We're looking for him now."

She swore under her breath, which made him smile as he pictured the look on her face.

"You're damn lucky you weren't on speaker, Prom. Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

"I don't know," he sheepishly whispered. "Saying it out loud makes it sound more real. I… I saw them take him away and couldn't get there in time…"

He had tried apologizing to Luna back in Lestallum, but the princess refused to hear any of it, insisting that he'd done everything he needed. But Gladio's words earlier were clear in his mind.

"Prompto…"

"He was in pretty bad shape too. I'm supposed to be one of his crownsguard and…"

"Stop. I'm sure you did all you could. There was a warship and bombs and daemons all over the city. You must have gotten hurt."

Her voice wavered a bit and he wondered if this talk wouldn't make her rush to Lestallum instead of what he'd intended. He wanted comfort but hearing her voice and sharp breaths on the phone wasn't enough. He wished for her arms, for the feel of her hair against his face. The smell of oil and sweat. His heart missed a beat as he wondered how hard it had to be for Noctis to want all those little things Luna was for him. Not knowing when they'd see each other again.

"Nothing that Luna couldn't fix," he assured her, trying to recall what they were talking about.

"You need me here, don't you?"

His shoulders hung lower.

"I frigging do," he confessed. "But we don't sit still for long. Luna is pretty frantic about doing all we can to find Noct. Oh, I forgot. Don't tell this to anyone else if you can…"

"Of course, I'll keep my mouth shut. But Prom, if you want me there, I can come over."

He couldn't help but remember how the last time she'd tagged along had turned for them both, and he didn't want a repeat of that.

"It's not that I don't want to see you, it's just easier to move with fewer people right now. And I'd rather you stay safe while things are still…"

"If a warship can get over Lestallum out of the blue, what place in this country is safe?" Cindy pointed out.

Prompto almost flinched at that. She had a point, but the Sylph wasn't any warship. Ravus had insisted that it was one of a kind and that Verstael wouldn't be able to pull a similar stunt for years.

 _Except he's not getting years to prepare. If I can get in Gralea, I'm going to find that bastard and make him pay…_

The original version of his DNA was a monster responsible for too many atrocities, but Prompto was currently focusing on his biggest fault. The fact he'd engineered the daemon Aldercapt was turning into and send it after Noctis one more time. His friend had been shaken enough as it was and didn't need this. He was filled with doubts already and now he had to deal with his worst nightmare.

"Are you zonin' out on me?" Cindy asked as the silence stretched out. "I'm not… tryin' to make you feel bad, ya know?"

"Thanks. I didn't mean to scare you, ya know?" he tried to sound playful and somehow managed if he was to trust her light giggle.

She still sounded dead serious when she insisted, "I miss you, Prom. I want to see you."

Seeing each other for a few minutes in Hammerhead hadn't been enough and spending so much time without her in Free Crown while every of his friends were hanging out with their girls had been tough on the gunman, no matter how much he pretended otherwise.

"I miss you too, Cindy." He noticed Luna waving for him to come over and gave her a quick wave back. "I think we're leaving. Text you tonight?"

"Don't forget me now. Or I'll drive myself to town before you even have time to get back and find a way to get you drunk."

"I really don't need to be drunk right now," he chuckled. "They're going to honk me if I don't go."

"Then go, city boy," Cindy relented. "Just stay safe, okay?"

"Doing my best. I love you," he added quickly, as an afterthought.

"Same here."

His heart was a little warmer when he walked back to his friends. Crowe had taken his place and Luna asked him to sit between her and Gladiolus, having something she wanted to ask him during their ride back. She didn't wait for them to be on the road to inquire about her latest idea.

"Prompto, I've been wondering about your tattoo. What was used for it?"

"What?! I… I'm not sure."

"Could there be metal in it? I couldn't study them, but I know that Verstael usually liked to leave his mark on his creations."

Ignis nearly stepped on the break at how cold Luna's words sounded. She was acting quite unlike her since Noctis had been missing and he didn't see how to invert the process. Prompto had paled and Gladiolus looked at the pair of blonds with a curious expression.

"Do you mean… like a signature? A metal that no one else would use? I wouldn't put it beyond him," the gunman admitted, while inadvertently rubbing his tattooed wrist.

"But what's your goal?" Gladio interfered. "Tracking down whoever else has that barcode tattooed to their wrists? Won't we find a hundred MTs corpses before to even locate that Otto-2?"

"The other MTs aren't as good a version of Verstael as Prompto and the Ottos," Luna objected. "I'm certain he would use a different signature for his elite soldiers. I can surely make a detector for it with my brother's help if we do find metal in your tattoo. Otto-2 has to be close to Noctis, don't you think?"

Ignis joined in the conversation, since it was clear Lunafreya would follow through with her line of thought if Prompto allowed it.

"This is not a bad plan. We need all the hints we can get."

Although it hinged on a lot of "ifs".

Which turned out to be entirely justified. After a long and overly silent ride, and a quick, although painful inspection, Ravus confirmed that there was a metal with a particular radiation in the ink making up Prompto's tattoo.

"Radiation?!" Prompto repeated.

"You were fed with daemon blood as a child and you're just fine, that radiation won't…"

"What about the people around me?!" Prompto objected.

Ravus sighed.

"I don't think you'll cause anyone cancer if you haven't in the past 21 years, Argentum. Now, could you mope in silence?"

Prompto pulled a face at him, but he stayed quiet for a good part of the following half hour, tapping his feet on the floor or clicking his tongue in his usual nervous manner. It was later decided that Ravus would complete the radiation metal detector to locate Otto-2, which actually gave them hope that Noctis would be found. All they needed was to find Otto-2 in the vicinity of the King.

…

 _Deep breaths. Relax. Nothing is hiding in the dark._

Luna had used those words far too many times for them to remain even remotely effective. Sleep hadn't come for her in the past few days and her eyes couldn't close without tears gathering up. She had stopped drying them after the first fifteen minutes of it and her throat was aching from her efforts in holding back her sobs. When she found herself alone with nothing to distract her mind with, her thoughts shifted back to Noctis.

His absence was far worse at nights, when she could remember how his arms would wind around her. The gentle brush of his breathing on her skin. He'd either kiss her shoulder or nuzzle her neck until she'd remind him they both needed some rest. It was all gone now and although Noctis had been distant on the past few weeks, he was still around her.

On a whim, the princess pushed her covers to the foot of the bed, heaving a sigh as she blinked more tears away. The floor felt cold, but it was where Noctis would be sleeping if he was here. She pulled her covers off the mattress and grabbed one pillow, not forgetting the shirt that still held his scent. She tried to mimic his makeshift nest.

 _He's not here. Can he even sleep? Only a few hours would help… How many hours has it been?_

Curling up on her side, Luna forced herself to not to toss and turn around. It wouldn't help her to move. When it came to help Noctis, she felt paralyzed. What could be Ardyn's goal?

" _I've got your King."_

Why couldn't she get that awful vision of the chancellor out of her mind? Or Gladio's words about her pretty and useless magic…

It was like Tenebrae all over again. She was powerless and helpless once more. If only her mind could stop. But when pain took over, she couldn't shut herself down. On the contrary she switched to a frenzy of thoughts that hindered her in everything. Finding the strength to give herself up to sleep and potential nightmares was unthinkable. A waking nightmare was of her own choosing at the very least.

The seconds passed and turned to minutes. She could hear every tick on the clock on her wall and wondered if they could turn into gunshots. A battlefield would make her nervous energy useful. As it was, she was a ticking bomb of nerves waiting to blow.

 _But you've been breaking down so many times on the past few months, she chided herself. Can't you hold on? You're supposed to become their Queen. If you can't lead them now, when will you?!_

The coldness of the room had numbed her toes and the tip of her nose, but her heart was still bleeding. There should have been another heartbeat so close. He'd been damaged before, and she was afraid this would be one time too many. It was two in the morning when she kicked off her sheets angrily and climbed back to her feet. She put on a wardrobe and stepped out of her room, doubting she'd find a woken soul except from herself. But she needed presence. Someone warm who wouldn't attack her for hurting so badly when she should have been strong.

 _Ravus_. She mentally begged the gods to have given a new bout of insomnia to her brother. It took a small rasp at the guys' room to hear shifting inside. Crowe and Aranea both needed time off the stressed-out friends of Noctis. Iris was still watched over by Monica, at least, the was the last arrangement Luna had heard of. She was alone in her room because she'd thought time on her own would help. What a gross mistake.

Prompto was disheveled, but quite awake when he opened the door. He blinked at the sight of her and the princess wondered how awful she must be looking. With two lines of dried tears on her cheeks and puffy eyes.

"Luna?"

She fought the urge to wrap her arms around herself.

"Is my brother still up?" she whispered, finding it hard to hold Prompto's gaze.

"Actually, I think he sneaked out to spend the night with Iris. Gladio is snoring so hard, I can't sleep. Iggy had only one pair of earplugs and with all the driving, he needs more sleep than me."

Luna could hear the shield from the hallway and gave the gunman a sympathetic smile.

"Maybe we could… suffer from insomnia together?"

Her voice was so quiet, Prompto worried there was a hidden message to this. The unwanted mention to his home city made him ache for that illusion of security he used to have. Lucis wasn't safe anymore. And Noctis was gone. The teary eyes looking up at him erased his doubts. He wasn't simply a mad scientist's creation… He still swallowed nervously. He wasn't sure he could give her comfort when he needed it so much himself.

"Can we not use that word?" he asked her, trying not to let his discomfort show.

Lunafreya's eyes widened and an apology nearly slipped off her tongue, but Prompto quickly shook his head.

"It's no reproach, Luna. If you want us to hang out, talk the night away or… I'm going to ramble so much," he sighed, hanging his head.

It wasn't done on purpose, but it put a very fragile smile on her face.

"Your rambling will be better than the thoughts running around in my head," she assured him.

"Okay. Let me grab my phone and some shoes."

"You don't need shoes. I… I need some sleep," she confessed. "I just don't think I can manage on my own tonight."

She looked embarrassed admitting it, to which he raised one brow at her.

"I'm sure I can bore you to sleep with all the technical details of my camera," he offered.

"Oh, maybe we could look at some pictures?"

It was only a few minutes later that they stepped into Luna's room. A single look was enough for Prompto to spot the sheets on the floor. And Noctis's shirt on her pillow, wrinkled from being clutched into a ball too many times.

"Oh Luna… Did you catch any sleep the other nights?"

She shook her head, looking even paler than before. She felt bad for not putting anything back in order before getting help, but her brother had seen her room looking much much worse than this.

"I know I'm pathetic," she blurted out, wringing her fingers together.

"You have a right to hurt. The Six know I feel bad and Noctis is only my best friend," he tried encouraging her.

Luna's expression crumbled a little more at that and she took an uneasy step toward him.

"There are so many people hurting, if I can't be strong enough to heal them…"

Prompto felt anger as he realized the pressure she forced on herself. It was no surprise why Noctis was struggling to alleviate the burden she kept pushing on herself.

"Enough of that. It's time you worry about yourself, Luna. It's true that you're a mess but you have every right to be. If I could get out there this instant with a way to find him, I would, but that's not how life works."

He nearly sounded calm, but it wasn't enough. Luna wasn't sure what could be enough.

"Come here," he offered, opening his arms for her.

She didn't have to be begged. She hadn't been held in the last two days. No sob or tears came as she hid her face in the hollow of his shoulder. She wanted to make herself smaller and Prompto didn't tense at the closeness like they'd both expected him to. Today's searches had been nerve-racking and feeling her thin arms around him comforted him somehow. If he could be good enough to help her, surely he could also make it up to the team for letting Otto-2 get away.

"I keep imagining him going through what they did to me."

Her violent shiver froze his heart. He could barely imagine what the empire had done. She sounded so defeated and miserable. Nothing like the Luna thanking him for rescuing Pryna. He stroked her hair, drew circles on her back and tried to find a way to calm her. He felt bumps through her shirt where her burns and bandages covered her skin and wondered how much his touch was hurting her. It was the last thing he wanted to do, but Luna had barely taken a potion to fix herself, insisting that she was fine.

Might be her way to punish herself for what has happened.

"Do you want to sit down?"

"I want to scream," she confessed. "But that would just be…"

Prompto tightened his hold on her.

"Back when I trained myself back into shape, I had days I wanted to scream till I had no breath left. Doing it a few times really helped me hold on. So why hold it back?"

Luna couldn't help the impression letting her voice out like this might endanger Noctis. What if in some way he heard her? And realized he wouldn't get the support he needed when he'd come back, because she felt so damn broken herself.

"If I don't hold myself together, I can't fix him…"

"Of course, you can!" the gunman objected. "You don't have to scream now. We can go off to some secluded place where no one will look at you the wrong way for it."

She laughed against his chest. It was a weak, broken laugh, one that only Noctis and Ravus had heard so far. It tore at his heart, because he'd laughed that way so many times.

"Luna…" he sighed.

"Just keep your arms around me," she begged him.

"Sure. But my feet are freezing, so we're going to relocate to an actual bed."

It took some convincing for her to lie on the mattress and not the floor, and Prompto half dragged half carried her, realizing how weak she was. There was a shiver in her limbs that had nothing to do with her emotions. He knew for a fact she'd eaten enough, Ignis was close to feeding them by force, insisting a proper diet was the key to keeping things together. It felt awkward to lie next to her, close enough to smell the cold sweat that had gathered on her skin.

"Is this really okay?" he asked her, feeling her shuddering breathes through his shirt.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd held Cindy close and while the Oracle's blonde hair was paler, he couldn't help the longing he felt. Luna whispered a doubtful yes, because she also wondered if this was wrong, even if all she was looking for was comfort. Noctis would understand, with everything they'd been through already, he had to know she had eyes for no one but him. The silence stretching between them unnerved him twice as much as the closeness.

"I remember promising to ramble on and on. So, you'd better pick a subject."

"I'm drawing a blank," Luna told him. "If you tell me about anecdotes on Noctis, I'll break down for real…"

"I can talk about lenses and…"

"Tell me how you do it? How do you handle all the things the empire put you through? The nightmares?"

He blinked, taken aback. Was that why she refused to sleep?

"As a kid, I used to eat whenever I woke up from a nightmare. Nowadays, I just… stare at pictures until the ones in my head fade enough to be bearable."

No use mentioning how he'd focus on his guns, taking them apart and back together compulsively for hours. How the clicking of metal helped soothe his mind. Or the fact he'd pressed the gun's cannon against his temple without thinking on more than one sleepless night. Digging it into the barcode on his wrist. Testing the trigger just to hear the first click. Putting the safety back. And off.

"What do you usually do?" he asked her, pushing away the dark thoughts.

"I would snuggle with Pryna. Or write a letter to _him_."

Prompto heaved a deep sigh. He wasn't sure how to comfort her when her pain sounded so deep. He missed Noctis and was afraid what would happen to him, but he kept his imagination from running wild. If he went down that way, he might not come back and he would be no help to his friend that way.

"If Noctis was here…" he started, hesitating a bit at her sharp intake of breath. "He'd be worried sick about you. Do you want to find him looking ready to topple over?"

"No."

"I believe in him, and so does everyone else on the team. He can defeat a thousand daemons in the blink of an eye. We'll find him. And after we do, we'll make sure Ardyn never takes him away again."

"I know we'll find him and I believe in him. I think I'm starting to doubt myself. I was apart from him for 12 years…"

"But that's different and you know it. You have a right to miss him. And to be worried."

"And I have a right to feel… to _be_ so helpless?!"

She'd moved away far enough to look into his eyes and he dried the tears on her cheeks without even thinking. The gesture seemed natural, instead of too intimate. She was his friend, he realized.

"You're human, Luna. You can talk to the gods and your dogs travel between time and space if I'm to believe Noct on it… But you're only human. We're all helpless at times. That doesn't mean we care any less. And Noctis won't think any less of you for it."

"But…"

"You didn't order him to fight that daemon," he reminded her. "Noctis has been acting as though he was invincible lately and maybe it was time he realized he wasn't. I just wished that wake-up call wasn't so rough on him."

He remembered how lost Noctis had sounded in Free Crown. About knowing what was right and wrong.

 _This is wrong, buddy. Disappearing like that. Out of reach. Every time that freaking winged daemon shows up, you get lost and…_

He wanted to talk to him and see his goofy smile to make sure things wouldn't change anymore than they had already. His own pain showed as his face paled and Luna wondered once more…

 _Would this be happening if I was already gone? After all,_ _ **they**_ _want me out of the picture. There's still two Astrals to contact, but after that…_

"You know, Prom, I think…"

Her tone was so dark, ominous, and he had a suspicion he didn't want to hear whatever she had in mind, so he pulled her flush against him. He felt bony and lanky, but Luna couldn't resist his nervous warmth. She held in the awful words turning around in her head.

"That's how you can't sleep. Thinking too much. Believe me I know it well. We can talk after you've rested."

She sounded ready to protest, but Prompto insisted gently, running one hand over her hair.

"Back with my…Otto brothers, I guess, we found it hard to sleep every night. So we would snuggle close to stay warm and focus on each other's breathing. How about trying that?"

Lunafreya had doubts, because focusing on her own breathing hadn't helped her the nights before. But after shifting a bit, so he could keep her held close while not numbing his arms in an uncomfortable pause, she realized how quiet the silence could feel, with someone's else breathing in the room except from her. She wasn't alone anymore. She had no idea for how long, but there was someone here. Making sure she didn't fall off the bed into a void of sylleblossoms like those haunting her nightmares.

Prompto was safe. Which meant she was safe once more. She clung to that illusion, slowly matching her breathing with his. It took a few minutes and the tension in her limbs faded.

The gunman found himself staring at the ceiling, one hand woven in her platinum locks, a frantic impression running through him. Had he transferred her nervous energy over to him? His phone buzzed, and he jumped in fright despite knowing better. Luna mumbled, her arms holding him even tighter, as though she was afraid he'd pull away. She didn't wake, thank the Six.

 _My emergency is over with_ , Cindy had written. _How are you doing, babe?_

Prompto quickly switched his phone back to silent mode, wondering how he was supposed to answer her question.

 _P: You won't believe me. But I'm sleeping with Luna tonight._

 _C: You're what?!_

"Oh, way to go, man…" he sighed.

 _P: Luna hasn't slept in the past 48 hours. She's a mess and her brother couldn't look after her…_

 _C: Oh. Why did you lead with that?! Of course, the girl needs help. Her man is off to gods know where with a maniac. If it was you missing, I'd be a fucking mess._

That actually made him wonder how he'd react if it was Cindy who'd been kidnapped.

 _P: So would I. Although I'm not quite myself yet. What was that emergency about?_

 _C: People are leaving Lestallum for Free Crown in massive groups. There was a car crash on the way and they needed me to clear the way. This garage covers pretty much all of Lucis when it comes to car trouble._

 _P: My girl is always busy saving the world._

 _C: Don't mock me. I do what little I can._

 _P: I miss you so much, Cin._

 _C: Even while you're holding a princess in your arms?_

 _P: That makes it even worse._

 _C: My poor baby. When the roads clear, I should really head over to Lestallum. That quick visit of yours was way too short._

They texted back and forth for a few more minutes, Prompto doing his best to make as little noise as possible and not shift around too much. Luna's sleep was deep thankfully so she never stirred, except for a nightmare that he calmed with a shush and a light pressure on her back. It came so naturally, although he felt half bad for it.

 _C: You should sleep too, Prom._

 _P: So do you. It's getting really late._

 _C: I'm only putting my phone down if you tell me you're better than when we started talking._

 _P: I still miss you if that's what you're talking about. But I feel sort of lighter._

 _C: Sorta is better than nothing for now. Be a good boy now. Get some sleep. And you'd better not sleep with a princess every night. My bed manners can't compete with hers._

 _P: She snores._

 _C: Is it cute?_

 _P: You have no idea._

Prompto couldn't believe he fell asleep with a smile on his face that night. He simply hoped that wherever he was, Noctis wasn't going through too much pain.

To be continued…

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The angst is real. I am not projecting anything in Luna's feelings. Nope. XD Who am I kidding? Luna is in for a really tough time. The fluff and hurt/comfort that will follow is going to be worth it, at least I hope so, but it's still a few chapters before we get there.

Next chapter should see Otto-2. And the rest of Noctis's torture. The poor King is not out of the woods just yet. I hope you liked this chapter. Please leave a review to let me know what you thought of it.

On another note, and I swear, this is the last time I plug a mention to this, I've started a Ko-fi page. If you want (and can) support me, it would be much appreciated. The link to it is on my profile page. 😉


	69. You don't know darkness yet

On Gladio's birthday, I'm writing on Noctis going through hell.

This chapter is shorter than usual, because I'm going through really busy weeks at the moment and also because we all missed Noctis a great deal in the last chapter. Sadly, things aren't going so well for him. The sentence I wrote earlier says it all. I can't say how happy I am with all the reviews this fic has gotten so far. And this story is officially the longest story I've ever written on this site.

Please, bear with me as Noctis goes through another bout of torture. It's the last one for this arc. Lots of hurt/comfort in store. Dark imagery is coming, but it still fits the rating.

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Unexpected

Chapter 69 – You don't know darkness yet

"It's morning," the chancellor called out in a song-song voice.

It was a warning, but Noctis was too weak to react. Ice cold water filled his nostrils and he gasped for air, chocking and recoiling as his mind hastily reconnected to reality. He never knew what Ardyn had in mind to wake him and he wasn't sure whether it was really morning or night. Today was wake-up with buckets of water day. His magic flared in his veins and his broken leg protested with pinpricks of pain at his sudden movement.

The following wave of water froze in the air before reaching him, which meant ice shards fell all over him.

"Such a waste of your energy," Ardyn commented.

Noctis spit a mix of bile and water on the marble floor, trying to hold on to his consciousness. It had been over four days if the King could believe Otto-2. Prompto's lookalike had given him two meals in that time and the only kind words he'd heard in so long. Noctis was still desperately looking for a way out, but his powers barely answered him. His ring was gone, his pride was shattered, his will might follow soon and his face was a mess of dried blood and tears. He'd scratch at his skin whenever he was left alone, wondering how he could even hold on through Ardyn's games. More visions had been imposed on him. His friends sick or dying. Blighted. Crippled. Torn to pieces.

The other day had been a nightmare, with a crowd of citizens surrounding him, either mocking him or pleading for his salvation.

 _Where are you? Why have you left us? We followed your father, we believed in him.. We crowned you King and you promised…!_

"You failed them."

He shivered, forcing the memories away. He couldn't linger on it, because Ardyn was here and the game of not being broken was back on. There was a new burn on his skin and as he looked down at himself, he realized a new word scar had been made on his chest. It was upside down so he could read it all by himself, among the bruising and the other names.

 _F-A-I-L-U-R-E._

The bile surged back up his throat and he swallowed it back down, his eyes moving back up. It was hard to keep both of them fully open. His entire body wanted to shut down and the little sleep he was getting was barely helping. His lips were cracked, his tongue felt dry and swollen. Breathing hurt from all the kick in his ribs and the last tangle with Aldercapt.

Ardyn loved to pit them against each other. Thinking of the chancellor, Noctis tried to spot him, but the man had moved back into the darker corners of the room. A hand gripped his hair, lifting him to his knees and he couldn't hold back his scream.

"Had a good night?"

"Fuck off," Noctis managed through his clenched teeth.

"Cute. I must say, I appreciate your resilience. But you're getting quite pale. I need you to stand today."

"Izu…!"

"Ah ah ah, that's _your_ moniker," Ardyn reminded him. "Now, try and stand."

His scalp burned and for an instant, Noctis felt the floor under his feet. His boots had been eaten away by awful rats on the first night and he was too cold and numb to shift either of his legs even if he wanted to. He'd hit the floor face first so many times in the past few days, it was almost comfortable now. The floor was further from Ardyn. The floor hadn't opened under him to swallow him whole yet. He'd make himself a blanket from this marbled floor if he could.

The nasty fingers let go of his hair and his crooked leg couldn't handle his weight, his hands reaching out to slow his fall. There was a hiss in the dark and the various pains in his limbs rose to something that was almost unbearable as his bones shifted.

"I doubt he might ever walk again," Aldercapt observed, making Noctis yelp in shock.

He hadn't realized the former emperor was also in the room. How big was this damn place? Who else was there? Or was it an illusion once more?

"Daemon of little faith," Ardyn chided him.

"Emper…!"

"I'm working, shut your trap, Iedodo."

Noctis looked up at that, surprised that Ardyn sounded genuinely annoyed.

"Must have been hard to stay in that guy's shadow for so long," the young King tried.

"How about your father's shadow? And the 112 kings before him?"

"I dealt with it."

"Sure. Separate beds for you and your fiancé. Going apeshit on people."

A sharp intake of breath, but Noctis didn't back down, biting right back.

"At least I didn't kill my own wife. Did you only have one in all those years?"

Ardyn glared at him, his eyes shifting from their usual amber to a mix of red and gold.

"A dozen. Men or women, I'm not difficult," the honey in his voice was souring.

His easy-going attitude couldn't hold.

"You killed them all, didn't you? You just warp everything you touch so you can't stand to see the world spinning round."

"Squares make for much better shapes anyway."

Noctis actually rolled his eyes at him and the pretenses vanished just like that. Ardyn face was oozing with rage now, even though his polite mask stayed on. Fighting with words seemed to help the dark-haired man in regaining his powers, three royal arms surging in the air, keeping the chancellor at a safe distance.

"No need to beat around the bush, your Highness," Ardyn taunted him.

"You're upset because I'm fully human and not a monster like you."

"That's only a matter of time."

"You keep saying that, but it's…"

… _bullshit._

Ardyn's own armiger appeared, clashing with Noctis's swords and axe.

"You think you're better than me?!"

Aldercapt laughed, getting over his fear of the chancellor as he saw him losing his patience for the very first time and something in the cursed one snapped.

 _The very first King of Lucis was Somnus the Mystic, only child of the Caelum family and sole heir to the crystal. The Astrals forged the ring of the Lucii for him, a mark of pure light upon the country of ever darkness. The ring is the symbol of the true ruler of Lucis and was imbued with the soul of Somnus the Mystic when he died…_

That was how the storybooks went.

Noctis hadn't seen Ardyn's memories of that time. Ardyn himself wasn't sure if the memories themselves hadn't been warped by darkness. The cage where Somnus Izunia had thrown him once he'd surrendered himself in a desperate attempt to save his wife. The nights of utter darkness in which he was plunged after seeing what had been done to her. How he heard _his_ people claim the name of another as their true King. The final talk with the crystal as its power shifted to a stranger. Someone far from befitting of the crown Ardyn had forged as the gods had asked him to. The half-crown Regis wore was only a fragment of the original work.

A King didn't need a crown to look regal or commanding but there was a reason why the chancellor held on to his beloved fedora hat over the years. A naked head was worse than having his insides exposed.

"Laughing, daemon dog?" Ardyn asked, his eyelids twitching. "How about I give you what you wanted all this time?"

Noctis could merely back away as his royal arms were pushed back, one drove into a wall, his axe collapsing unto itself. The brief surge of energy was failing him and the curtain of steel surrounding him was foreign, the blurring motion red instead of blue.

"First I'll fix him," the chancellor declared, vanishing into thin air to reappear next to Noctis. "Then we can see which leader is the stronger. North and scales, or the South of youth."

"What…?!"

"I kept a few tricks up my sleeve, dear chosen King. I could take you back to every truth you've yet to see, but it sounds like you don't believe me yet. So we'll get the corruption across to begin with."

Noctis tried to muster his powers, but the dark magic from the blight wrapped around him, veiling his eyes, cutting off his breathing. There was a sudden rush of pain in his leg as Ardyn moved it around, forcing the bones back into place. The impression of ants running in his flesh came back, forcing his flesh and muscles into place, tearing him apart to better put him back together.

"This is not… healing…" Noctis managed a protest, fiercely holding on to his will.

It was the only thing keeping him sane as the invisible ants ran up his waist and looked for more wounds to _fix_. They focused on the roughly patched hole in his back, making detours to reopen the scars of word all over his chest and sides. His freshly healed legs kicked madly as he tried to shove them away with his arms. His movements were sluggish, a weak shivering reigning over his entire body.

"It's tainted, but you are going to walk again."

"Even if he can stand, he won't be able to fight me," Aldercapt observed, his voice sizzling.

"Oh, but I intend to give you a challenge, Aldercrap."

Ardyn warped once more, in that weird, instant teleportation way he could use. Noctis couldn't react quickly enough, feeling his hands on his ribs flipping him over, pushing him face first to the floor.

"You just need a little boost," the chancellor whispered. "I kept a shard of your dear crystal just for this…"

Noctis bent his neck to have a look at the so-called "shard", spotting a cone of stone, with red and blue shards, all pointier then the others. Where was this thing supposed to go?

"Wait…"

"You're the one who complained about still being human," Ardyn mocked him, stabbing him in the back with the crystal shard.

There was no otherworldly voice, no spiritual impression. His body held on for him, every sensation feeling too vivid. He could feel only pain as his skin was torn open and his flesh invaded by the very crystal haunting his nightmares. A twist and his fresh scream rippled into pure agony.

"I thought you'd be happy to get your crystal back. Especially since you lost your ring. Don't miss your old men?" the chancellor asked him, bending forward to whisper in his ear, keeping the pressure on the shard. "All grumpy and mad after sitting in that tiny stone for so long… We might be prisoners of our own fate, but at least, we can still walk around and stretch our limbs. Do you have any idea how good it feels to have more than four limbs?"

"Shut up."

"Sounds like my treatment is working," Ardyn smiled.

As horrible as it sounded, Noctis slowly felt his energy coming back, his blood reacting to the crystal. A jolt, a wave of pain as an invisible hand squeezed his skull. The ants crawling all over him were gone but there was a vision pushing against his eyelids. A voice speaking over his thoughts, like on the first day he'd encountered the crystal as a child. Tears were rolling down his eyes and he wanted to cough, if only to clear up his dried-up throat.

 _ **Are you really my chosen one? What am I now? Can I be alive again?**_

 _What are you…?_

"Don't think too hard, Noct."

"You don't get to…"

 _ **What are we?!**_ The voice insisted in his mind, shaking him up.

It sounded distressed, like someone suddenly reconnecting with reality after sleeping for too long. Noctis couldn't describe how this impression came to him. He shared the voice's feelings. It was overwhelming him. Invading his every thought. And the vision imposed itself on him.

Huddled forms talking in a tongue he couldn't understand. A dark star in the sky, leaving a trail behind it.

 _ **I was made from Eos itself.**_

"Get up," Ardyn ordered, his voice sounding too far, as though an impossible distance had stretched between them.

Noctis could tell his hand was still on his back… Pushing the crystal deeper into his flesh to make sure it wouldn't come out. His magic forced skin to inch over the stone, reforming, bit by bit. His fingers followed a trail down Noctis's spine.

 _Oh gods, oh gods, I can't…_

 _ **They gave me away.**_

Noctis jumped forward, right into the red armiger still spinning dangerously close, but his own royal arms surged to protect him, clashing with the curtain of metal. Sparks and clanks made him jump as the magic burned his veins.

"Were you getting weird ideas there?" Ardyn teased him. "You're so not my type. But I know someone who'd eat you right up."

"I can kill him?!" Aldercapt exclaimed.

"You sure can try. But Noctis here is _my_ champion."

The way he drawled the word "my" made Noctis's skin crawl. But since his powers seemed to work and to keep working for once, he was ready to face anything. He needed to feel in control if only for an instant.

 _ **What are we? Where are we? Where's the rest of me?**_

The voice's panic made him blink hastily as he tried to shove it to the back of his mind. He had enough of his own fear. The red armiger keeping Aldercapt away vanished, and the emperor rushed with his fangs out, only for Noctis to call on his full armiger. 11 weapons hungry for blood.

"Should we do a waltz or..?"

"I'm sick of all that stupid banter," Noctis roared, letting his anger take over.

 _ **Are we sick? Broken?**_

 _Not yet._

He remembered the claws all over him, the fangs in his flesh, and now Ardyn was giving him something to destroy. Defeating the emperor was playing right into his hands, but Noctis needed to make some progress. And taking Aldercapt definitely out of the picture was better than nothing.

 _You're a failure, a failure, you've been cowering in this damp ruins, letting yourself talked down and beaten up because you lacked your ring and stupid powers…_

Were those his own thoughts? His ancestors might be showing back up, but they weren't coming with the crystal usually. Although the crystal he'd left in Free Crown had been messing with his head… Or was Ardyn's words worming their way into his brain?

Aldercapt was stopped in his charge by six different weapons, his left wing hacked right off, a spear driving through one leg, while more blades slashed all over his scaly skin, drawing dark blood on the marble floor. Noctis made sure that the five last weapons where between him and the chancellor, grabbing his engine blade out of pure reflex. He didn't try to spot his father's sword. He was afraid it would vanish like it had obeyed Ravus instead of him a few weeks ago.

 _This is wrong. This is plain wrong._

 _ **Are we wrong?**_

 _There's no we!_ Noctis wanted to scream.

But Aldercapt was gurgling and screeching in pain as the royal arms pinned him to the floor like a dry butterfly in a collection.

"Now that's more like it!" Ardyn chuckled.

Noctis looked over to him, nostrils flaring, gathering his armiger around him, leaving only three weapons on the emperor. His crooked leg was burning, and his back begged for mercy as he twisted around. Had Ardyn done something to his spine? Was it only the magic from the crystal keeping him standing?

"You…!"

"Oh, you think you'll hold up long enough to give me a taste of that anger? On an empty stomach?"

The mocking in his tone was getting on his nerves. Noctis knew he was still weak, but this was as good an occasion as he would get. He needed out of this place. He needed open space and a corner where he could hide knowing the chancellor wouldn't…

 _ **We're lost,**_ the voice realized.

The impression of helplessness sank in, even though he was standing on his own for the first time in days. Ardyn's eyes were oozing with daemon tar again. There was something heavy in the air, and the blue armiger slowed around Noctis. His eyes flickered back to blue and he willed the magic to stay still.

 _Let me win just this once. I don't think I can take much more…_

The crystal in his back burned and as he blinked, the dark room he was standing shifted to a cave, with pillars and intricate statues. The Infernian himself towered over him, a replica of stone to the giant man of fire. His horns glinted and Noctis batted his eyelids, trying to keep Ardyn in his sight. Marble, stone, marble, stone, the metallic scent of blood in the air and decaying flesh of the daemon lying behind him. His head was turning and before he knew it his feet were turning. A kick in his back and his knees hit the floor.

Was it marble or stone? What were these engravings under his palms? Why was there a buzzing in his ears?

 _ **Lost, lost, lost.**_

"You're tired, little king," Ardyn observed. "And famished. You've won against the man who ordered your father's death. Time you collect his pound of flesh, don't you think?"

 _ **Food-flesh? Is it fresh?**_

Noctis's hands moved with a will of their own and his nails dug into the scaly skin. Why were his nails so dark? Why could he tear through those scales? Magic crackled between his fingers, red and purple, far from the elemancy he knew and trusted. The sparks tore the monster's chest open in a horrible gurgle, revealing dark organs already infested with maggots. Noctis blinked furiously, his stomach protesting with a violent lurch.

"You're not better than me," Ardyn insisted. "Take your price. Like your ancestors did. If you eat his heart, you might just get stronger."

There was a laugh in his voice and while Noctis desperately tried to pull himself up and away, a clawed hand forced his head into the warm carcass. The smell of decay invaded his lungs, his nose touching something wet, bones cracking as his hands tried to get a grip.

 _ **Feed us, feed us now!**_ The new voice in his mind begged.

His face was covered in daemon blood now and he couldn't breathe, he could barely think, he needed to open his mouth, but an awful hunger had awakened inside, and he was terrified of giving in to it.

"He took a bite of you himself, why are you so picky?" the chancellor mocked him.

The hands on his head seemed to hold on something that shouldn't be there and the crystal on his back turned to a sizzling pulse, urging him to cave in. He tried to pull in some air. His stomach burned and his limbs shook uncontrollably as the voice howled for the flesh it craved.

 _ **If you eat, the hurting will stop. If you take just one bite, we'll feel better.**_

 _No._

His inner protest was so weak, he wanted to cry.

"Go on."

He couldn't tell which was the voice in his head, which was Ardyn's and where his own thoughts started. Noctis felt his teeth growing out of his mouth and took a reluctant bite as his eyes remained tightly shut. The hunger flared, and it was done with reasons as he buried his face in the dreadful flesh.

"There, there, feast yourself," Ardyn encouraged his prisoner.

After four mouthfuls, Noctis felt the need to retch and finally managed to push away the cursed one, but his hands couldn't let go of the bloody flesh he was holding. His control was gone. He wasn't sure he was still in his body or if someone else hadn't taken over. Something else.

 _ **More,**_ the voice begged. _**I need more.**_

 _Let me starve._

He coughed and gagged but still took another bite only to cough some more. He could feel the maggots in his throat. His eyes were crying as his whole body shook with revulsion and need. How could he fall so low in so little time? How could he feel such hunger when this was raw, blighted flesh offered to him?

He wanted Ignis's food, not this, he wanted this nightmare to be over, he wanted to crawl in a corner and phase into a wall to be out of reach.

 _Pour alcohol on me and set it on fire until I'm clean again._

He pierced a wet bag of skin, his hand burning from the acid inside, and still his body kept clawing and digging as the crystal asked for more. His fingers touched something hard that wasn't a bone and in an instant of clarity, he recognized the ring of Lucii. The ring Aldercapt had taken from him.

A whisper of fear and the voice invading his thoughts shut down.

 _Now you run._

He crawled away from the corpse, clutching the ring in one hand, spitting and retching. He felt feverish and sick and he had no idea how the crystal would react if he was to wear the ring, but he couldn't stay here for moment longer. Ardyn stepped around the carcass, making his way over to the king, humming to himself. Noctis wanted to look up, but he had to remove the dark blood on his face and his revolted stomach was begging for his attention while his throat burn.

"You're in so much pain," Luna whispered.

He froze, his current fears shattering as his ancestors roared in reaction.

 _ **Her again?! You lose the ring and then you submit to anyone wearing her face?**_

 _I didn't…!_

"Let me help you, Noct," Lunafreya pleaded.

He tried to back away from her, but his limbs were too weak. Her hands shone with a light he wanted to feel, but it wasn't her and he couldn't handle the voices anymore.

 _ **Kill her. Take her trident. You should be stronger than…**_

"It will be alright," Luna was saying over their voice.

His mouth tasted like bile, but he bit on his tongue, letting his anger and despair out.

"Shut up!"

He wasn't wearing the ring, but his powers surged back, the armiger pushing Luna away. Except it wasn't Luna and he was sick of Ardyn using her against him.

"Noct?!"

"You're not her!" he groaned, his shaking hands turning to fists.

Luna's blood splashed all over his face as his swords hacked through her. Her hands fell on the floor, black tar of daemon blood oozing despite the illusion. There was no shock on her face. Was she smiling? He couldn't stand to see her face anymore and let the royal arms take over, still feeling disconnected from himself.

 _ **Don't forget to run. Get yourself out of here.**_

Did his ancestors care for once? Noctis gingerly got to his feet, calling lightning into his hands so he could see the exit. The room was four walls perfectly similar, a cube with no apparent way out. Except that if he focused on the symbols all over the walls instead of the two corpses lying on the floor, he could spot a hole in the cross-shape on the west wall. He limped toward it, instinctively knowing that a touch of his hand would be enough. The floor shook and moved, the room shifting. Was it going up or down?

 _Let me out,_ he thought.

"Noct!" Luna called for him.

He couldn't help but look back and to his horror, there were now two shapes where there had been only one. Luna lying in a pool of blood, and Ardyn standing there next to her, with his arms crossed.

"Breaking her heart is quite the wedding gift, but I've never seen it done so literally," the chancellor teased him. "You know people can be killed in cleaner ways, don't you?"

For once there was no voice to save him from his own thoughts. Noctis was left to bear the full meaning of his last action. How easy had it been? One burst and Luna was…

"She's not…"

"How do you know what is real and what isn't? Did you eat the real Aldercapt? Or was that just one of my games? And what about your precious Oracle? Did she find you just a minute too soon? You made such a mess with her, it will be hard to prepare her for the…"

Noctis could tell Ardyn was still speaking since his lips were moving, but his brain tuned him out. For the first time in the past few days, he couldn't process his words. All he could think was that he'd done it. Luna or not, he'd killed her. Like his ancestors had been asking him too for weeks. Which meant that when he'd be in front of the real Luna.

 _No, no, no, I… He was right, man. You're no better than him._

Luna was…

 _It's a lie, it's not her, you would recognize her if it was her, you'd never… But I just did._

His feet were numb, but the room finished shifting and the lightning still dancing in his palm showed him a long hallway. Noctis did the only thing he could. He ran. Nearly tripped on his feet and felt his back and legs ready to crumble but willed himself into a run.

Ardyn didn't laugh or come after him. His work was done. At least for now.

To be continued…

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So here it is. Noctis is almost out of the woods. Or is he? Next chapter has the team efforts to locate him and the awaited reunion! It might be extra long to compensate how short this one was.

As always, reviews make me happy. I might not update before the next two weeks, school, potential jobs, boring real life stuff, but I'll try to bring the update as soon as possible! You know how to motivate me. 😉


	70. Not from this world

First things first, I need to warn you that the reunion doesn't take place in this chapter. I wrote and wrote and I had far too many pages for a single chapter. So the good news is that half of next chapter is already written. I might finish it sometime around this week. We have crowdio, more of the team effort to find Noctis, a hint of raviris, ignea, and a follow-up on Noctis's situation. Things are already much better for him than they used to be, but he's running on sheer adrenaline. I hope you'll like this chapter!

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Unexpected

Chapter 70 –Not from this world

Luna, Prompto, Crowe and Gladio left together to follow the metal detector Ravus had finished during the night. Aranea, Iris, Ravus and Ignis were headed for Insomnia, using the team's motorcycle. A car wasn't quite efficient when they wanted a good signal with the detector, so the group had left the Regalia at a resting spot and taken chocobos after reaching the last spot where Aranea had seen Noctis before losing tracks of Ardyn and Aldercapt. Luna had the detector and guide Prompto as he directed their bird, while Crowe and Gladio each had their own mount.

They spent most of their morning running in wider circles starting from the Coernix station, but after some adjusting, Luna got the hang of things and they started veering south. The radius of detection wasn't wide enough that they would be distracted by any trace of metal in Insomnia, a thing Prompto had been the first to point out among the risks for their venture. The signal got a little stronger the further south they went, and Luna was thankful for it, since her neck was getting sore from all the bumping into Prompto while she tried to keep an eye on the screen of the detector. The actual thing was tied to Ciel's neck, connected by wire to the screen she held in the palm of her hand. Since the metal in the clones's tattoo was in small quantities, the magnetic induction emitted a tiny signal. The gunman was always on her screen, but his own signal didn't scramble the one they had started detecting as they passed by Wiz's chocobo ranch.

Crowe and Gladio took care of the wild life, the former Glaive clearly keeping her distance from the Shield. They'd barely exchanged a word, but Gladio was doing his best to keep his angry comments to himself. Iris had pulled him to the side in the morning, giving him quite the lecture.

" _I heard how you treated the others yesterday. Do you seriously think you're helping with that attitude?!"_

" _Iris…" he had started warningly._

" _Don't Iris me, Gladiolus," she retorted instantly, crossing her arms over her chest. "We're all worried sick about Noctis. And we all want him safe. But bringing the others down won't change how you feel about failing him."_

 _He grit his teeth but held his tongue._

" _You've got nothing to say? I get to be coddled and hugged since I'm your sister, huh? How about you start showing some of that favoritism for your friends too?"_

" _I know I'm reacting wrong here, but…"_

" _You don't get to wag your fat finger at the others when we could all be held accountable for Noctis disappearing. Did you object him facing those daemons alone with Aranea? They're our air fighters, it was the best way to deal with the situation. I was stuck in bed for days while you ran all over the place looking for him. But you won't call me a lazy ass for…"_

" _Who said that?!" he nearly snapped right there, his overprotectiveness coming back, which made Iris smile._

" _If I wasn't your sister, I'm pretty certain you would have said so. And to my face, no less."_

 _That was more effective than a slap in the face, since he didn't have to think twice to confirm her accusation. If it had been Luna instead of her stuck in a bed… Was he really so bitter?_

" _You're usually good with people," she reminded him._

" _Yeah, when they're acquaintances."_

 _Seeing his friends in so much pain was unbearable. On a battlefield, he knew his part, but in the aftermath, outside of dressing wounds or replacing bones, he rarely knew which words could bring comfort. His goal was to prevent the hurt from happening in the first place if possible. Now he couldn't do that, because he had forgotten his job and put Crowe first. And he resented her for it?_

 _How fair was that to his girlfriend when he had asked her to be his family?_

" _Did you talk with Crowe recently?"_

 _Iris shook her head, quickly observing how the two of them had been keeping to themselves ever since his birthday. It was clear she wanted to know what had happened for him to turn him bloody and jacketless on the doorstep to their quarters, but Gladiolus really didn't want to go there._

" _I know you're hurting," his sister said. "And I know Etro did something to the both of you. Do you have any idea how badly I want to help you?"_

 _Gladiolus closed his eyes shut, swallowing back his protests. He didn't want to need help. But it was true that when Crowe's hand brushed against his skin, his first reflex was to flinch away and make sure Cranky wasn't in control._

" _Give us some time. If we survive this war, she'll be your sister-in-law."_

 _The smile on her face warmed his heart. He was going to get over his fear and give both Iris and Crowe the family they deserved._

" _That's such good news!"_

" _Hey, don't get too excited. First, we need to get Noctis back and make sure Lunafreya and him are hitched."_

" _Well, if that's your goal, you better be nicer to Luna, alright, brother?"_

" _I'll try. You know how patient I can be…"_

 _Iris rolled her eyes at him, but still gave him a brief hug, hoping that would help him in controlling his temper better._

Now Gladiolus was doing his best to keep himself in check despite hating the helpless feeling he had as they ventured out, chasing a _what if_ instead of something concrete. Prompto was unnerved by the object of their quest and it was clear they were all on edge. Lunafreya looked better this morning, despite still sporting puffy eyes. Crowe had talked only to Aranea and Luna, the two women clearly trying to support the Oracle. Ignis had been lost in his thoughts at breakfast and Ravus exchanged his usual glare with Gladiolus, looking just a bit more threatening than the usual. They were merely civil to each other, although it was hard when his sister walked hand in hand with the guy, or if he spotted them kissing, although they were really discreet. Letting her go back to Insomnia without him had been a tough decision, but he couldn't leave Crowe until they had eliminated the possession. And if he was honest with himself, he desperately needed to see Noctis for himself.

It cost Ignis to make the ride back to their broken city, but if someone could find anything on Ardyn Izunia in the debris of their home, it was their tactician.

They met a lone patch of MTs, armed with guns and electric wire, runaways from the Sylph collapse as it turned out to be. The encounter took most of their day, leaving them exhausted and fed up with the empire. Gladiolus tried staying patient, but Luna was barely holding on to Prompto's waist as they rode despite the setting sun.

"Are you holding on or not?" the gunman asked her after they'd nearly bumped their heads together.

"The signal is scrambling," the princess objected.

"It sounds like your brain is scrambling," Gladiolus couldn't help himself. "We need to face reality, stop for the day, and eat something," he quickly added, meeting Crowe's glare.

The quickly scrambled together cup of noodles they'd taken after their prolonged battle wasn't enough for Luna to renew her strength, especially considering how many times she'd pull up a shield for them. If he was honest, Gladio himself was ready to call it a night, but his nervous energy kept him alert, while making him a bit jumpy too. His girlfriend had been evading him, mimicking the way he kept his distance the previous days and it was starting to bug him. He needed at least one thing right in his life, otherwise, he was bound to go mad.

After setting up their two tents, he tentatively joined Crowe at her portable kitchen. Prompto kept Luna occupied as they tried to refine the signal they were getting on the detector. Anything to keep her in one place until the food was ready.

"Need any help?" Gladio offered.

 _ **I wonder what he's really thinking,**_ Etro whispered in Crowe's mind.

 _He's just hungry._

 _ **I could take a glance in his head and give you the full truth.**_

Except Etro had no reason to be truthful with her. And if she wanted to know what Gladiolus was thinking, she'd ask him. Except she was too afraid to ask now. The Glaive angrily focused on the vegetables she was cutting, her movements growing mechanical.

"We need meat with this," she told him, keeping her voice neutral.

He held on his sigh. He wanted to corner her in his arms and erase the tension in her frame, because somehow, that might erase the frantic feeling he had. Their dinner was an awkward time, Prompto and Gladio exchanging between themselves when they didn't text Ignis to the point of driving the advisor mad. Luna had fallen back in reading Noctis's old texts, with the impression that holding on to his words was her last link to him. Crowe would have hung to her phone for dear life if she didn't find an excuse in making the dishes or making order of their camp. She insisted on feeding the chocobos and kept to herself, making Gladiolus realize that it wasn't only him she was evading. She seemed determined to avoid every member of the team.

"Say Prom…" He started, wondering how to phrase his question. "Would it be too weird if I took a tent with Crowe instead of sticking between boys tonight? There's something wrong with her."

"Getting the chance to sleep away from your smelly ass?" Prompto teased him. "I'm your man. I can snuggle up with the birds."

"They are far smellier than… Wait a minute!?"

"Don't break my beautiful face!" the gunman instantly cowered.

Luna and Crowe both looked up at that, the Oracle managing a chuckle and the very sound was enough to ease the heaviness they felt. This playful banter was the one thing they'd been missing since the attack on Lestallum, outside of the obvious.

"Gladio!" Crowe tried to admonish him as he caught Prompto in an armlock.

"I'm not breaking anything, he just need a good nogging."

"Can't… breathe!" Prompto protested, but he was laughing more than fighting back and both women joined in in their talk.

Luna was the quietest of the lot in her interventions, but the fact she took her mind off her worries for even a few minutes was a victory in itself for the gunman.

Crowe was surprised by their sleeping arrangement, but the princess agreed to it instantly. Gladiolus wasn't appearing as threatening after exchanging silly insults with Prompto in good humor. The Glaive decided to retire early for sleep, her man joining her only a few minutes later. It had been a full hour since Etro hadn't spoken to her mind and she really wanted to keep it that way.

"Hey." Gladio greeted her, his uneasiness more apparent than he had intended.

"Hey, you," she shot back, the hint of a smile tugging on her lips.

"Are you… mad at me because I haven't given you a ring yet?"

She blinked at him, her brain unable to understand his meaning right away. He sounded sheepish and she wasn't used to such an unsure Gladio, but he had clearly hoped for her shock, taking his chances to erase the distance between them and plant a kiss right on her mouth. His hands held her face in a gentle gesture and the taste of his hesitant breath made her realize he was just as afraid as her.

"I don't… want… or need… a ring," she blurted out, wondering why she was left gasping for air as they briefly parted.

Another kiss, more intense this time, his arms wrapping around her fully. They were forced to kneel inside the tent, so the position was awkward, but she didn't mind it, because this sense of connection had been missing ever since they'd learned that Noctis was missing.

"I'll get you a ring," he promised.

"I hope you don't put every of my mood swing on the wedding's back. We were both on edge and I…"

She worried her lower lip and he claimed it another time, their panting mixing together in a desperate dance.

"I really shouldn't interrupt," Gladiolus apologized when she gently pushed him back, leaning her head against his chest as he hid his face in the hollow of her shoulder.

"I take it you missed me last night?" Crowe couldn't help but tease him.

"And today," he sighed. "I know I grew distant, but seeing you do it…"

"Serves you right. I already feel like enough of a ticking time bomb."

"I have been trying to be nicer to you at the very least," he defended himself.

Her hands sneaked under his shirt, following his abs as she pondered if she should remind him that Etro could look into his head. She didn't want to let the goddess rule over their relationship and the sudden closeness after four days basically apart made her desire more. Gladiolus didn't shiver under her touch, shuddering instead, effectively freezing her in place.

"I thought Luna fixed your ribs…"

He had taken a few hits as he covered the princess, growing a little more reckless the longer Noctis remained missing.

"She did," Gladio confirmed. "I… Can I see your eyes?"

There was hurt in them, because he still needed to verify whether she was herself or not. The fact he could pull her in to push her away almost as quickly… She hated the idea he could be scared of her.

"I know it's still fresh, but maybe you could take it out on me."

"What?!"

"You're still angry at everyone. Blaming yourself. Blaming me…"

Her hands tugged on the waistband of his pants and his breath caught in his throat. It wasn't Etro, but this Crowe felt too fragile. Submissive and desperate.

"Crowe, I'm not having angry sex with you."

"Why not? She used you. If you use me…"

Her voice wavered, and he shook his head at her.

"I've hurt enough people as it is, don't you think?"

"Rejection hurts," she observed.

He didn't mean to gasp out loud, but he did, even though he wanted to be strong for her.

"I'm not rejecting… We… I would have put the tents further apart…"

"Stop blushing so much," she told him playfully, gingerly pushing on his chest. Gladiolus accepted to lean back on his elbows, pulling her after him, although he knew his fears were still strong. She shuffled forward, leaning a kiss on his chin before reaching his lips, his hands squeezing her waist.

"Why shouldn't I blush?" he questioned her. "You're all flushed."

"It makes my heart swell."

 _You have no idea what you do to me._

Saying it out loud was almost scarier than letting her take the lead, since everything he confided in with her, Etro would know and use against him once she came back. How wrong was it that he was already preparing himself for the next time she'd show up? Thankfully, Crowe kissed him another time and he focused his thoughts on her. On how much he wanted her despite the remnants of fear. His shoulders shook as her fingers undid the buckle of his belt.

"Gladiolus…"

"It's not been a full week yet," he defended himself. "Maybe if there was more light…"

Seeing her for himself calmed him and Crowe suggested lighting up the tent with the flashlight of either of their phones. She barely waited for his assent, undressing herself while sharing a dozen more kisses with him. He never shuddered from her kisses, but still protested as she turned on a flashlight.

"Prompto will be able to see you through the…"

"Let him see me," she whispered back.

His hands covered her greedily, his body and heart waging a war between carnal desire and his desperate need to be coddled. He hated feeling this vulnerable. But her hands were soft, her skin warm and her nails didn't even graze him once. Their shivers weren't all good, but they weren't all bad. Crowe did her best to keep her voice down, muffling any moan into a kiss. She tried to make it quick and still gratifying, but Gladiolus pleaded for the chance to really feel her. When they collapsed in each other's arms, spent and panting, their faces mirrored each other's lazy smile.

Crowe weighed on him fully and tried to shift around, but he held her in place, stroking her hair. Entirely brown.

"You know, I had condoms with me."

How many times had they forgotten to be careful now?

"I like the raw feel of you," she retorted, her face stroking his chest as she snuggled closer to him.

"Damn, don't tell me stuff like that."

Her light laugh eased his nervous heart. If he had energy left, he would suggest a second round, but he kissed the top of her hair instead, heaving a content sigh.

"Will you be nicer to Luna tomorrow?" Crowe asked him.

"Don't tell me you did that only…"

"I needed it. I needed you."

"I love you," Gladio smiled.

"Cheesy mancake."

"What did you call me?!"

"I love you too, Gladio."

…

Prompto wasn't surprised when Luna asked if she could spend the night under the stars with him. She was convinced sleep wouldn't come for her unless she had someone's presence to help her keep the bad thoughts at bay. She wanted results to all her efforts, but of course Ardyn wouldn't want them to find Noctis easily. Taking out a map, she tried to survey the nearby region for any spots where they could be hiding.

"Stop, it's getting dark," Prompto observed.

"There's so many ponds around here… Did we ever take time to let Noctis fish the last time we were here?"

The gunman winced, because he couldn't remember either. When was the last time they'd allowed Noctis to enjoy himself instead of acting all kingly? That day on the beach for Ignis's birthday?

"We'll take him fishing. I don't know how he manages to sit in silence for so long, but it will surely do him a lot of good."

Prompto shifted the conversation to the pictures he'd taken in Lestallum, showing her how the rescue effort had progress in the past few days. At one point he looked up, his eyes widening slightly.

"What is it?" Luna asked, gasping when he covered her eyes with his hand. "Prompto?!"

"I can't believe the nerve of these two. You don't want to see this, Luna, believe me."

She pushed his hand away, blushing when she noticed the shadows clearly etched on the tent's fabric a few feet away from them. She averted her eyes, blushing slightly, only to laugh at the look on Prompto's face.

"Well, for once, they're quiet about it…" she observed, lowering her voice self-consciously. "Do you think we should let Iris know that they can actually be discreet? Or just rub it in their face later on?"

"Making a light show isn't being quiet," Prompto objected. "But Gladio has earned a lot of teasing. And I'm sure Iggy would like to know that silence is an option if we're neighbors in Free Crown again."

They chatted for the following hour, careful of not gazing in the direction of their friends's tent. It was when sleep started claiming them that Luna had an instant of panic, looking through her small pack for the shirt that still held Noctis's scent. She was certain she'd packed it and couldn't help the tremble in her voice as she turned to Prompto after rummaging around her things for more minutes than should have been necessary.

"Did Ignis go through our packing?"

"You know how he gets when we travel without him." The gunman shrugged.

Ignis didn't like to leave things to chance, or to the whims of his friends. He usually focused on the food they were packing but making sure they had enough changes of clothes had become a habit for him.

"Actually, I don't. He usually go through Noctis's things, but not mine…"

A text later and Lunafreya was calling Ignis, a determined look on her face.

"Is everything alri…?" the advisor started only to be interrupted by a flustered princess.

"No. I'm certain I had packed one of Noctis's shirt."

"I had it cleaned and stored it in the bottom of your bag," Ignis retorted matter-of-factly. "I didn't have time to get you a proper pair of shoes in case…"

"Why did you do this?! I never asked you…!"

Prompto jumped and the chocobo the pair was leaning on kweeed, its feathers raising in fear.

"Noctis will surely prefer a clean shirt once he's found and…"

"Why do you _have_ to make assumptions? That shirt was the last thing I had that reminded me of him!"

Only silence answered her as Ignis took note of the sobs threatening to come out in her shuddering breathes. Luna was clutching her phone in her hand, wondering why her anger felt so petty. She didn't want to reveal this weakness, but the little act of kindness only reminded her of how the empire used to decide everything in her stead. Where she went to heal people. What she'd wear. Who'd be looking when she had to get changed.

"I didn't…"

"Next time, ask me before deciding you know better, alright?!"

She hung up on him, refusing to even listen to the answer he could give, turning her phone off before he could call her back. She felt too angry to express herself right and got up to pace around the camp. Prompto didn't dare to say a word, his phone buzzing in his hands only a second later. Ignis had made a typo in his rush to assert the situation.

 _P: She's mad alright, man. No use calling to apologize now. I'm sure she'll be calmer when we'll find him._

 _I: She needs to be fine now._

 _P: I'm doing what I can, but she was already a mess yesterday. She'd hugged that shirt to her chest as she tried falling asleep._

 _I: I should have realized…_

 _P: You meant well. And I don't think it's just the shirt. She's been having dark thoughts lately._

 _I: How do you know this?_

 _P: I have to go, she looks ready to head back out in the wilds._

It took a lot of convincing and Prompto ended up locking her between his arms for a full minute until Luna accepted to sit back down and try to fall asleep. She still pulled the clean shirt out of her package and held it between them, holding back her tears, her throat aching from all the crying she'd been through already.

"I need this to be over."

"We all do. But we're going to find him," Prompto promised her.

The night felt incredibly short, the morning coming to find the pair of blonds snuggling between chocobo feathers. Prompto did feel bad, since that had been something he'd only shared with Cindy before, but Luna hadn't been lying quite as close to him, looking for warmth, since they both had blankets. They teased Crowe and Gladio without much heart into it and the group set out to search for the signal once more.

…

Insomnia looked different. Not as in the run-down, broken place they'd left behind on their last visit. Monica's hunters were almost done with organizing the salvaging. The corpses were gone. Body bags still lined up in back-alleys, but things were looking better. The debris in the streets were gone. There were people everywhere, either cleaning or setting the current back up to better help with the reconstruction effort. Free Crown might be the new strong hold in Lucis, but they weren't going to scratch off Insomnia. A few heads turned as the little group walked towards the Citadel. Ignis wasn't as observant as his usual, still subdued by Noctis's absence and Aranea found herself pulling on his arm every now and then to make sure he didn't miss a turn, his feet naturally aiming for his favorite grocery store or this street he always took on his way home. Iris and Ravus walked a bit ahead of them, the young girl listing her recent news from their patients in Free Crown.

Ravus knew it was her way to forget how worried she was about Noctis, but he was glad she kept his own mind occupied, because the look on Luna's face was harder to take every morning.

"Nina has organized a race recently. She won it of course. You should see the pictures her mother keep sending."

"Why is it the first I've heard of it?" Ravus couldn't help the light reproach in his tone and Iris playfully hid her phone from him.

"You locked me up for the past few days so I could got mad with rest!"

"You sound far too sane. Once again, my nefarious plan has failed," he shot back with an easy smile.

Aranea sighed as she saw the complicity between the pair and the sound instantly got Ignis on her, as he finally made the effort of reconnecting himself to the present.

"Something wrong?"

"No. I was wondering if I ever make you smile like that…"

He blinked, instantly realizing how bad a companion he had been lately. He was lost in thoughts half the time, talking back to Gladio the rest of it and they had barely found a few moments alone, except for his initial panic as the idea Noctis had been kidnapped sank in.

"While I wasn't looking in their general direction earlier, hence I can't tell what sort of smile Fleuret was sporting… Can I add that I stretch my face far more often than that man?" he quickly added, which made her roll her eyes at him. "I know for a fact that you make me smile often," Ignis went on.

Aranea was grateful for his prolonged attention. Until now, she hadn't even realized how much she missed the feel of his eyes on her, and the notion he was actually seeing her and not thinking about something else.

"I'm not sure how I can help you here. You know better than anyone the books and files of the Citadel. If we were looking for intel on the empire, I could crack down a few codes…"

"I don't want you feeling uncomfortable. If you'd feel more at ease working outside with the hunters…" He paused with the impression he was ordering her around one way or another.

It came too easily to try and organize things when he felt out of sorts, and he wasn't used to Aranea asking him for directions. But they were all lost.

"It's not a bad idea. Although I could try looking for another subject too. I will be in your way otherwise, but surely I can gather information about Etro."

"That's a splendid idea."

"I'll need help with their sorting system. If the library is even in one piece."

She couldn't remember the last time she had been in a library and was reminded of why she evaded those places back in Nifelheim. Dust everywhere! It had taken a lot of climbing and sweat to get up here with the state the Citadel was in, but the library was in pretty good shape despite the floor leaning slightly crooked. There was a whole floor on Etro alone and Iris offered to help her making sense of the various books and sorting system to locate the texts that would be the most accurate for Crowe's situation.

Ignis and Ravus teamed up a few stories above and their first day as library rats was uneventful to say the least. They had made a few breakthroughs, retracing the Izunia line in an old document on Lucian's genealogy. The girls had found promising texts on the goddess of death after going over countless fanatic texts. If Aranea had to read one more prayer talking about the other side, she would throw her book into the nearest bookcase. Dinner was quiet and both couples settled for the night in servants' rooms after a few more hours spent with their neck bent over more books.

"Maids slept in here?!" Aranea exclaimed for the second time.

Tapestries hanging to the walls and the large bed told her otherwise, but Ignis shrugged.

"You should see what Noctis's room looked like when he still lived here. Gold trimmed wood."

"Don't make fun of me," she asked, poking him in the ribs.

"That wasn't my intention. I've never been in these quarters myself, to be honest. I fear these rooms might get quite cold at night. They don't even have electricity up here."

Aranea could tell he was disappointed, since he had hoped to clock in a few more hours of reading and hated reading with the light of his phone. Prompto and Gladio started texting him, taking his mind off his current inefficiency. For once, Aranea wished she had someone she could text with. Crowe was too preoccupied to answer her, Luna barely ever texted and it was pretty much the full extent of her social network.

Outside of Ignis, she was alone in the world.

 _As if you need anyone,_ she reminded herself.

But the recent events had been like a slap to the face. She couldn't be as quick as Noctis in the sky, even though that was her battlefield. She had merely stopped a bunch of explosion until Ravus and Ignis took out the Sylph. Noctis still insisted on paying her, but for once she felt like she belonged among other human people.

" _I guess Noct didn't give you enough money to ensure you'd have his back."_

Why did she give any weight to Gladiolus's word when she knew he was merely spouting nonsense because of how badly he hurt?

 _Why did you ever listen to people and hide your barcode when it was too late to make any difference?_

She closed her eyes tightly, wondering why her bad memories from the empire were rushing back to the surface. Walking in this city had always been natural for her, but the streets weren't her home anymore. They were empty veins, like the dry veins in the flesh of her feet. Void of purpose, left behind to make it look prettier.

"Aria?"

She nearly jumped, blinking at Ignis. He looked worried and she realized she'd been staring blankly in front of her for quite a while. Her fingertips were numb from the cold, and she shuffled closer to him on the mattress.

"Don't pull that face. I'm tired after all this reading," she said, offering him a smile.

"We could turn in early."

Snuggling close to him after wrapping themselves in as many covers as possible, they exchanged only a few words, surrendering to exhaustion. Their sleep was interrupted by a buzzing sound and soon Ignis was sitting up next to her, talking with Luna. He got up as his agitation grew, Aranea remaining curled on her side, trying to bask in all the warmth he'd left behind. Still, the cold was sipping in, like it did on those winter nights she had to sleep in the rain. Her brain processed the words he said, and she closed her eyes, trying to tune up her hearing to catch Lunafreya's side of the conversation.

"Why do you _have_ to make assumptions? That shirt was the last thing I had that reminded me of him!"

Her eyes snapped open and she winced with him. She could tell from the tension in his shoulders that he was struggling to keep himself together. The last thing he wanted was to hurt Noctis's fiancée, and for once, Luna sounded angry.

"I didn't…" he tried, his voice even, soothing in his calmness.

 _It's not going to work,_ Aranea thought.

"Next time, ask me before deciding you know better, alright?!"

He flinched as the tonality changed and the pain radiated from him even though he was still turning his back on her. Aranea closed her eyes tighter this time. Her eyelids burned. He was pushing himself so hard to keep a straight face, to keep everyone together, but she noticed his little slips. How his eyes would look for Noctis when he got off the car. How he always made a portion too many when he prepared their food. She could hear his fingers tapping on his screen.

The sound reminded her of the raindrops steadily falling, keeping her awake all night. The tests in Gralea and how her feet hit the concrete, her scars fresh, keeping her flesh bound together.

 _Look at me, Iggy. Keep me here. My mind's drifting._

There was no more tapping on the screen and his shoulders were hanging lower than they should.

"Iggy, you're going to get cold."

"I'm an idiot," he retorted.

The bitterness to his voice made her shiver.

"The girl is raw pain, she'll bite at the slightest…"

"I thought I was helping, but I was just meddling."

"Could you meddle with the level of warmth in this bed?" she tried to sound playful and was grateful when he actually slipped back under the covers.

"I made her worse," Ignis sighed.

"I doubt you can be any worse than Gladio's attitude."

His weak, self-derisive chuckle made her throat tighten.

"The shirt was rumpled and dirty," he declared, as though it should explain everything.

She asked him for details and quickly understood what Luna was reproaching him for.

"That was nosy of you. But dirty clothes are a major offense to your principles."

"I don't know how to help her…"

"Why don't you worry about yourself for once? I know you're hurting."

Ignis couldn't protest, hiding his face in her hair as his breathing turned irregular. He hated being helpless and he didn't need added guilt on top of how responsible he felt of Noctis's kidnapping in the first place. Aranea wrapped herself around him, one hand in his hair, her voice soothing him as she started humming without realizing it. She calmed him until sleep claimed him, but her own thoughts remained ablaze with memories from both Insomnia and Gralea.

She knew Ignis couldn't stop worrying about the tortures Noctis was exposed too. And sadly, she had a very good idea of what could be happening to him. Rumors had run among the ranks that ending up on the chancellor's bad side had made more than one soldier go mad. Izunia was vicious and worse of all, he could fix all the physical hurt he caused all by himself. She'd experienced it once, after taking a bad fall during a particularly rough training session. Her skin crawled just from remembering his hands on the skin of her back.

 _Insomnia is safer, focus on here…_

But that was a lie, because she had never felt quite safe in this city, except for the few times Ignis let her into his home. And even then, it was a mere reprieve, between illusion and the charity she didn't want. She had been on the run for most of her life, forced to fight for everything she had. For a few months, the possibility that all the running wasn't necessary had amazed her. And then the attack on Lestallum reminded her how strong the empire could be, even if its emperor wasn't fully there. They were fighting monsters among men and she knew how ugly normal men could be.

How many of them did she have to fear, trick or fight in her youth? How many times had her suspicions been right and her guards the only thing between her and more pain?

" _You know, if I could replace more of your bones, I could make you even stronger. Hell, I could make you an entirely new body and you'd be invincible. We'd keep your head, because I can't replicate such a pretty face with science…"_

Her stomach protested and she gasped as the fear from back then claimed her heart as though Verstael was right here, looking at her as she lied on the operation table. Except arms were holding her. Ignis snuggled closer to her, whining in his sleep, helping her back to reality. She instinctively stroke his hair.

"Don't wake up, baby."

 _I'm over this. I've dealt with all of this a long time ago._

And Ignis didn't need her insecurities now. Or ever if she was honest with herself.

Aranea's night was spent fighting against sleep, drifting from one bad memory to the next. When the first lights of morning came, she struggled out of Ignis's embrace, hurriedly throwing on her clothes and barely giving him back his good morning, brushing off his surprise at seeing her awake before him. She needed something to keep her mind away from the intrusive memories and hoped the books Iris and her still had to go through would help.

Sadly, they didn't. Etro had manifested herself in various ways to the Lucians, usually with light and shadowlight in the church they'd created for her. But when Aranea went back to earlier records, she found some disturbing stories about talking heads. And sacrificial ceremonies held in the goddess's honor. One priestess in particular had been fascinated by the goddess, desperately trying to establish contact with her realm. Until she died. And apparently came back from it.

"I guess that's how they referred to a coma back then…" Aranea told herself, turning the pages as slowly as she could despite her impatience.

The paper was old and threatened to crack at every movement.

 _For the briefest moment, I was Her vessel. The link between us was weak, for I lacked the ethereal qualities that could root Her to a body. But I now know that She will need a host. Someone who'll see Her shadowlight and the providence it holds. For Etro provides our soul a haven once our life stops. The Astrals look up to Her and live freely in the after realm, their essence pure and untainted._

 _Balance is the key and the Scourge disrupted that balance. The blighted can't follow Her light. Our world is growing heavier as more daemons wear it down. It will take time before the Scourge can be cleansed from our star and the damages to the after realm will grow. Which is why Etro came to me in Her search for a proper vessel. She'll need a warrior capable of handling daemons, with a propensity for magic. Royal blood was out of the question, for She fears our sovereigns will not heed my warnings. As She Herself was molded from the simplest stars, She'll take a commoner. Strong-willed and resilient. All She needs is a link and for as long as Her flame burns in Her house, this link will be strong._

Aranea snapped her eyes away from the page, a new sense of purpose pushing back the memories haunting her mind. She only needed to visit that church and…

…

Noctis nearly tripped over a set of stairs and caught himself by warping forward. His magic obeyed, but something was still wrong. and it had nothing to do with the corpse he couldn't stop from seeing whenever he closed his eyes.

Ardyn was bound to come after him, wasn't he? But there were daemons here. Real daemons, fake daemons, it didn't matter because their talons and fists hurt him all the same.

 _Wouldn't it be better if I died now? The pain would stop. Unless Etro has plans for me._

There was no answer from his ancestor even though he still held the ring in his fist, hard enough he wondered if the metal wouldn't leave a permanent mark. Or would it fuse with him like the crystal on his back?

 _Just stop thinking, you need to get out of here._

The sun would cleanse him. The sun and fresh air would help him feel himself again.

A red giant appeared in an awful cracking sound and Noctis prayed to whichever god listening that his magic could hold. As bombs materialized by his side, he gathered the fire in them, extinguishing the whole pack and cast a spell that lit the entire room. This place was far bigger than he'd thought at first. The daemonic giant's skin crackled under the heat and in a last attempt to hurt the tiny human, it hurled its fists down. The King threw his engine blade and followed it in a blue blur, hurrying forward.

 _Why does it work now?!_

Real powers, fake powers, did it matter if he could stay alive long enough to get back to his people and make sure they were safe?

The damp air made his back ache and his gait had to look pretty awkward with how much he staggered. If only he had one bad leg like before, but the crooked one used to be the good one. At least he could still walk. The fresh cuts all over him itched and he had new burns to add to his growing collection thanks to his superlative spell.

As he was about to run past this hallway to follow its turn, his ancestors finally spoke.

 _ **Wait!**_

"Ow… How loud can you get? You're all in my head!" he protested, holding his skull in hope it would dull the sudden migraine he felt.

He didn't dare close his eyes an instant, since it meant giving any monster a chance to get to him. If Ardyn was going to… Wait, what was that on the wall?

 _ **There's one of us here.**_

"Like… for real?"

They'd better not have a test ready for him because he had enough of their tests to last him a dozen lifetimes. But collecting one more royal arm sounded somehow positive. There would only be one left for him to have 13 of them. Luna could be safe.

 _How can she be safe when you…?_

He activated the door, wondering why he suddenly felt a strange sense of peace. His eyes were pure crimson, his armiger surrounding him without a call.

 _ **We'll handle it for you.**_

 _ **You've proven yourself.**_

 _ **Without interference like down there, we're stronger than any of us ever was.**_

 _ **Not we**_ , Regis voice interfered. _**You are stronger.**_

A wave of relief washed over Noctis's mind. _This_ was his father.

Then he saw the monster waiting for him. Scales all over its skin, making his stomach lurch in protest. Large wings, horns raising on the back of its head, fangs like daggers, tiny arms like a bendersnatch. Pointy muzzle.

"What the hell is…?!"

He'd learned later on it was called a Jabberwock.

 _ **Allow us, chosen King.**_

His various swords, axe, mace, shuriken and spear floated before him, twirling on themselves. Blue glittered in their wake.

When he reached out for his engine blade, his hand found the Glaive instead.

 _Why didn't it work before? Was this another sort of torture._

The armiger drew spirals in the air, hitting the mix of dragon and t-rex at a dozen different angle. Noctis couldn't tell why, but he knew ice would help and mustered the element out of thin air. No flask. How could…?!

 _ **We just told you. A barrier snapped earlier. Now you're stronger.**_

"I'm not…"

 _ **I believe in you, son. Do you?**_

Noctis closed his eyes for an instant, trying to find an actual answer. He felt lost, with nothing to believe in but pain. His body was covered with words, names that made him feel worthless. But his magic worked. His powers answered. The ring was back in his hands. His heart was certain each of his friends and every Luna he'd seen in here weren't the people he loved. Ardyn had planted a dark seed in his mind. More doubts than he needed and questions about the crystal. About his destiny.

 _But if I don't take care of the Scourge, won't Luna be left to fight it on her own?_

"My Luna."

Her name hurt him now. It was hard to recall what her light felt like. Hard to recall the feel of her hands. The softness of her lips. Could he dare to even…?

"Dad?"

 _Tell me what to do._

 _ **Walk tall.**_

His legs hurt, but his armiger was keeping the monster in one place, using his life force as the various weapons cut through it. He took one step, trying his best to keep his back straight. Undo the cowering he'd done for the past few days. Erase this picture of a weak King surrendering to fear.

"If I'm stronger, let me do it," he asked.

The armiger listened. The blurs turned to lightning. His staggering steps righted themselves as he raced in midair. He could see red on the walls from the light in his eyes. Ice covered the beast's legs, locking it in place with a protesting roar. The room was shaking, but Noctis couldn't feel it. For an instant, he was out of reach and after everything that had gotten to him, it was exhilarating.

His hands touched every hilt, every wing on his royal arms as he zipped through the air. One strike in an eye, one strike dislodging three scales, and here he hacked off a horn, leaving four swords planted in the jabberwock's hide. The beast hadn't even touched him when its head hit the ground.

 **Good work my son. Just a little more and you'll be able to rest.**

To be continued…

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Next chapter might come sometime around this week, but I have a scientific panel to prepare for, I'm starting a new job this Friday -wish me luck- while also working on the road for a community center. I'm starting early tomorrow so getting to bed this late is a bad idea, but I'm addicted to writing.

Reviews motivate me greatly. And I swear that next chapter will include the reunion!


	71. Part of the problem, not the solution

Hi guys. I wanted to finish this chapter faster, but I've been growing through quite the hectic week. My scientific panel turned out quite well, I just had to deal with a lot of stress lately, and this will stay that way for a while. Stress means I'm alive after all. For today's chapter, we'll have the long awaited reunion between a part of the gang and Noctis, plus some character development for Aranea, Ignea and… a lot of dark, dark Prompto. Gladiolus isn't the only one who has to deal with anger.

I hope you'll enjoy this long chapter!

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Unexpected

Chapter 71 – When you're part of the problem but not the solution

Aranea's back hit the wall, her armor cracking in a few places from the violence of the shock. In her rush to feel useful, she had neglected to warn anyone of her little expedition. Not that extinguishing magic fire had appeared as a big deal to her at first. Aranea knew for a fact that there were powers at play in the world that far surpassed her. But that didn't mean she was going to bend her neck and bow to them.

Now, an invisible force had been pushing her around and into the walls and columns as she tried to get near the flames burning at the statue's feet. She jumped and charged, evading a flying rock only to hit a resistance standing in thin air. Her knees hit the ground and the pain ran up to her hips, making her bite her tongue as she held back a scream.

She needed this. She needed to get something right, even if it was crazy and might not amount to anything. No one had paid her for it, no one had asked or ordered her to do it and maybe no one would thank her for it, but Aranea needed to feel useful if only now. She wasn't sure Crowe could handle being messed around much more. The brunette tried to keep things to herself regarding Etro's possession, but it was too heavy of a burden for a single person.

She'd started with magic of course, because what was better than fighting fire with fire, or in this case, fire with ice? But her few stocked flasks hadn't been enough, merely covering one of the four flames of the altar. And her instinct told her that the thing was still burning beneath the ice, so she had to do more.

"Let's try something different," she told herself, leaning her spear on her shoulder as she shifted from one leg to another, hoping it would take away the aching in her muscles.

All the hitting and being thrown around was rough on her and she knew one wrong move would be the end of her little enterprise. But the thrill was welcome. This time, she aimed at the ceiling, her spear chipping off stone as she shifted around, her feet giving her the push she needed for her new jump. She landed right onto Etro's face, breaking the stone to send it flying around. The nose was the first thing to come off, with a few locks of stony hair. The whole statue shook, but Aranea was jumping again and this time, when she hit an invisible wall, she bounced right off it, even though her timing wasn't quite right. The stones she'd been throwing around had extinguished one flame by taking away its pedestal, and she landed on another one, breaking its stand without hesitation.

 _Two more to go._

"What do you think you're doing?!"

She threw a single glance over her shoulder, noticing a bunch of hunters standing by the entrance, their eyes wide. Of course, the ruckus she was causing would attract people.

"It's none of your business," she snapped at them.

Aranea should have thought of what followed, since Ignis and his friends –her friends, she reminded herself– weren't around to defend her, but the shock froze her for a second too long as they bellowed, "Damn Nif thinking she owns the place!"

"I'm not…"

An arrow hit her shoulder pad and the invisible magic let out a ripple of power, pushing her at least 10 meters away from the altar. Right into the hunters' arms. Her legs were begging for mercy as she quickly got on her fours, a boot hitting her back before she could get to her feet.

"Wasn't she with those guys from the King's retinue?" a woman asked as she saw her from closer.

"Does it matter? She was with the imperial raid on my town two years ago. I'd recognize that silver hair anywhere."

"And she's got the barcode too," another one observed, kicking her spear out of her hands.

The following kick in her ribs reminded her of the many times when she'd been caught for stealing. In the very beginning, after both her parents had passed away, her life had been a struggle and it was easy to recognize her life was still quite the struggle.

 _I'm so sick of this._

She twisted around, steeling her leg to sweep at their feet, effectively sending two hunters to the ground. A third guy rushed to her, stepping on her hand to stop her from reaching her weapon, his knee digging in her chest. The sudden pressure made her squirm and yelp despite her best effort to hold back the pain. She bit the hand on her neck, pushing him off her with sheer will before to roll on her side and grab her spear, refusing to let the obnoxious prickling in her arm slow her down. She waved the weapon to keep them away from her, jumping to her feet despite the aching in her joints.

"You Niff bitch!"

"I'm with the King and you have no business…!" she started warningly.

"Where's the King huh? Why would he even side with someone like you?!"

A screeching took them by surprise, four pair of eyes turning to the source of the sound. A daemon was materializing, surely called up by Etro herself. Aranea had always found it shady that a mindflayer would appear out of nowhere right when Crowe was visiting the goddess's altar.

"Dammit, what sort of timing…?"

"Maybe this will clear things up," Aranea shot, leaping over their heads and landing right next to the large mass of flan. She used a flask of fire, effectively taking the monster out of commission and didn't linger since the hunters eyed her with suspicious or angry eyes.

From their view, she'd just desecrated their country's main temple without any explanation outside of claiming she was with the King.

 _Good going, girl,_ she mentally chided herself.

"Don't think you can get away with…!"

She wanted to have them realize what she'd just done, but the first words that came to her mind were threats. Was there any reasoning with them if she had indeed been part of the raid on their former home? She had been a mercenary and helped in a few attacks against Lucis. How conflicted she had been about it was the last of their worries. Free Crown hadn't been quite easy for her in that regards, but with Noctis and Ignis close, no one could be openly mean to her.

"You can always try and catch me," she taunted them, trying to keep her pride intact despite the impression she had of running back towards Ignis and the protection he granted her.

One jump and she was back in the streets and she didn't wait even though her ankles burned from the pressure imposed on them. Two more jumps and the Citadel was in view. She used her spear to push herself higher and spotted a window that was close enough to the library for her to take a chance in a more precise leap. Her landing turned into nearly faceplanting and barely catching herself on a bookcase, but the room was empty, which meant no more humiliation for her.

 _You couldn't take out two small fires._

She angrily took off the armor, wincing as she noticed the bruising on her right arm. This wouldn't go unnoticed. Her feet hurt so much by now, she removed her boots, sitting down on the floor to gingerly test each of her ankles. Nothing was broken or torn, the latter happening far more often with the strength of her prosthetic bones, but it was smarting.

 _If you hadn't gone alone… No, girl. No need to go there. You're a strong, independent woman. This doesn't change…_

Except her nightmares and fears came with actions she'd done to keep herself alive. Actions which caused nightmares in other people's lives. Enduring hate and prejudice wasn't new. So why did it bother her so much?

She was stronger than she'd ever been. She had found a place that made her comfortable in this world, a space she didn't have to fight for keeps. And for once, she was afraid of losing it. Unlike the trashy backalley she defended like her turf, the small quarters the empire had lent her, the ship she'd left behind on Ravatogh's rock without a second thought. She'd taken a chance, taken every risk and it felt good to belong after drifting among a raging sea for so long.

But that little dream of a home in a peaceful place…

She got up and heaved a moan of pain at the first step, trying to stir her thoughts into a new direction. The future was too scary, the present hurt, and her past…

" _We'd keep your head, because I can't replicate such a pretty face with science…"_

Her breathing quickened, her eyes blinking furiously, one hand reaching for her neck. There was no scar there. No scar, no ugly sewing to attach her head to…

"Highwind? What are you doing here?" Ravus asked her after spotting her from the hallway. She looked far too pale and her eyes widened as she looked at him, blinking too fast.

"Don't call me that."

"Highw…" he caught himself just in time, taking a cautious step inside. "Okay. Aranea," he went on, testing her name. "Did something happen to you?"

Her first reflex was to shake her head, but facing all of her fears alone seemed impossible right now. She took a trembling step forward, trying to calm her breathing. It came out as a hiccupped sob instead and Ravus grew paler. He'd never seen her in such a state.

"I can get Scientia for you," he offered.

"Please don't. He'll… He doesn't need to see me like this."

 _Does anyone?_ Was the retort Ravus instinctively thought off, but he bit on the inside of his cheek instead. Iris had more influence on him than she gave herself credit for.

"Highwind, if you need a potion or…"

Much to his surprise, Aranea lowered her eyes and let what was left of her composure crumble, her shoulders lowering… no they were shaking. His brain tried to process what he was seeing. The commodore was crying. She seemed ready to break down and Ravus had half a mind to run because he'd seen her angry before. He didn't want to test his luck if she was going to lose it.

 _Say something, anything._

"Shit, did someone die?"

"No, I'm just… I can't stop…"

Her hands were shaking too, and she looked awfully so small. Her heels were gone, her frame was a shivering mess of hacked sobs because even now, she tried to hold her pain back.

"There shouldn't be a roof over my head. _I_ shouldn't be here. I couldn't make things right and…"

And now she was rambling. Not a soldier. Not the famous dragoon warrior every soldier had heard off in Niffelheim. She was just as broken as the rest of them, maybe more, because she always kept it to herself.

"You've got small shoulders, Highwind. You _can't_ put the weight of the whole world on them," he observed, taking the few steps left between them and awkwardly parting his arms.

Aranea didn't need more encouragement. She needed somewhere to hide until this storm of emotions had passed. At least, Ravus had a notion of what it felt like to be seen as an enemy. Ravus knew what the empire did, if she breathed the name Verstael, he wouldn't simply imagine what her fears might be. He'd been in the man's labs. He'd been tied to the operation tables. Drugged and measured and treated like a piece of clay with nerves instead of a human being.

"If it all falls apart, I don't think…"

"Hey, you don't give up that easily," he reminded her. "We've got nothing but draws."

The attempt at humor was welcome, but the exhaustion she felt combined with her last confrontation had been too much. Even though she tried to get the crying under control, the gates were open. Her legs gave up on her before long, Ravus catching her with his prosthetic. He didn't have words to comfort her, but he wasn't sure words were what she wanted either. Patience and a shirt to cry into might be enough for now.

Ignis happened to be passing by -Ravus was supposed to help him with their research after all- and missed a step at the sight of a sobbing Aranea nestled in said man's arms. If it wasn't for the awkward way the Fleuret was holding himself, Ignis might have let his blood react before his brain, but it was clear that Ravus wasn't offering comfort because he wanted to. Or that he was used to comforting the dragoon.

It was still painful to realize that Aranea hadn't looked for _his_ arms. She had been acting oddly the previous day and even in the morning, but their current situation wasn't ideal for normal behavior. Now he was left with the uneasy question, was he supposed to walk away and pretend he hadn't seen any of it or to step in right now? Wouldn't that be more meddling? More assumptions? But it was his Aria.

 _If she wanted comfort from you, she'd ask, wouldn't she?_

He walked past the room, stopping next to its entrance, unable to tear himself away from the sound of a sobbing Aria. She'd cried in front of him before. But had it ever sounded this painful? Wasn't there a bruise on her arm? Multiple bruises? Why did it look like she wasn't even standing on her own?

 _I'm supposed to look for hints that will help us find Noct._

When Aria was here and needed his support, he was going to focus on Noctis?! His phone buzzed and the text from Gladio didn't help him with his dilemma. They had found Otto-2 and were interrogating him. Was there even a point to look through textbooks anymore?

…

Ignis jumped slightly when he felt a hand on his back, recognizing Aranea instantly. He'd gone back to his books after debating things with Gladiolus. While capturing Otto-2 was a step in the right direction, they weren't sure he knew where Noctis was. And could they trust anything the clone would tell them?

"You shouldn't bend down like that. I'll have to massage your neck again," she observed.

Her voice was playful despite a hint of rawness. Her throat had to hurt after crying like she did. Was he supposed to play along?

"I could use a massage," Ignis whispered. "Or maybe just the feel of you between my arms."

That effectively surprised her, and she tried to put up some resistance when he pulled her into his lap, but her movements were slow, and her usual strength seemed gone.

"Iggy, what are you…?"

"You do know you can talk to me if something's wrong, don't you?"

She didn't want to falter, but his hand on her cheek made all the fears even worse. How could she keep him when he was too good to be true?

"Ravus told you?"

"I saw you," he answered her truthfully. "And while it's good you can rely on people other than me, I… A part of me was sort of jealous."

"Jealous? Ravus doesn't even have glasses!"

Ignis decided not to raise the fact she always removed his glasses when they were alone, knowing her teasing was simply meant as comfort.

"I didn't mean threatened. With Noctis gone, it's like I have… no one depending on me anymore."

"Iggy, that's so wrong. You don't need people depending on…"

"What if I do? I haven't known anything else for a very long time. And I'm glad you were there last night to help me calm down after Lunafreya's call. But how unfair is it to you if I can't be there when _you_ are down?"

A shiver ran down her back and she blinked too quickly once more.

"You know how I hate being a burden," she sighed, leaning her face against his chest.

"You're never a burden to me," Ignis assured her.

"But you have enough on your mind as it is. And these tears are just… I shouldn't be scared but I…"

"Aria, do you want me to spell it out to you? I'm here for you. Not out of obligation or because it's the right thing to do. I want to be here."

 _But how long until something happens…?_

"I'm angry with myself for not being stronger."

"Now, you're being ridiculous."

He gently guided her chin up, kissing her forehead before to cup her face with his hands.

"There will be times when we both hurt, even if it is for different reasons. If you hide from me then…"

"I get it. I'm sorry. Being in Insomnia just brings back.. a lot of memories that make me feel weak and small. I had a run-in with a few hunters earlier and they… saw me as nothing but an imperial."

His face hardened at that, his hands suddenly feeling possessive. How did he manage to make it feel good?

"So those bruises… Who did this to you?"

"Iggy, if I want asses kicked, I'll do the kicking myself. What's eating me up is that I finally belong somewhere, for the first time in my damn life. And it wouldn't take much to lose that. It was fine before, because I'd never have anything like it."

"Aria…"

"I know I shouldn't think that way, but I'm used to losing things."

Losing Noctis had always seemed impossible and he could understand what she was getting at. If their world could be turned upside down this easily, what could prevent it from happening again? Ardyn wasn't going to hold back. They hadn't lost any member of the team, yet.

"If we lose hope, they've already won."

She managed a smile at that, eyeing him curiously. It wasn't quite pragmatic, especially for Ignis.

"Did the princess tell you that one?"

"Funny fact is… I read this somewhere… No idea where," he added, pausing to better inspect her current state. Dark circles under her eyes. The tears gathering but refusing to fall. "You're still shaking. Maybe you should lie down."

"No. Let me be clingy for a bit. Maybe you could read to me so my thoughts can stop turning over themselves in my head."

Ignis was saddened he couldn't do more, but pulled her closer, relishing the feel of her breath through his shirt. Reading out loud was a bit slower to make progress, but whenever he paused, Aranea pleaded for his voice and he couldn't refuse her when she was this shaken.

He promised himself to dig into that encounter with hunters as soon as he had the time.

…

"It's getting stronger," Luna called out to them.

They were nearing the Turncouth haven and Prompto was barely directing Ciel anymore, keeping a close look on their surroundings. Any movements out of place would catch his attention and there weren't a lot of beasts around, expect for a pack of Garula peacefully eating grass next to the abandoned farm.

"There's nothing around here but that farm," Crowe observed.

They quickly confirmed that the signal was coming from there and circled the place, letting their birds wait for them in a patch of trees. The farm was ominously quiet, as were these parts of Duscae. The fields were empty and had been for some time, but the houses and hangars still held some supplies and Otto-2 walked out of one building, carrying a bag filled with rations to the very brim. The very sight of his lanky frame was enough to kick Prompto into action, as he wanted to make up for hesitating the last time they met and letting him walk away. Saying no conflict was left in the gunman's heart would be a lie, but he was far more worried about Noctis than any clone of his. Luna watched with stunned eyes as Prompto didn't give Two a chance, shooting him in the leg before the door of the building had even closed behind him. Otto's hood slipped off, revealing blond hair woven with pearls and feathers. His own gun was out in an instant, but Gladio was already on him, kicking it out of his hand and punching him in the gut without a second thought.

"Make sure he's alone," he called over his shoulder, parrying a defensive jab.

Crowe quickly went over the perimeter, even though she could sense thanks to the Etro that their target was indeed alone. As calm as Gladiolus had gotten last night, he wasn't holding back now that he had a worthy punching bag.

Otto-2 was sturdier than Prompto, but his frame was only one half of the Shield and the wound to his leg slowed him down just as much as the lack of air in his lungs. He resisted with all his might nevertheless, drawing a knife from his leather coat and managing to cut open Gladio's palm. The large man grunted as Otto-2 slipped from his grip, but Prompto had expected this. He tripped the clone, stepping on his wound and pulled his right arm behind his back until something snapped.

"Shit, why don't you ask me questions first?! That food won't be missed by…"

"Noctis. We know you helped Ardyn take him," Prompto cut him off.

"I didn't touch a hair on his head," Otto protested.

"I saw you carrying the stretcher!"

Luna walked up to the pair of blonds, her face pale but her eyes cold.

"How about we try talking first? Tie him up."

Otto-2 winced, but grit his teeth. He flinched away when Luna gestured to heal his wounded leg, if only to stop the bleeding.

"Do you really have to heal him?" the former Glaive asked.

"No, I don't have to," Lunafreya answered. "And I don't _want_ to. But he's not the one who kidnapped Noctis. He just let it happen."

Were they going to fix him so they could break him? Over and over? He didn't want to go through that. He could handle pain. But relief in between pain? Now that was torture. Once his leg was healed, he could look back into their eyes. Gladiolus clearly wanted to get his hands on him, needing an actual punching bag for his anger. Crowe had a few ideas of her own, since for once they could get a reaction out of an MT, even if the fact he had a face so similar to Prompto's was jarring. But it was Luna who had the lead, and her hand on his shoulder felt awfully cold.

"Where is Ardyn Izunia?" she asked him.

They had him sitting on a rock so they didn't have to bend their neck at him. The four of them stood in a circle around the clone, Gladio right behind him, ready to pounce at the slightest movement. The gunman of the team was just as on edge.

"You think those eyes will get me to talk?" Otto started, eyeing her disrespectfully. "I love my blondes…"

Prompto punched him before he could finish.

"You will show respect to the lady, Two, you hear me?!"

Otto spit out blood with a smirk, "Is that how hard you can hit? Cause Eight was a lot stronger than you."

"And I took him out," Gladio reminded him, pushing his head down roughly enough to make him hiss between his clenched teeth.

"We took all of your copies out and if you don't want to be next, you'd better get talking," the Shield insisted.

"I don't think any of you can be as bad as Izunia. Or our father," he added, giving Prompto a pointed look.

"Is that a challenge?!"

"Prompto, you shouldn't play into his hands like…" Luna tried to calm him down.

The gunman looked awfully pale, but there his face was grim with determination.

"Maybe I should… How do you like being in the dark, Otto-2?"

"You think you can break me in a mere few hours?!"

It quickly became clear that the rivalry between them was their only angle to get anything out of Otto-2, even if it was mostly insult and taunting.

"Well, I don't think you realize how far I'm ready to go for a friend. Can we put him to sleep?"

Lunafreya didn't like how dark Prompto appeared, but she knew her magic could comfort someone right into sleep. She had never forced it on anyone before, except for her brother the few times he really pushed himself too hard. The clone couldn't pull away, surrounded like he was, but he kept a defiant look until the light took effect on him. Gladiolus didn't even gesture to catch him as he collapsed, clearly holding himself back to not take his nerves out on the guy. When he saw Luna struggling to lessen the clone's fall, he grabbed the collar of his jacket.

"Do you want him to break his neck?!"

"Are we supposed to get him a pillow?"

"Guys, that's enough," Crowe cut them off. "Prompto has a plan and I think it's the best option we got."

Three pairs of eyes turned to the gunman and he swallowed.

"Okay, please try not to judge me. We're going to need the Regalia. And a gigantoad corpse."

"A what?!" Crowe exclaimed.

"As a kid, he couldn't deal with close space. Lock him in with a corpse and he won't last two hours."

Gladiolus looked just as shocked as the others, but they quickly got down to business, especially with Lunafreya pointing out that her spell wouldn't last forever. They had a brief argument about the use of a gigantoad in particular, because that thing was heavy and a little large for the Regalia's trunk. But Prompto insisted, having a very clear idea of what Otto-2 would imagine as he'd woke up.

"You're conscious Ignis is going to be quite pissed at you."

"I'll clean it up," Prompto promised.

He certainly hoped it wouldn't take too long though. The frog was already going to make quite a mess, but if Two stayed too long in there, he would surely piss himself. If not worse. The thought of the smell made him cringe. Crowe made sure the shackles were tight on Otto's wrist, his legs also bound by ropes. They shoved the gigantoad first, hacking off a leg and cushioning Otto-2 against the clammy flesh. There would be close to no room for the clone to move around and Lunafreya couldn't help her own breathing from quickening as she pictured herself trapped in there. Wasn't this too much?

 _But what is happening to Noctis…_

How was she to know her Noctis wasn't going through much worse?

The trunk closed with a thunk and the waiting game started. It wasn't long before the first shuffling sounded through the trunk and thumping followed, muffled at first.

"Are you comfy in there, Two?" Prompto asked, shocked by the venom in his own voice.

Was he trying to get back at all the Ottos? Or just letting out his anger for the way Noctis had been hurt before that he was even kidnapped?

"It stinks! Even if I tell you, no one but…"

Otto-2 cut himself abruptly, kicking and punching as best as he could. Prompto was the closest to the trunk, unable to sit still, while Luna jumped at every two thumping sounds. What was he saying? Would she be able to see Noctis, or have to wait, with an heavier consciousness on top of the guilt she already felt for taking so long to find her fiancé.

"It's too warm in here, I'm going to cook alive!"

"Must be a nice change from home, huh?" Prompto quipped.

A groan and the thumping went on for a few more minutes, until it became clear his efforts wouldn't get him out.

"I'll suffocate and you won't be any…"

"You can talk just fine," the gunman observed, giving a kick of his own to the trunk.

"You frigging bastard! I… What's that thing…?"

Prompto waited for more questions and when Otto-2 repeated himself angrily, he cleared his throat as quietly as possible, managing to keep his voice steady.

"Fleshy, clammy? Sounds like…"

"I didn't kill Four! I don't know what you did, but this isn't…"

Panic was clear in his voice now.

"We all remember what you did, Two," Prompto insisted, his voice nagging.

"I was still deaf when it happened!"

" _I_ wasn't, so you should stop lying to yourself! You remember how swollen he was? We couldn't see his eyes anymore."

Otto-2 cursed, but Prompto hit the trunk hard enough to make him yelp.

"You started it. Carrying those daemon fangs around."

"We needed to protect ourselves. And you…"

"You're the one who knows what I need to know, Two, so you're the one on the spot! _You_ stabbed Four."

"I didn't mean to!"

Now there was despair in that voice that sounded so much like Prompto's and the three other members of the team found it even more difficult to watch. It felt as though Prompto was slowly but steadily hurting himself, although it was clear the young man was letting out his own anger due to Noctis's kidnapping.

"But you still wish you were in my shoes," he went on. "You still wish you could have killed One yourself, don't you?"

"Shut up!"

"You're stuck here, Two. Second at everything."

"Shut your trap!"

"One always got things easier, didn't he? His drugs were cleaner. There was more food on his plate. He never let you tell your stories."

Two didn't answer.

"How were you going to do it?" Prompto insisted, giving a kick to the Regalia. At this point, he wasn't even conscious of what he was doing. "A bullet to the head would have been too kind."

"You shot him," Two tried to retort, but his voice was weak and trembling now. "I know you did."

"Where were you? Why did you stay behind like a coward?"

No answer once again, but Lunafreya could swear she heard a muffled whimper.

"I had…"

"Orders? War dog. At least, One _tried_ something. You just stay hidden behind any niff officer you have around."

More silence, and the gunman nostrils flared.

"You would have stabbed him, right? Keep the bullets for Eight and Seven, because you never could take them on. If it was me, I'd have saved Three for last. Make it cathartic."

A new series of thumps came, accompanied by a sickening crack. It sounded like Two had just hurt himself.

"Stop," he pleaded, his breathing uneven. "There's no air."

"You talk, I stop, Two-two."

"I need out of here!"

"I thought you liked dark places…"

"Water, okay? I need water and air."

"You talk and then you get water," Prompto set his terms.

The trunk was barely open and Two was jumping in his face, not caring if he scrapped his back on the door. He needed out. He tried to use his elbow, pure fear etched in his features. Prompto easily won over him, since the clone was blinking from the sudden light, and Luna couldn't help but spot the blood on Two's wrists. He'd struggled against the shackles hard enough to hurt himself. When Prompto finally immobilized him, with the help of Gladio, who hadn't waited on the sidelines as the action started, they realizes he'd broken his right thumb in an attempt to free one of his hands, struggling until the metal had cut so deep into the flesh, his broken finger hung limply at an angle that made even Luna queasy.

"Do you want to go back in the trunk?" Prompto nearly roared into his face.

"No, no, no, I… I'll talk," Two coughed, his mouth clearly parched.

He was covered with sweat and Crowe was certain he hadn't been in the trunk for more than half an hour.

"Get talking," Gladiolus warned. "Or it's back in the toaster with your friend."

A violent shudder wrecked through Otto-2. He stopped fighting back altogether, gulping and coughing some more.

"Water? Please?"

"Let him sit," Luna asked, her voice trembling. When she looked at Otto-2, she couldn't help but wonder what Noctis would look like when they were going to find him.

A single gulp later, Prompto give his clone a single glare and Otto delivered what he knew.

"The Costle… Costlemark tower," he pointed at the horizon, his arms shaking, the shackled clicking at the movement. "I can't go in unless Izunia opens the door for me. So don't blame me if you can't…"

"We'll worry about that ourselves." Gladiolus declared.

It was Luna who asked the question they all wondered about. "What does he want with Noctis?"

"I don't know!" he assured her. "It sounds more like a game than anything to him. I just bring in food for the King. And I would make more meals if the chancellor let me."

"Is that all you got?!" Prompto insisted.

"There's no code, no airship stationed anywhere, I think Aldercapt is dead, I don't know more, I swear."

"So what, you're Ardyn's errand boy?"

"Make that a dead errand boy. And stop looking down on me. Just kill me already, will you? One less number on the list of annoying lookalikes."

The gunman grit his teeth, the realization of everything he'd told Two slowly dawning on him. Luna cleared her throat, effectively gathering everyone's attention.

"We're not going to kill you," she started. "In fact, I'd rather we stopped hurting him."

Her eyes were turning their goldish hue and the team had mixed feelings, but it wasn't as though they wanted to lose much more time on the clone since they now had somewhere to look for Noctis. Otto-2 was a shivering mess as the Oracle touched him, unable to hold back a whimper as she righted his thumb and knitted the flesh and muscles back together. She fixed the hole in his leg, and felt a void in his heart that mirrored her own pain so well…

"You can't be…"

"Keep your light and kill me," he pleaded. "I'm tired of being fixed back up with wires and magic."

"Why do you all say that?!" Luna snapped at him. "Seven too was…"

Otto-2 managed a broken smile, pulling one of his sleeves up to show her the scars on his tattooed wrist. There was so many that the code was barely visible. And anyone normal should have succeeded before getting through that much self-harm.

"Don't tell me I'll be going down like that douchebag."

"Like you're one to talk with all the feathers and pearls in your hair," Gladio observed.

It felt weird to look at his hairstyle, considering it was even more elaborate than Prompto's. Not as weird as having such a talk with a shackled version of his blond friend, but their lives had gotten pretty weird since they'd set on that wedding-bound trip.

"Zero's mother gave them to me. I hope you realize that she was my mother too. Where do you think Verstael got all the eggs to make us?" he added, glaring at Prompto. "You got her guns and freedom. I inherited a fashion style. Bad luck on my part…"

"She chose me for a reason," the gunman whispered.

It sounded as though he was trying to convince himself.

"Sure, bro. I'm certain you don't want to lose any more time on me as it is, so let's be clear on one thing. The only way I'm going back in that trunk is as a corpse."

"Well, you're not going back in the trunk," Lunafreya whispered.

It took Luna summoning her trident and threatening to bash it in Gladio's head for the team to agree on leaving Otto-2 behind instead of making sure he wouldn't be a threat to them in the future. She couldn't stand the idea of hurting someone already so badly hurt. They locked him in one of the storehouse, with the gigantoad for company.

"He's totally going to get away," Prompto observed.

"Do you think he'll go back to Izunia?" Crowe asked.

"That guy sounded pretty conflicted," Gladiolus noted, pulling the car to a stop next to a railing. They would have to walk the rest of the way. "How did you know what to tell him?"

"He's always been big on guilt-trips. I guess we have that in common. Outside of the obvious."

Luna sighed as she noticed how the gunman was drumming his fingers on his passenger door. The little confrontation, half made out of torture and half self-loathing might have had done more harm than good. They had a location. But now they also had more guilt.

…

 _The Costlemark tower was constructed by the Solheim's civilization. From what I've gathered, it's half a ruin, half a fortress. The entrance only appear at night. Izunia must have been able to summon it at will. Would fit with the text we gathered. That man was alive during the war of the Astrals._

Ignis had done his homework and Gladiolus commended Prompto for helping them killing time. Knowing Noctis might be waiting alone in there and that they couldn't get to him for hours would have been a nightmare. The sun was almost down by the time they reached the tower. They all had to reign themselves in not to run down the path, spotting stairs that went down and a wall of bricks that looked as strong and unmoving as the rest of the ruins. The tower was ominous even in its broken state, but what caught their attention was the sudden blur of blue light that flashed in the air. It zipped through a wall, tumbled downward, let out a confused scream and it took them a few blinks to realize that Noctis had just rushed out of his temporary prison.

"Oh gods…" Luna whispered.

His eyes were red, and his face dark from dried blood and dirt, his chest heaving as the power burned his very lifeforce. His hair stood on his head, caked with grime and daemon blood, his arms shivering, a curtain of weapons flying around him. His legs hung in the air and couldn't hold him when he touched the ground, his after-images slowly receding, leaving only one King behind. He collapsed on the ground, gasping for air, blinking as the change in light was too harsh for his eyes. His irises weren't entirely back to normal yet, one blue, one purple as thunder roared in the distance.

 _I'm still in danger._

 _ **It's over.**_

 _I'm still in danger._

 _ **He's not coming after you.**_

 _My back hurts so bad._

 _ **It will go away if you channel us just a little longer.**_

 _I collected your sword, I need air, I need a sky above my head, I need rest._

"Noctis!" Luna called out to him.

He hid his face against the ground at the sound of her voice. The weapons stayed, circling around him, chipping away at the wall of stone behind him, cutting through grass, digging into the soil.

 _Nothing's safe. Nothing's safe. If I stop using them, won't they stop answering like they did…?_

His name was called out by three voices now. Prompto. Gladio. Luna.

 _ **You're strong. You have more powers in your hands than any kings ever…**_

But Ardyn could nullify it with a flick of his fingers. His name wasn't even his if he was to believe…

"Noct, are you…? You're out, man. You're really out," Prompto tried encouraging him.

Noctis wondered if it was the Otto or his friend. Ardyn did play around with Prompto's voice, but he never put on his face and since he was out of the ruins, away from their strange magic, since his armiger worked even though it's been far too long and his bones felt too cold, he wanted to believe. Looking up was an ordeal, because right after getting stabbed by yet another royal arm, Noctis had finally felt the entire weight of his accumulated wounds and mental exhaustion. He'd pushed forward, but stumbling around this maze of a place remained a nightmare. More daemons showed and he called on more magic, wondering if the hours weren't stretching into days. The ring had taken a toll on him, a toll his body most certainly wasn't ready to pay. His nails were too long, a beard ate away at the dirt caking his face, his body begged for a reprieve. He took one fall, tripping down a flight of stairs and not warping himself back up quickly enough. Something had snapped in his back and from then onward it had been armiging his way forward.

His arms shook, and he rolled on his side, slowing the weapons down, but refusing to let them vanish back from where they came from.

Prompto looked like the real deal and there was Gladio too, even Crowe. Ardyn had never taken Crowe's face. Now that he thought of it, Ardyn had never turned into more than one person at once. Maybe was that his limit?

 _This has to be real. This has to be…_

Luna stood right there, looking pale and so worried. The curtain of metal vanished instantly because he was too afraid to see it next to her. None of his ancestors spoke. His thoughts were enough of a whirlwind as it was. How could he make sure it was her this time? Shouldn't he run? He couldn't even sit, his back hurt too much and when he tried to move one toe, nothing reacted. A sob threatened to take over and his breathing was too quick even though the bad stuff was supposed to be over. His eyes flickered back to blue as the pain settled in.

Luna's eyes trailed on him, noticing the words engraved on his skin. The angle of one leg, the trembling that couldn't leave him. He tried to look away, to fight off the flinching that came when she knelt by his side.

"It's… I want you to be okay, Noct," she assured him. "I can heal…"

"Please, anything but that," he instantly begged her, shuffling away despite how weak his arms felt.

Lunafreya's eyes widened, but instead of pushing him like Ardyn would, she joined her hands and forced a sad smile. Noctis felt Gladio's hand on his shoulders, his Shield unable to stay motionless with his friend risking more pain by moving in his current state. The touch didn't cause panic. That big hand had helped him up and punched him countless times and in an instant of clarity, Noctis realized he would be able to remove the illusion this time around. His friends were real. Which meant that…

Her eyes held his, gentle, patient. Their contour was red, and he spotted bandages on her neck and her hands. Surely the long sleeves hid more. Who had…? Did he do that to her?

"You have no idea how badly I wanted to help you in the past few days, Noct. I hate seeing you hurt."

 _Reach out to her. It's her. It's really…_

But the pictures were too fresh in his mind. Her blood. Her expressionless face. The memories Ardyn had him watch of the empire abusing her powers. The scars she couldn't name, the scars that should be on her if it had been her inside that room. How could he even ask for her arms around him when he'd…?

"If you come too close, I don't know what I'll do."

His words were like an actual slap in the face, but Lunafreya steeled her heart. He was hurting. He was hurting and she had to be there for him, however that meant.

"Okay. I don't want you to feel cornered, Noct. Can I remove those words? You're not a failure. And there's nothing false about you."

Tears rolled down his face and he gave in, because the words etched into his skin burned. Her light was so sweet, he couldn't help breaking into whimpers. He wanted to hold it off, he wanted to reassure his friends, but he was too raw to hold anything back.

"We need to do something about his spine," Gladiolus observed once the last word-scar was gone.

Luna gave a questioning look to Noctis.

"I doubt you can… I took a fall and I can't feel anything below my waist," he managed, his voice wavering on the words.

The Oracle squared her shoulders, while Gladio cursed, Prompto's hands turning into fists.

"Just let me try," Lunafreya offered, standing back up to walk up to Gladio and inspect his back, making sure she kept her distance.

The former Glaive look at the whole scene unfold, trying to contain her own unease. What had the chancellor done to him?

"Prom?" Noctis asked. "Prom, it's really you this time, right?"

"Yes, buddy, no pearls in my stupid hair or…" the gunman started, taking another step forward.

One look from Noctis was enough for the blond man to kneel by his side, unsure if any words or smile could fix the hurt in his eyes. Noctis decided for him, grabbing his hand, the trembling in his limb running up Prompto's arm.

"Prom, I'm scared. She said days, but it felt much, much longer than that."

"We'll get this figured out, Noct."

"I'm not… I'm not the real King. It's all wrong, everything we were ever told was a lie. I'm sorry for your dad, Gladio, he shouldn't have had to risk…"

"You don't know what you're saying," the Shield opposed to him instantly.

Much to their surprise, the brown-haired man ruffled his hair. Noctis looked so much more like a child than the King they'd seen taking flight to face off Aldercapt. Gladiolus should have worried about Ardyn's location, he should have insisted on carrying Noctis back to the car right away to somewhere safe.

"I think I can fix this," Luna offered. "You were infected with a strand of blight I've never seen before, but…"

Her light had barely started its works when Noctis shrieked. He could hear crackling in his head, like bones snapping. The pain was a searing sensation, as though half of his spine had been replaced with burning coals. The princess stopped her healing instantly, Gladiolus protectively pushing her away from Noctis, the king nearly crawling in Prompto's lap for comfort. It took many long minutes for the worst of it to pass, the team staying silent, Noctis's sobs the only noise around them. Crowe couldn't believe that no daemons had appeared yet as the night sky covered them. Luna had a string of apologies, but she swallowed them back, getting to her feet and shuffling away from Noctis's line of sight. Ardyn had done something that prevented her light from fixing any serious wounds. To the point where she'd caused tremendous suffering on the man she loved.

"Noct, we're here," Prompto whispered, fighting against his own tears.

He'd never seen his friend this broken and wish they could have gotten to him faster.

"I want Iggy," the raven-haired man asked. "He was fine, wasn't he?"

Gladiolus heaved a sigh. Of course, Ignis was the one thing that could right him in such a sorry state. He really wished the advisor was already here, although he didn't wish for him to see Noctis like this.

"He's going to regroup with us as quickly as possible," he told his King. "In the meantime, we're going to get you somewhere warm and clean where you'll be safe."

"Liar."

"Bud, we're going to look out for you," Prompto insisted, trying to hold him without causing him any harm.

The awful protest that came to his mind died down in more sobs and the only words that came were: "Hide me. Hide me and get me Iggy."

Crowe offered her shoulder to Luna as her silent crying threatened to gather his attention. They had found their King. But his healing was going to take time and a lot of patience.

To be continued…

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The title for this chapter reflects a great part of my state of mind lately. Let's just say it's not a nice impression to have. Luna is in for tough times. I hope her reaction down here was alright. I want to focus on Noctis and the chocobros for the next few chapters, well, the next chapter at least, while also addressing how hard it is for Luna that Noctis pushes her away.

Next chapter will be massive hurt/comfort and Ignis/Noctis bromance. Well, a lot of bromance to be honest. Fleuret siblings time is on the horizon.

Things are going well for me, but I have no idea when the next update will come. Know that I really, really want to the fluffy parts of this arc, but at least, our boy Noctis is found. We just need to fix him now.

As always, reviews motivate me greatly.


	72. Tainted rain

My biggest struggle as I wrote this chapter was Luna's scene with Ravus. It made me quite uncomfortable to the point of nearly feeling ill. I don't know if it's because of the constant new sources of stress dropping on my head over the week. Let's just say that life is keeping me on my toes. I hope this particular scene will read well. We have a lot of chocobro time, and sibling times too with the Fleurets.

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Unexpected

Chapter 72 – Tainted rain

"We're going to get you cleaned up, alright?"

"Don't drop him," Prompto sounded a bit panicked at first and Noctis couldn't help a self-derisive chuckle.

He didn't fight back, because he was convinced now that these were really his friends. They handled him too carefully, they were too patient, he felt no magic outside of the shred of powers he'd given them himself with the help of the crystal shard he'd found so far back.

The ride to Cape Caem had been awfully strange. Gladio drove, Crowe insisting to follow them on a chocobo while Luna sat in the passenger seat and Prompto kept reassuring a shivering Noctis wrapped in his Shield's jacket on the backseat.

Noctis's eyes kept staring at the sky and the stars, his body trembling despite his best effort to stop it. He nearly threw up in Prompto's lap when the gunman offered him a snack as the road stretched before them. Crowe made a small detour by the abandoned farm despite Gladiolus insisting for her to stay in his sights.

"Focus on your King," the Glaive told him.

It was hard to tell what she could be thinking. Hard to worry about it when all he wanted at the moment was to throw glances in the rearview mirror to make sure Noctis was really there and not missing. But it was clear that Noctis was missing. His body was there, but his mind was half-gone and getting him back to his old self would be hard.

 _He healed after that crippling daemon attack as a kid,_ Gladio reminded himself.

Luna was too pale and he regretted every harsh word he'd used. Every member of their little group couldn't help but wonder what Ardyn had put the King through for him to be this shaken. It had been five days. Five days with barely one meal a day and being trapped inside a daemon infested tower with someone who could create illusions with a snap of his fingers.

"Where are we going?" Noctis asked after a while of silence.

"Cape Caem," Gladiolus told him.

"Maybe we can sit down and do some fishing in a few days, what do you think?" Prompto suggested.

His voice held a lot of uncertainty, but Noctis managed a smile.

"I'd like that. If sitting gets bearable…"

"Your back was pretty swollen," Gladiolus observed. "With some ice, time and a proper environment…"

"I could do away with humidity for the rest of the year," Noctis admitted.

He wouldn't douse their hopes. He felt so low already, better not take them all down with him.

Gladio had carried him up the stairs and into a room with its own separate bathroom, Prompto close behind, Luna settling in the dining room to wait for Crowe. The house had been kept clean by Weskham, but the man had moved to Lestallum to help with the urgent situation at hand. They had a bag with fresh clothes for the King, but it was clear he needed a thorough shower first. Noctis didn't argue about needing help, accepting to be carried around like a child. He almost wished he could revert to his child body, because being cared for in such a way was at least normal back then. The humiliation was diminished greatly by the pain still running through him. After a few tests, they had him sitting in the shower, Prompto and Gladio switching turns to keep him sitting upright. Leaning against the shoulder wall put pressure on his back.

"You should at least drink one elixir," the Shield insisted.

"I'll throw up," Noctis assured him, his voice white as Prompto finally won over the dried blood, sweat and unmentionables that kept his pants glued to his skin. "It's still bearable," he managed.

He seemed ready to look down at himself, the self-loathing clear in his tired eyes, but Gladiolus stopped him.

"You're out of that place, Noct, so there's not need to linger on what happened back there."

"What? What do you think happened?!"

"We don't know, man, it's just… weird okay?"

They didn't want to make things awkward for him and Noctis wanted to feel clean far more than he wanted to feel comfortable in front of them. Heck, the pain had made him tune out a lot of things and he was glad that he couldn't feel anything below his waist at the moment, because he could see the "dirt and grime" on the shower's floor, forming a pile by the drain.

"Yeah, well, at least, you can say you actually wiped my ass. Ignis never did that."

"Too bad we didn't pack baby powder. You might develop a rash and Iggy wouldn't like that."

Both Prompto and Noctis snickered, the King actually finding the strength to give him a slap on the shoulder, which felt pretty incredible given the circumstances. There was no comment on anyone's scrawniness and both Prompto and Gladio would need a shower of their own since they were still fully clothed, but as they dressed him up in clean clothes, Noctis felt a wave of relief washing over him.

Gladiolus insisted on putting a hi-potion ointment on his back. The swollen bulge on his spine worried them and Prompto had been careful to keep Noctis's attention away from the mirror on the wall, telling him about how Lestallum was getting back on its feet and how the rest of the attack had played out as he shaved his beard.

"So it's been five days? Not even a week?"

"You don't believe the ring could have made you pay in weeks for the magic you used?" Gladiolus suggested.

Noctis blinked, although the hypothesis might explain his confusion. Except he had lost consciousness the last time such a toll had been forced on him. And wouldn't his ancestors mention it? At least, the crystal had warned him…

His eyes nearly bulged from his head as he remembered the foreign voice in his head. There was a crystal shard inside of him and he knew that thing was bad news. His sudden jump made Prompto curse, pulling the razor away from him.

"You want to stay with half a beard?"

"No, but there's something more urgent," Noctis declared, eying the razor in his hands with strange eyes. "There's… Can you get a knife Gladio?"

"Why would you need a knife? You've got more weapons than my favorite utility knife."

Noctis grimaced, wishing he could shift more than simply squaring his shoulders in a mock attempt of looking commanding.

"Yeah, and my powers were cut off for 5 freaking days. I was like a cell with bad reception. Anyway, I need you to cut my back open."

"The hell?!"

"I want to feel myself again and that bastard healed a crystal shard into my shoulder blade. Don't pretend there's no bump there, I can still feel it."

The looks on his friends' faces made him wonder if he wasn't crazy. It was Prompto who actually patted him in the back, carefully looking for the thing he'd mentionned.

"There's no bump. But then again, I won't pretend I understand anything that sick chancellor can do."

"You'd better not try anything funny before we have you x-rayed," Gladio warned the young King. "Because I won't say you're lying, no one sane would want their back cut open, even with a spinal disc out of sort like what you most certainly have."

"Oh no, he's getting all kinesiologist on me. Prompto, help!"

The joke was a clear attempt of backing up on his previous demand and Prompto was torn between worrying and his need of playing along.

"I'm your personal barber, might as well have someone looking after the rest of your body."

"Gladio never adjusted you, right? It feels like your bones are breaking."

"I'll have you know I was top of my class," the Shield objected.

"Does all Shields need to take those classes?"

"Nah, I'm just exceedingly proficient," Gladiolus explained, lifting Noctis from the counter to carry him in his room since Prompto was done with shaving him.

"Do you know what your shield mostly excels in?" the gunman asked as he followed them. "Pushing people's buttons. He was the biggest dick I've ever seen while you were missing."

Noctis seemed lost in thought for a moment and tried to stir back the conversation, the silence feeling too loud.

Silence hadn't been a good thing in Costlemark. And he wanted more of his friends' smiles.

"Oh… Is that why Ravus wasn't there?" he asked.

"Now that you mention it, it was brilliant of Ignis to insist of bringing him to Lestallum. Those two would have killed each other if they had stayed around each other too much."

"Gladio was that much of an ass?"

Prompto wanted to mention how badly Luna had been hurting during the past few days and the part Gladio had in it, but he could tell the timing was wrong.

"Get off my back, will you, Prom?" the Shield asked.

Setting Noctis in his bed was a bit of an ordeal, until the King insisted that lying on his side was the best position for him at the moment. His friends propped his head up with pillows, looking for more ways to make him feel comfortable, talking about anything and everything as they passed the time for Ignis and the others to arrive.

…

Lunafreya let out a gasp when her phone rang. Crowe had never been to Cape Caem before and had gotten a bit lost on the way. It was a struggle to give her directions, for Luna had barely been able to see the road as they drove up to the watch house. She kept the Glaive on the phone and waited for her on the porch, seeing as neither Gladio nor Prompto were coming down the stairs. She didn't hear anything from the room they were in, except for muffled voices and a part of her couldn't help the sense of defeat growing in her heart.

" _If you come any closer, I don't know what I'll do…"_

What did he mean? He didn't want to break down? He seemed fine enough breaking in tears when Prompto offered him comfort. So what was the problem with her? Was he afraid he'd hurt her?

Or was it something Ardyn had showed him? His royal arms had vanished at the sight of her, Luna wasn't blind. And the way he'd screamed when she tried healing his back. The bite in her fingers from this new blight.

"Luna? Luna you haven't said anything for the past ten minutes."

"Should you be on the phone as you ride?"

"The guys left you on your own, didn't they?"

"I can handle…"

"Who cares if you can handle this? You don't _have_ to! At least, not on your own."

Lunafreya was glad when Crowe finally got to the little house. She'd received a text from Iris assuring her they were getting closer and the idea of seeing her brother brought her a semblance of peace. She need strong arms around her, because it still felt like she was falling. And for once, she wanted to drown. Coming back up for air only made her hurt more. Half an hour later, Ignis arrived with the rest of the team. He was surprised to see Luna by the door, Crowe sitting down with her, an arm wrapped around her shoulders in support.

The Oracle found it hard to talk and gave a nod toward the house.

"He asked for you," she managed.

The shiver in her voice didn't go unnoticed to the advisor, but his first priority had to be Noctis right now. If he was back, he needed to see him. Aranea, Iris and Ravus weren't far behind, the ladies helping Luna and Crowe to their feet, exchanging greetings and worried looks. A single glance at his sister had Ravus's heart sinking. She wasn't pale, but nearly translucent. Her King was hurting her again. He was back and supposedly safe but somehow…

"Why are you standing out in the cold?" he managed, his voice sounding too rough even to his ears.

He never knew what to tell his sister when she hurt. Three pairs of disapproving eyes glared at him, but Luna forced a fragile smile.

"The cold always reminded me of home," she whispered.

 _Home._

It was hard to remember when they'd last referred to Tenebrae and the cold fields of snow surrounding the mystical gardens of the Oracle as a home. Ravus couldn't help but wonder how much comfort the memories of their home could bring her. He wanted to shake her out of her daze, to share the few discoveries their group had made in Insomnia, but it was clear that Lunafreya didn't need words right now.

"I could use a walk after this ride. Care to accompany me?" he offered.

Iris gave him an approving nod as Luna walked down the stairs. It was clear the pair of siblings needed time on their own and while both Aranea and Iris wanted to get actual information about the team finding Noctis, they waited to be inside and sitting around the kitchen's table to inquire about the King's state. Gladio had been blunt in his text, while not saying much. _Just brace yourself, Iggy._

…

"I take it he's…" Ravus started, in an attempt to address the elephant in the room.

"He's alive. It seems like the only thing I can rejoice about right now."

His sister's voice was strangely detached at first. Rejoicing was the last thing on her mind, but she had to be tired from all the crying already under her belt.

"Lunafreya…"

Using the nickname Noctis had so easily settled on for her after realizing he couldn't say her full name felt like pouring more salt into the wound. Ravus wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"One of his legs is crooked," she started, and her words suddenly cascaded from her lips, as though going over his state out loud might make things better. "He was covered with scars… Nasty words etched into his skin to make sure he would feel bad. I couldn't fix his spine. Somehow, Ardyn managed to blight him when no blight should affect him since our mother…"

Her voice was shivering now, her brother taking in a sharp breath as he tried not to linger on the idea of their mother.

"A few tests I've seen made it quite probable that different strands of blight could affect a person even though they'd been healed by the Oracle."

"I don't want to hear about these," she admitted, halting in her steps, backing away from him.

The Tenebrean prince held her in place, meeting her eyes. There were no tears, but her lips quivered as she let her pain overwhelm her.

"I'm so tired of being stuck in my own head, Rave… I wanted to see him and I still can't… He's terrified of what he'll do if I get close to him, and I don't know if I can be patient with him anymore. If it wasn't enough, when I tried healing him, I made him worse…"

"Sis, you never, ever made anyone worse."

She shook her head, holding her ground, her voice unsteady as it rose in the cold air.

"You weren't there! You didn't hear him scream. I can't help the man that I love! It's like my powers mean nothing."

Her breathing was too quick now and Ravus could tell how close to the edge she was. His sister had always hovered just above a cliff. And if she took the last step over it, he wasn't sure he could get her back this time.

"You're worth so much more than your powers as Oracle, Luna. You didn't start to exist when you turned 16 and the gods first spoke to you."

Her hands gripped to his shirt, her nails digging into the fabric.

"Both of his legs were broken, Rave. He can't feel anything from the waist down. He was stuck in a wheel chair once, when he should have had a right to run around with other kids instead of feeling like a burden to everyone around him and wondering if he would even be able to fulfill his duty as the chosen King. I could support him then when we didn't know each other and now I…"

Ravus couldn't help but shaking his head at her.

"Can't you put yourself first just for once in your life?! He can hurt all he wants and I'm not saying he should be in pain, but you have a right to hurt too. Dammit, how do you even know that it's really Noctis? What if it was Ardyn messing around with…"

She blinked at him and after an initial glare, her eyes changed, as she slowly accepted to consider it. But it would mean that her Noctis would still be trapped somewhere and that very idea made her feel sick.

"I would know. I looked into his eyes and he dropped his armiger right as he saw me…" Luna whispered.

He hadn't called her name. Had looked at her as though she was a ghost, but how was she supposed to know what Ardyn had done or shown to him?

"Luna, you're hurting yourself. I'm not saying it's not him, just raising a possibility. He shouldn't push you away after everything you've been through."

Why would Ardyn wear a mask for so long? Could she have been mistaken when she saw Noctis lying on the ground? Wasn't it strange how the timing turned out, that he came out of the tower just when they were nearing it?

 _No, no, it has to be him. Even if he doesn't want me close, it has to be…_

Her panic grew, and she hiccupped, soon gasping for air. Her throat was too tight, and her next breaths were raspy, her face turning even paler. She could hear nothing but the pounding of her own heart as the hurt in Noctis's eyes came back to her mind. The weeks apart from him, the nightmares he had, his armiger coming to life as soon as he'd wake, the voices haunting him, taunting him.

 _I should be helping him. I shouldn't…_

"I can't… breathe."

Ravus wondered how his own lungs could work when she was this distressed.

"Luna, calm down, you have nothing to blame yourself for." She struggled to take air in and he gripped her shoulders. "Please, you can still breathe."

"Brother…" she pleaded for his help, clutching at her chest as though her heart physically ached.

How he didn't crumble next to her from the sheer pain of seeing her in such a state was beyond him. But when it came to Luna, his body knew better than standing still. He pulled her in his arms, letting her hide her face against his chest, gently asking her to breath in and out as she focused on the sound of his breathing. It took a good ten minutes of violent hiccups and shuddering breaths until her trembling subsided. Her first words were an apology, which her brother interrupted.

"Don't you dare. I promise not to beat him up until he's back on his feet, but stop putting everyone else first for the time being."

"But…"

"I'm saying something wise for once, sister, so heed my words. You need to worry about yourself. Noctis can't right now and I'm not good at it even when I try."

She seemed ready to object but gave in to the tears gathering in her eyes. The wind blew her hair into Ravus's face, but all he could notice was her shivers.

"We should get inside… and you should be wearing a coat," he sighed.

He knew she didn't want the others to see her like this. Hell, she was a Fleuret through and through and as much as he wanted to be proud of her, he wanted her to be happy.

"I miss home. I never thought I would with everything they did, but at least…"

 _Back there, it was okay to feel lonely. It was normal. Now I can't…_

As though her thoughts summoned her to them, Pryna let out a bark, making both siblings look up. The white dog looked distressed, but she ran up to them, raising herself on her hind legs as she whined, her front paws climbing up Ravus's legs.

"Pryna, you know I hate it when…"

"Did you come all the way over here for me, girl?" Luna asked, her voice still quivering slightly.

She gathered the dog in her arms, a weak giggle escaping her lips at the first licks on her chin.

"I missed you too, Pryn," Luna whispered. "How about saying hello to Ravus?"

"Oh no, I'll pet her but don't…!"

He was interrupted by the eager dog and accepted to bear with the torture only because of the few sparks in Luna's eyes. Even if it was only for a moment, this was the sister he remembered. Vibrant. He just needed to keep her afloat until her King got to his senses.

…

Ignis had meant to prepare himself for anything. He was eager to see his King again, but his eyes weren't ready for the dark circles around his eyes, the sharp angles of his cheeks. Noctis had changed over the course of their journey, aging from two years and losing most of what was left of his boyish features, but his eyes usually retained their amused glow, even with all the hard times they'd faced. Ignis couldn't remember how many times he'd looked at his face. With annoyance, with patience, hopeful at times to see him grow into the King the world needed him to be. If he could take that wish back, he would, because Noctis's eyes were tired. The child he once was had run as far as he could, if he hadn't been erased entirely. There were a few bruises showing here and there, things that Luna hadn't had time to fix as she focused on the words/scars. Ignis noticed the very light trembling in his shoulders. The way he tensed at the smallest sound. What a struggle it was for his arms to help him to a sitting position. Prompto and Gladio instantly tried to hush him back to lying down, but the young King nearly snarled, effectively having them backing away.

 _I'm not that broken!_ was what he seemed to be saying.

Clean clothes and a brisk shower weren't enough. Hell, even Lunafreya wasn't enough, so how was the advisor to find the right words, the correct gestures?

He tried to will his legs into moving, but his whole body was too heavy as his mind tried processing the changes. Noctis was somehow emaciated, a wildness mixing into his exhaustion. His blue eyes looked up and his panic overloaded Ignis with a sense of urgency.

 _Move. Help him. He's here, you can finally do something for him._

But what would be best for Noct? He'd asked for him, but his eyes now held questions and doubts. What had he seen? What had he been through? How far did the invisible wounds ran?

"Iggy?"

Ignis blinked, rooted to the spot where his feet had frozen. His voice was so raw and frail. No confidence. The advisor's brain couldn't muster a proper greeting.

"Noct. I… It's good to see you."

"I know you're tactful, but there's no need to pretend…"

 _Be honest._

"Well, you've looked better, but I'd rather see you like this than keep guessing about your fate."

Noctis lowered his eyes, desperately trying to hold himself together. He was slowly realizing what asking for Ignis looked like. Childish, unbefitting of a king. But he didn't feel royal, he didn't feel strong. The voices were gone, with their encouragements and nasty comments alike. His mind felt lonely, haunted by the memories of his own acts. The words of Ardyn echoed around. The pain in Luna's eyes. If he could only focus on one thing at a time, he might have been able to keep it under control, but everything felt wrong.

"Ignis, I need help."

Ignis moved forward at that, sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Of course. You should lie back down if sitting up hurts you. Or let yourself be propped up against pillows."

"I've been crawling for far too long, so I'd rather sit. Gladio, Prompto, could you check on Luna for me?"

His Shield exchanged a look with the gunman, who looked back up to Noctis with a serious expression on his face.

"You really don't want to see her? She's been pretty devastated ever since… I get that you're hurt, but I'm sure spending time with her would actually help."

If Noctis hadn't needed the support of his arms, he might have hidden his face against his palms. His hands turned into fists instead. He struggled to get the first words out, but then he couldn't stop himself.

"It's not like… I _can't_ see her right now," he explained. "I didn't just see stuff. He made me do things. He kept shifting into her. Speaking with her voice. Masquerading his sick healing into hers to the point I…"

It was a good thing he didn't look into any of his friends' eyes, because the dark and sad looks they had would have brought him even lower.

"Give yourself time," Gladiolus suggested. "But don't go losing her because you're afraid of losing her."

Prompto and Ignis understood where those words were coming from and wondered how badly they were all hurting. Noctis could barely remember what had been going on with his friends on the morning they left Free Crown. He knew they were right about Luna, but how was he supposed to face her after what he'd done? He needed time to erase the pictures he had of her corpse. Time to find a way to put it into words that wouldn't scare her.

Ignis waited until the door had closed behind Gladio's large frame, holding back his breath as he racked his brain for something, anything that wouldn't sound ridiculous and might encourage his friend.

"I think I should ask how things went down while I was gone. How is everyone?"

"We can worry about that later. You wanted my help."

Noctis finally dared to look back up, swallowing nervously.

"I don't know if it can even work, I don't know how long ago it was…" he started. "But I won't eat anything before I'm sure they're all gone."

Ignis raised one brow, trying to hold back his imagination.

"What are they?" he asked cautiously.

Noctis couldn't help the violent shiver that ran through him.

"Worms. The last thing I ate… I didn't mean to do it, I just wanted Aldercapt gone, I was so tired of fighting him all the time, my armiger moved for once. Then there were fangs in my mouth and my hands were too strong… I wasn't me anymore, Iggy, the crystal fused to my back kept begging for more raw flesh and… He kept pushing my head between its ribs, I tried not to…"

 _By the gods._

"I'm sure it was real. I felt them in my throat."

Tears threatened to fall and Noctis was afraid Ignis might be disgusted, it was clear in the way he held himself.

"Noct, this doesn't matter."

"He used my dad's face. My mom's… He pushed me until I killed Luna herself, Iggy. It was so easy, I just snapped and now I can't… You know my ancestors want her dead, they were congratulating me as she bled!"

Ignis shifted forward, wrapping one arm around him, and Noctis crumbled against him, his chest heaving, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

"Lunafreya is alive," Ignis told him.

"I should be protecting her, real or not, but I couldn't… I couldn't fight him and I'm not… Caelum was _his_ name. My ancestors usurped his line somehow."

"Noctis, stop. He filled your head with lies."

"He could use an armiger just like me, Iggy. He could turn my powers on and off as he willed it. If he's the real enemy, I don't think I can…"

Ignis held him closer, not caring about the tears stain on his shirt or the wrinkles Noctis might be making on his jacket. His baby brother was whimpering through his sobs and the words coming out of his throat were hacked through.

"Listen to me, Noct. You're hurt, and you're scared, and it will take time for things to feel normal again. I've seen you grow into a King and I never followed you because of your name or your line. Neither does Prompto nor Gladio. You're our brother and nothing will ever change that."

"But…"

"I'm sorry you had to go through this nightmare. If it was in my power, I'd make sure nothing like this ever happened to you again."

Noctis shivered and tried to shake his head.

"I don't want any of you to feel bad. I wasn't strong enough to…"

"You're plenty strong," Ignis told him seriously. "But you were alone out there, when we should have been by your side. And this I can swear to you," he added, pulling his face up so their eyes could meet. "I won't let you out of my sight ever again."

The young King swallowed, controlling his trembling for a short moment, although his lips quivered.

"You really think we're brothers?"

Ignis blinked, his breath stopping short. Had he been brought so low that he doubted he was worth such a thing?

"We are. We're family, Noct."

The shadow of a smile lighted Noctis's face.

 _Family._

"I thought I'd lost it…"

An orphan left alone in the dark. Except he'd never been alone. His father wanted better for him and Ignis had never voiced a complaint.

"Can't get rid of me that easily."

The following hug made them both feel like children, because of the tears gathering up and the awful fear that something, anything could claw its way out of the shadows and tear them apart.

"Could you try not going missing like that again?" Ignis pleaded once Noctis's hacked sobs had calmed down. "We were all close to losing our minds."

His strong front was off, and he needed to be sure...

"I was kidnapped, but sure, I can try," Noctis offered weakly. "Just… don't leave me alone. The voices might come back, and I can't…"

"I know. You won't be alone."

"Thank you, Iggy…"

Noctis wanted to talk about the way they could make sure he was clean, about a dozen different things, but his throat was raw from crying too much and his body too tired to sit up any longer. Sleep took over him almost as soon as Ignis had him lying on his side and all Noctis could do was to cling to his advisor's shirt as his consciousness faded, clearly scared of losing his only source of comfort.

Ignis remembered a few nights where he'd accepted to sleep next to the young boy he called his liege, after doing his best to distract him from a nightmare. The crystal haunted his dreams, and so did that awful snake monster. It felt strange to lie this close to him now, but the feel of his breath and the way his exhausted body relaxed gave him a semblance of reassurance. Noctis was in bad shape, but he wasn't insane. He was traumatized. But he would heal with time. And he would do everything to accommodate him with time and anything he might need to properly get back to his feet.

…

Prompto and Gladio were welcomed by so many questioning eyes as they came down the stairs, they both wondered how they were supposed to achieve their mission of checking on Lunafreya.

"How is he?" Iris asked, voicing the question on everyone's mind.

"Not good yet, but at least he's clean and I'm sure Ignis will get him to sleep in no time," her brother answered.

"I just hope you can do something about his back," Prompto sighed.

The rest of the team insisted on being caught up on Noctis's state, but Gladiolus decided the gunman and himself should confer with Luna first. The way Noctis kept pushing her away had clearly left a toll on her. The princess sat next to her brother on one of the couches, one of his arms around her shoulders, Pryna sitting in their laps. No member of the team recalled a time when the Fleuret siblings had stood this close, but Luna clearly needed all the support she could get.

"Don't try to spare me," she asked them. "He doesn't want to see me anymore now, does he?"

"It's not that he doesn't want to see you, at least…" Prompto started, unsure there was any way to sugarcoat this news. "He told us Ardyn kept shifting appearances to mess around with him. He pretended to be you most of the time, healing him in between the physical torture…"

Winces, outright gasps and lowering gazes greeted the realization that Noctis might fear anyone on the team now. But their heart went out for Luna, who had been holding on in the hopes of finally seeing her fiancé again.

"We just need to be patient with him," she declared.

We. Him. Never herself.

Ravus squeezed her shoulder, Pryna whining softly, her ears lowered. Silence wrapped over them, Aranea wondering about the rumors she'd heard back in the empire.

"What about treating his wounds?" Crowe asked after a few minutes. "Surely there's something we can do to reduce his suffering on some level."

"I'm more worried about his safety right now," Gladiolus observed. "Did you find Two?"

"Who?!" Iris wondered out loud.

They had a lot of catching up to do and after sitting down between the couch area and the dining table, the team covered the recent events. Iris sat next to Gladio, Crowe and Aranea sticking close while Luna invited Prompto to sit on her left. Pryna almost instantly climbed in his lap, which comforted the gunman. Their day had been nerve-racking and after all the talking, they realized how little they'd eaten. Iris convinced Ravus to help her in the kitchen, while Aranea recounted her brief confrontation with Etro's flames and temple, which made Crowe wonder if it wasn't another reason why the goddess hadn't talked to her once in the past few hours.

"I didn't take out all of the flames."

"I can't believe you took such a risk on your own," the former Glaive commented.

Aranea shrugged, glad neither Ignis nor Ravus were close enough to add a comment of their own about that little initiative of hers. In normal circumstances, Luna would have been interested in the developments regarding Etro, since she had been researching the goddess with all her might during the past few months, but her own pain had stunned her.

"Noctis was worried about you," Prompto tried cheering her up.

"So what? Isn't he also going to ask you to kiss me in his stead when he realizes he can't stand being in the same room as me?!"

She had said it so low, only the gunman heard, but the way he jumped to his feet, dropping Pryna to the floor in his shock, caught everyone's attention. Gladio had been listening to Aranea's story with attention, but a glance to Luna's grim expression warned him he'd better focus on his most recent orders. Prompto spoke first.

"I'm not trying to replace him. I would never…"

His voice faltered, as thoughts of Two and the fact he was a clone, hence an eternal spare invaded his mind.

"I don't want to be like this," Luna sighed.

"Well, you have a right to be," Gladiolus observed.

Prompto clearly wanted to say something, but the familiar sound of a car's horn made him look up in surprise.

"Is Cindy…?"

Aranea nodded.

"Iris thought you could use your own moral support."

It was bad timing to shove in Luna's face how everyone had someone to look after them when all she could do was cling to her brother, her fiancé's friends and her dog instead of the man she loved, but she gestured for Prompto to go meet with his girlfriend.

"I didn't mean to be harsh with you, Prom, you've been really kind to me. Worry about yourself for now."

Her shoulders lowered as soon as the door had closed behind him and the light argument between Iris and Ravus about the best way of cooking bullette's meat wasn't enough to hide the light cries of the princess. She was trying to swallow them back down, because all this crying didn't amount to anything useful, but she felt so broken.

Gladio wasn't sure he was the best person to offer her comfort, but he had promised Noctis he'd look after Luna a few minutes earlier and couldn't forgive himself the lousy job he'd done at it during the past few days.

"Holding it in doesn't help," he told her.

Crowe nodded in agreement, while Aranea wondered why her eyes were watering once more. Luna held herself with one arm, covering her mouth with her free hand, as though she could temper down the storm of emotions raging inside.

"How long must I miss him until I can have him back?"

She had waited 12 years. And now she was supposed to wait again? She let out a yelp of fear when Gladiolus took a step toward her, earning herself an instant apology.

"You should let that anger out before you hurt yourself," the Shield insisted. "And if you need somebody to punch…" he tried to joke, but there was a part of his regrets showing.

He'd pushed her too hard and now that Noctis was joining in the pushing, her limits were reached. Ravus wanted to interfere by that point, because there was only so much Iris could do to keep him distracted when his sister was in that much pain. If Prompto couldn't calm her like he had in the past few days, what would it take?

"Or just a shoulder," Crowe suggested. "He's a lot more snugly than he looks."

Luna wanted to refuse, she wanted to be strong, at least in front of them, but the gentleness overwhelmed her. How many times would she need to be hugged until the empty feeling inside her vanished? How many different arms would she feel around her until the arms she wanted reached for her instead of backing away?

To be continued…

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This was a depressing chapter all in all, but I think I needed to address how shaken everyone is. Next chapter will include more hurt/comfort, but between different persons, to play with different dynamics, plus fluff. Silvergold, Ignea and maybe some raviris. The NoctLuna is on the horizon, believe it or not!

As always, reviews motivate me greatly. We've reached such high numbers, I feel truly blessed with all my readers. Thank you so much!

I've recently finished my playthrough of the royal edition of FFXV. :D You should have heard me screaming lol. I'm lvl 72 so I can take on pretty much anything except for the menace dungeons and that crazy Omega weapon. I can't wait for the dlcs they're preparing. 2019 is so far away!

As for next update in this fic, it will come eventually. I'm the middle of a pretty hectic week and I'm soon to have three jobs at once, so my writing will be delayed a bit. I want to reach the NoctLuna fluff asap, you have no idea how much I need it!


	73. Do we still belong?

This chapter turned out a lot longer than intended. It's an angst-fest, but we also have fluff, mostly with Ignea and NoctLuna. Our royal couple hasn't pulled through all their problems though. Ignis and Gladio takes a good chunk of this chapter, while we follow Luna through her grief. I'm less stressed, but I have a lot of work, which explains the wait in between the chapter. I have no idea when the next one will come either, but I'm totally psyched to get everyone beyond the pain and to some shameless fluff. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

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Unexpected

Chapter – 73 – Do we still belong?

"Don't pull so hard," Prompto warned her.

"But it feels like I'm about to fall!" Cindy protested.

"Use those thighs," he teased her.

It was surreal to be teaching his girlfriend how to ride a chocobo, but it had been one week since they'd gotten to the watch house. Cindy had been tinkering with pretty much everything she got her hands on, Prompto included. The gunman had needed all the snuggling and long rides out that Cindy offered him, because Noctis wasn't getting much better and the ambiance around the house was gloomy. Iris had taken over the kitchen, since Ignis was spending from 14 to 16 hours of his days with the King.

Noctis was stuck to his bed unless Gladiolus carried him around. Noctis preferred staying cooped up in his room, but Ignis had insisted on him getting sunlight, so Prompto had enjoyed a few afternoons out with his best friend. Their favorite moment had been the "fishing contest" they made. It was between Noctis on his own and Noctis with the help of Prompto, since putting any strain on his back wasn't good. Hadn't been much of a competition, Prompto couldn't bear to let any fish escape them in between the waiting driving him nuts, but Noctis liked his antics and the quiet feel of the still water stretching in front of them.

On the first day following Noctis's new-found freedom, Ravus had ran tests, refusing to wait until the King _agreed_ to see him.

"If the chancellor took my face, it only gave you one more reason to punch him, right?" the Fleuret had declared coldly.

The tests revealed a cracked vertebrae and the sample of blight Ravus extracted was a strain he'd never met even in Verstael's labs. Iris tried using her light on it, but just as Luna's attempt, it didn't work. The swelling had receded and Noctis accepted to be monitored daily regarding his blighted spine, which eventually brought Ravus to one peculiar conclusion.

"I think the paralysis will fix itself on its own. There's something in your body fighting off the blight. You'll need treatment once the infection is gone, but until then, it seems you're healing yourself."

"How is that…?"

"Could it be that crystal shard? It's a lot tinier than what you described, but it might have partially dissolved in your bloodstream. According to a few texts back in Insomnia, some of your ancestors had this rite where they injected crystal dust into their blood. It was a lot more archaic than that and I suspect nasty addictions, but…"

Noctis rolled his eyes at him.

"I don't want any part of that crystal in me or my blood."

"My sister could certainly do something about that. You do remember her, right?"

Ignis had instantly called off the "medical meeting", but the words had stuck with Noctis. He had been back with his friends for over six days. And he hadn't asked for Luna or addressed a word to her in all that time, not even after getting a new phone with her number in it. Prompto kept mentioning her and Ignis had suggested eating dinner with her, but Noctis was still struggling. None of his ancestors had spoken to him. His mind was a collection of dark pictures, but the routine of days passing by without anything bad happening was settling in. He was safe, and he hadn't attacked anyone yet. Not even Ravus who never missed a chance to observe that his sister was owed better than being ignored.

Was seeing her and physically hurting her the main worry on his mind, or was Noctis afraid of seeing her because of his own state? He couldn't walk. Couldn't stand. Couldn't get himself to the bathroom on his own. He was crippled and didn't know how to offer her support.

 _Normally, you would ask, not pretend that she doesn't exist._

He tried to picture Luna walking into the room and couldn't help the panic that formed inside. He didn't feel like himself yet. Facing Iris had been a lot to ask, because every time someone new discovered him in his state, it made him realize just how broken he was. Gladiolus was growing impatient with him and it was only because Ignis and Prompto insisted on giving him time that the whole team stayed in Cape Caem. He had hope about fumbling back to his feet eventually and his toes moved at will by the sixth day, nurturing that hope even more.

He was extra difficult on the food he ate and still went on about cutting his back open whenever he was left for too long with his own thoughts. Ignis had brought him books, Prompto playing King's knights with him, while Gladiolus insisted on putting him through exercises to keep the circulation in his legs going. Aranea visited him a few times to remind him Ignis was forgetting himself, while Crowe never showed, staying close to Luna.

The princess herself would listen to every talk concerning Noctis and participate in preparing his meals, but she had stopped asking to know if he was ready to see her. She made herself scarce, encouraging the others to enjoy this break they had. Aranea kept her busy, taking her on hunts, bunking up with her whenever Ignis slept next to Noctis and even a few times when the advisor didn't.

The dragoon and the Oracle both felt abandoned in a way and while Aranea made sure Ignis knew she missed him, Lunafreya couldn't bring herself to confront Noctis about it. Until the last straw…

…

The flowers bend in the wind. Dark blue. They were in her hair. Her dress was made of them. There was no wind, it was a wave of petals, the water threatening to swallow her whole. A petal for every teardrop she'd shed.

 _Maybe if I just drown…_

But then his voice called.

"Luna!"

She tried to turn around, to locate where the sound was coming from, but there was no light in this sea of sylleblossoms. Why would Noctis be here?

"Luna!"

 _Were we swimming? Where am I?_

His hand fell on her shoulder and suddenly his arms were around her waist. Her face broke through the surface, air filling her lungs and she gasped and coughed.

 _This can't be real._

"Don't scare me like that," he sighed.

She batted her eyelids, trying to blink away the salty water, trying to get over the scent of flowers that made her head turn. She needed to see him.

"Noct?"

"Hey…" he greeted her. "You were… drifting."

His dark hair clung to his forehead, his jaw tensed, his eyes so blue.

"Why are you here?" Luna couldn't help but ask.

"I promised not to let you down, remember?"

Her heart ached.

"But how… You can walk?"

"Seems so. Luna, I… I know I've been… I haven't treated you right. I don't want to be selfish anymore."

"This can't be real. You can't be real."

Noctis winced, remembering how this had been his own words when he was stuck in costlemark.

"Please, don't say that. I've missed you."

She wanted to laugh bitterly at his misery because she had been the one missing him and forbidding herself that right because he wasn't ready to see her. Ardyn had taken away even the love she could receive from her prince.

"You think I haven't been missing you?!"

She tried pushing him away, but her arms were weak, and they were still in the water. She couldn't see the beach, she couldn't even see Galdyn Quay and the realization they were stranded at sea almost sent her into a panic.

"Luna, Luna, look at me."

This sounded like her Noctis, the one who would hold her up during those swimming lessons. His hands were warm and strong on her. She held on to his shoulders, finding them steady under her touch. She could feel his breathing on her forehead. His skin on her skin. It was an overload after all the time apart and her mind didn't want to hold on to reason if it meant she could have him. But a part of the princess was too deeply hurt to keep her voice down.

"I asked you not to push me away," she whispered through clenched teeth.

"I'm sorry."

"When does it stop, Noct? I've tried being strong. I can handle seeing you hurt, but if it's my fault…"

"No, it's not your fault, Luna, I let… There's no excuse that sounds even close to being good. I love you."

"But you don't want me close," she insisted.

His arms held her closer, to the point bending her neck to look him in the eyes hurt. Except she didn't want to hide in his arms when he'd refused her for so long. Her heart felt played and bruised.

"Am I making things worse right now? Holding you? Because if you want me to leave… We'll find a shore and then…"

Alone again?

"No, no, don't leave!"

The pain in her eyes made his throat too tight.

 _You did this to her. You were so busy worrying and hurting that you ended up making it worse._

"I'm here now," Noctis offered.

It wasn't enough, but the words failed him. He wanted her arms around him. Her hands in his hair. Everything that made her feel right next to his heart.

"Where are we?"

" _Do you know where this is?"_

Noctis had to steel his heart not to let the bad memory ruin this moment. This was his Luna. If he could still call her his was an entirely different question.

"We're together."

His princess had more questions for him, but the separation had lasted too long. She cupped his face with one hand, which encouraged him to do the same.

"If I close my eyes…"

"I won't vanish," he assured her. "What if I close my eyes?"

She offered him a smile.

"I'll be with you. Always."

She could feel the earth beneath her feet now, but the air was still soft and his arms didn't let go. Her hands reached up, her nose stroking his briefly. Every gesture was tentative, every breath hesitant. Their lips brushed in an awkward dance. There was so much fear left in them both, she could have cried, but his name on her mouth broke the last wall between them.

It was soft and gentle, too pure to be real, but Noctis made sure it would be real by pulling her just a bit closer, her body flush against his, his hands drifting on her back. The first kiss turned into frantic passion, Luna daring to strengthen her grip on him, to pull on his hair when she realized how solid he felt.

Her legs were weak, and she couldn't help the sudden need to open her eyes to check what his own legs could look like. She needed this to be real. She couldn't help her gasp when he lifted her in his arms.

"Noct."

"I thought I couldn't control them, but I was wrong."

His eyes were staring at her, sheltering her with a warmth she'd missed so much.

"I can't be on my own again. I tried being strong but…"

He cut her off with a new kiss and Luna realized she was lying on the floor now. Was it a floor? When had they shifted? Did it matter?

 _He's here._

A thunderclap made her jump and his hands, his lips, his warmth were all gone, her eyes opening on the dark room she usually shared with Aranea. Her sheets were tangled around her legs. She was alone. She had been dreaming. It felt awfully real but she had been dreaming this instead of finally being reunited with her King. Had she reached a point where her very needs were a mere fantasy?

She sat up on her mattress, struggling to process the disappointment she felt. She had dreamed of him before. Except he had been truly and entirely out of reach back then. Now he was here. He simply couldn't stand her presence. And if her dream was supposed to wake her up from her acceptance, she had to admit it was working. It was selfish of Noctis to leave her in the dark. It was unfair to punish her because he'd seen and heard her impersonated by someone else. Was it selfish that she wanted to be recognized as the one and only Lunafreya? After everything they'd been through, considering their fate and duty, she was supposed to lose him fighting the blight, not a monstrous version of herself.

"I want him back," she stated out loud.

Not in a dream, she didn't care if he was hurt and could barely hold her. She wanted his eyes on her, void of fear, his smile, his voice. She needed to know he still loved her and words wouldn't cut it. She had cried and muffled her sobs, she had drank with Aranea and snuggled with her as they both missed their respective men, the imperial girls finding a semblance of solace in their mirroring pain. If Aranea had been here right now, she might have helped the princess.

" _It's not really a rejection." Luna had tried to convince herself the other day._

" _How is it not? You don't get to see him, you don't get to talk to him. You're owed more than that."_

" _But he's…"_

" _I can accept priorities shifting and not always coming first. But after being left for dead, I need more than his friends checking on me."_

" _He knows it wasn't me, but Ardyn hurt him using my face. My voice…"_

" _And so what?! You went through your own tortures back in the empire, I'm sure, and do you hold it against him?"_

" _Of course not!"_

" _Then why can he do this to you? Why can he get away with it?"_

" _Are we still talking about Noctis?" Luna wondered._

 _Aranea blinked, realizing the Oracle wasn't entirely wrong with her observation._

" _Does it matter? I'm not saying I want you to be with Noctis all the time so I can have my Iggy back, because even with Noctis preoccupied with something else than needing comfort, I can't have my man until this country runs straight."_

" _Neither can I…", Luna softly stated. "But I used to be able to pretend at least…"_

 _Aranea pulled a face._

" _Don't play the pretending game. It's a short term solution and merely surviving isn't enough. You should aspire to more at the very least. Took me a while to realize I could ask for more," she admitted as an afterthought._

" _How do I even walk up to Noctis and start a conversation after all this time? Hi, it's the princess mouse who's been hiding from you like a good girl. I won't hide anymore…?"_

" _You could certainly do with being less of a good girl. You have a right to see him for fuck's sakes."_

 _Luna's eyes didn't even widen, but a sad smile graced her features._

" _I've handled a lot of things in the past, so I think that me trying to handle this now is mostly due to my pride. Like… why should this be my limit? Why do I need him so badly when he clearly doesn't?"_

 _The dragoon raised one brow at that._

" _He dropped the armiger when you said his name right?"_

 _Now it was the Oracle's turn to feel impatient and she nodded with a roll of her eyes. She'd recounted the events of when they'd found Noctis ad nauseam. Aranea didn't have a lot to do outside of hunting their meal and finding any occupation she could as she waited for Ignis to take a step back from Noctis. Crowe kept offering an ear to the Oracle, but she also had to look after a restless Gladio and Etro to worry about. Iris would read books for Noctis or work in the garden to grow fresh vegetables. Ravus was overbearing with his sister, to the point she begged him to check on both Free Crown and Lestallum on a regular basis. He had left with Gladiolus the first time and the fact both men had survived a full ten hours in each other's company had been celebrated with a commemorative picture and one extravagant dessert. The one time Cindy had sat with Luna and listened to her situation, the mechanic had suggested hitting Noctis with one of her wrenches in such colorful words that Luna had decided not to ramble around her anymore._

 _Aranea used colorful words too, but she never threatened Noctis. And she was excessively patient with Luna. She knew how it felt to stay stuck in an uncomfortable position in fear of finding herself even worse off._

" _I'm not saying he doesn't love me anymore. But that might actually feel better."_

" _Be careful what you wish for." Aranea warned her. "Unless you consider that you've fought as much as you could already."_

And this was it. Instead of fighting, she had been accepting Noctis's conditions, without even trying to get what she needed.

"I need him back," Luna told herself, not even glancing at the clock on the wall. The stars shone, but she wouldn't go back to sleep unless her dreams could be happen when she was fully awake.

…

Ignis never fully slept when he shared Noctis's bed. He was always a light sleeper to begin with, but the fragile state of his friend made it almost unacceptable for the advisor to let his consciousness drift off. After failing Noctis so badly –even though everyone hearing him saying so insisted that he wasn't to blame– he couldn't help his need to keep him safe. Even if that meant losing sleep here and there. Aranea kept chiding him for pushing himself too hard, but Noctis was making progress. Very slow progress, considering today hadn't been quite promising.

Noctis hadn't accepted to eat any meat yet, not even fish. He was still picky about greens, so it was turning into a nightmare to have on an adequate diet. Ignis didn't want to feed him by force if he could avoid it, since he knew what had happened to Aldercapt's carcass. The advisor had gotten in a few arguments with Iris about the food she prepared, using up most if not all of his patience on their King.

And right now, said King was testing his limits. Losing sensations in one arm to hold him through the night was something Ignis could live with. During the first days, it was comforting to have Noctis close, the tangible proof that his liege was safe and in good hands. But Noctis couldn't use his friends as comfort objects forever. And for once, instead of having nightmares, the young man dreamed.

Ignis had been half-asleep, when a sudden pull on his waist brought his hips closer to Noctis's. A deliberate squeeze to his behind made him tense up, his eyes snapping open. There was a limit to what he was ready to accept in the name of friendship.

"Noct?" he asked, his voice rough with sleep.

"Luna…" the raven-haired man mumbled against his neck. Was he nibbling on his skin?

 _So I'm not just a pillow now. Well, isn't this grand?_

Noctis's hands trailed up his backside and Ignis cleared his throat. He'd barely held Aria in the past 48 hours and he was supposed to play Luna's part? He shrugged Noctis off him, which resulted in the young man desperately holding to him, finally opening his eyes.

"Where... did your breasts go?" he asked, a confused expression on his face.

"I raised you to be more of a gentleman than that," Ignis shot back, his voice finally pulling Noctis out of his dream with a start. Realization hit, and he backed away to his own side of the bed, Ignis fully sitting up.

"Wha… Oh shit!"

"I don't know if Prompto allows groping, but I'll have you know…"

Noctis looked ready to hide under the bed, seeing as Ignis looked disheveled, annoyed and had crossed his arms, his back ramrod straight.

"I'm so sorry, Iggy!"

The advisor's mouth curved into a faint smile.

"It sounds like you're making progress," Ignis observed. "Maybe you can try seeing the actual Lunafreya tomorrow and reenact that dream. With more preliminaries that is."

Noctis blushed even more and was tempted to just phase through the nearest wall.

"Hey, I don't need advice for…"

"My… bottom is in disagreement."

Before their discussion could get any more awkward, there was a knock on the door that made them both jump.

"Ignis?" Luna called from the hallway. "Is Noctis awake?"

"What a coincidence…" the advisor mused.

One look at his King told him he wasn't ready to see the princess yet. Killing anyone looking like her had traumatized him, but Ignis couldn't understand his reaction. Leaving Aranea down that cliff had been like sentencing her to her own death and after finding out she was alive, all he'd wanted to do was clinging to her to make sure she stayed alive.

"I can't reenact anything, Iggy, I'm not… My legs don't work yet."

Frowning, Ignis hoped that Noctis would stop finding new excuses. From the few occasions he'd seen the princess, she wasn't doing so well. And Aranea kept warning him the lady was reaching her limits.

"I don't think she cares…" he started to tell his liege.

"Ignis Scientia, I can hear you, I know you're up, answer me. Please!"

The limits were reached indeed.

"Coming in a minute, lady Lunafreya," he called back, lowering his voice as he turned his eyes back to Noctis. "You _want_ to see her. So why deny yourself?"

The crippled King shook his head. There was no way Luna could want to see this version of him. He jumped at the slightest sound, he couldn't walk, he couldn't look at her without seeing…

 _ **What about that dream just now?**_ A familiar voice asked him.

Ignis was shocked to see the prince looking away, apparently ignoring his question and the woman still lightly knocking at the door. Noctis spotted the spiritual dog, sitting by the window, bathed in moonlight and gave his question some thought. Approaching Luna had been easy in the dream. Was it really nothing but a dream if his friend Carbuncle was involved?

"Noct, she doesn't sound well," Ignis insisted.

The King tried to focus on the idea of Luna standing on the other side of that door. The Luna who had enough of being pushed away, who had nearly preferred drowning to being between his arms. Had it been real?

 _ **She sounds too good to be true. How fresh is she?**_

Was that the crystal in his back? Why could it talk to him again? Why now?

"I'll make her worse," Noctis whispered through chattering teeth, covering his face with his hands, his fingers soon pulling on his hair.

Those signs were red flags for Ignis and he armed himself with patience. Unlocking the door and pulling it ajar, he leaned in the opening, making sure Luna wouldn't get a chance to squeeze herself inside.

"I don't want to wake up the whole… Oh. Are you going to tell me he's asleep?"

Ignis really didn't have the heart to lie to her, seeing as she had hastily gotten up from a nightmare, strands of hair pointing in various directions, her eyes rough with pain. She wasn't supposed to look like that and as much as his loyalty went to Noctis, she was supposed to become his queen. He should be serving her too, not just…

"He's awake. But he can't see you yet."

"Who decided that?! Was it him or you, Iggy?"

Much to his surprise, the advisor was dragged out of the room by the collar of his already wrinkled shirt, barely finding his balance when the tugging stopped. He wasn't as awake as he'd thought and realized that there had never been a time when he stood in front of Luna while feeling so far from his composed self. His shoulders were stiff out of habit, but he kept drawing them inward and mentally chastising himself for it.

"I…"

"You're covering for him. Again. He's not a child, Ignis," Luna started, her impatient frown deepening.

"I know that. But it's not like he simply fell from a chocobo."

"I should have a right to help him," Luna opposed, her hands balling into fists despite all the willpower she'd mustered to stay calm. "I have a right to talk to him. I miss him and I'm the one about to go mad. I know you are worried about him too, but you've had years with him when all I got were a few months. I want him back!"

Her words were punctuated by a single hit against his left pec and Ignis almost flinched. He knew Noctis wasn't happy with things the way they were, he knew Lunafreya was hurting, but this… He had been overprotective of the King during the past few days, but he was perfectly justified in doing so. He wasn't trying to separate them or…

"We all do," he told her, keeping his voice as steady as he could.

"You don't get to say that! You see him every day, you are the only person he really wanted to see when we found him. All I get are fears and rejection as though I can't handle…" She paused, nearly trembling from all the anger welling up inside. Tears fell from her eyes, but she didn't motion to dry them and glared at him as he gestured toward her. "Stop being his crutch and give him back."

Ignis paled, his face collapsing. Was she insinuating that…?

"I'm not, in any way, trying to keep him in this state."

"Of course not," she declared, rolling her eyes at him. "But isn't it much better for you to keep him in one place where you can look after him like when he was a kid? You get him all to yourself and you can be sure he won't relapse or get any more hurt, you just need to keep the "thing" Ardyn looked like away from him."

The advisor's shoulders dropped a few inches, his heart falling much, much further down as he tried to process the accusation. He couldn't control his breathing and struggled against his urge to back away from her. Her glare was cold and all the excuses he might have mustered for Noctis vanished. He _was_ covering for him. And he was maybe overprotective of his friend, which she blamed him for. But to call him a crutch? To say he was holding Noctis back from healing?

"What?" he nearly gasped.

"Stop pretending you're blind, Ignis!" Luna commanded, pushing him back against the doorframe, the door to Noctis's room swinging open, but the Oracle kept her eyes on the tactician, both of her fists lightly hitting his chest. Even now, she was tempering herself, although her voice was harsh as she went on, "Coming so close to losing Noctis made you wary and you don't want to risk him, even though we all need him. Lucis needs him. If he doesn't love me anymore, it's one thing, but I won't stand by idly waiting. I've done it long enough! I never thought you would…"

"I'm not kidding myself. I know you're hurting…!"

She snapped at that, her eyes throwing daggers at him, her nails digging into him.

"You listen to me for once! You don't always know better. You're leaving Aranea all on her own because you can't put her first, just like Noctis can't put me first."

Ignis could barely find his voice to protest out loud, because hearing her words felt so wrong. Noctis was his to protect. Noctis was his family. He had a right to defend him. He had never meant… It had only been a few days, surely Aranea understood, but he wasn't sure when she'd last smiled to him fully. And he missed her. He hadn't been able to care for her when Noctis was missing and now that he was back, he couldn't focus on anyone but him. Did that make him uncaring?

"This is a temporary situation," he whispered, his voice shivering out of his control.

Why couldn't Noctis just see her? Why couldn't she believe Ignis when he told her that her King missed her? What had he done wrong in the past few days to let her hurt this much?

"A situation you shouldn't be in charge of anymore. You simply encourage Noctis into hiding."

Why were there no noise coming from the inside of the room? Ignis was too shocked to look in his liege's direction, but he couldn't help worrying. He was awake and hearing all of this. Was it wrong that he worried about him first?

 _It is. But it's not. You're thinking like a child._

"I get it, Lunafreya."

"Stop calling me that! I won't keep my distance, I won't listen to your excuses. I don't want you around him anymore. You're driving yourself into a wall, I bet you don't even get any sleep. Do you wait at his beck and call to be the perfect butler they trained you to be as a kid? How is that helping him?!"

Her voice had risen, and it was impossible that the others hadn't heard by now. Ignis wasn't sure how his legs held on, because as much as he could rationalize her words, they still hurt. He wasn't trying to be a perfect butler, he wasn't a freaking butler either!

"Luna…"

He had no idea what to tell her and she barked right back, to which he lowered his head, his stance crumbling as his hands started shaking. Maybe he held a good part of the blame for how much pain she was going through. Maybe he should have stopped simply reacting to Noctis's needs and take a minute to think about the future more seriously.

Luna shook her head at him, not even appreciating the fact he'd used her nickname.

"Don't take my words lightly," she warned him. "I order you to stay away from him for the next few days." His breath caught, and the shaking won over his entire frame. "I'll have Aranea tie you up if necessary, but I won't let this little game of licking each other's wounds keep going on forever."

The princess had never used her title against him like this and with the shock came actual fear. He couldn't leave Noctis in this state. Unless she was right and with the dream Noctis had had, maybe…

 _He needs to be looked after, I'm not in the wrong._

But it felt wrong. He was torn in too many directions at once and he couldn't forget his own impatience at Noctis earlier. Hated himself for it. Hated the words Luna had thrown at him. There was truth in them. A truth he wanted to deny because his whole life had always revolved around one single person and as logical as he was, he couldn't grow past the unconditional attachment he had. And she resented him for it.

Luna wasn't done with him yet.

"You're going to hold me back, aren't you? You're going to deny me the one thing I can't live without…"

"It never was my intention for you to get hurt," he managed despite how tight his throat felt.

"Then walk away and let me talk to him directly."

Ignis couldn't help his reaction then. He threw a glance in Noctis's direction. The King looked stunned. He'd managed to sit up and his eyes were glued to the pair, his mouth hanging open. There was a glint of red in his eyes and his arms were too tensed by his sides.

"I know you don't want to see me, so you can just pretend I'm not standing here," Luna bellowed at him.

"Luna, you have a right to be angry at me," Noctis acknowledged her, his voice unsteady. "Could you not take it out on Iggy?"

"I'm angry with the both of you! Is me punching Ignis what it takes to have you talking to me?! Because that's not how I am. I don't recognize myself anymore!"

She clutched her own chest, anger mixing with panic and Noctis bit on his lower lip as he saw the results of his stubbornness. Ignis inched into the room, but Luna glared at him hard enough to freeze him in place. She was livid with new tears trailing down her face.

"I said to stay away from him! I might not be your queen, but once upon a time, you respected my opinions. So please, leave before I lose it."

Noctis called her name again and something snapped inside. A golden light lit the room as her trident appeared, clattering to the floor in the middle of her furious shriek.

"Would you look at this, Noct, there's not even an Astral voice in my head and there I go," she mocked herself, running her hands through her tangled hair. "Guess you really need me away from you."

The young King let out a shaky breath, his head moving to tell her she was wrong.

"What the hell is going on?" came Gladio's voice, Ravus following not far behind.

"Sister!"

The Shield went to Noctis's side after getting a brief hand sign from Ignis telling him he'd better worry about their friend first. Luna shrieked in fury, because it seemed she didn't want either of Noctis's friends acting as a crutch for him, but her brother was by her side and wrapping her in his arms. Ravus was instantly forced into a struggle as she tried to push away his embrace.

"Don't tell me to calm down!"

"I didn't say anything," Ravus objected. "But this isn't you and while I'm glad you finally spoke up, I don't want you hurt any further."

"I don't know if I can hurt beyond this," she admitted. "Just make up your goddam mind, Noct!"

Her trident vanished and after a good minute of silence, Noctis looking away without a word or an apology, Ravus decided his sister had tortured herself enough and pretty much dragged her out. She kicked and resisted until Ignis stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him with a trembling hand.

"Get out of this hallway," Luna insisted.

"Sis…"

"If I don't get to see Noctis, why should he?!"

Ignis swallowed, wishing it might remove the knot in his throat.

"I'll stay away," he promised. "And for what it's worth, I'm sorry."

…

Ignis's fingers were shaking as he hit the digital keys on his phone screen. Aranea wasn't answering, but he knew for a fact she wasn't sleeping. She wasn't in her room. Crowe and Iris had greeted him with worried looks and he'd nearly bolted out of the door because he didn't want to break in front of them. Prompto was with Cindy, surely still asleep and blissfully unaware. He was owed some quiet and Ignis wasn't sure he'd be able to articulate words.

He was a crutch and a stupid butler, maybe even a nanny at this rate and while he told himself it was false, he needed to regain some sort of emotional balance. Seeing Noctis cowering in his sleep for the past week, refusing meat, asking for a knife in his back whenever he thought about the crystal again was already more than he could take. He'd endure it out of sheer will, but that outburst just now…

There was a shower running on the first floor and he unlocked the door to the bathroom, ready to face the consequences. Not caring for the water still falling, he pulled the curtain open, welcomed by a yelp and a bar of soap hitting him square in the chest.

"Ignis? You nearly gave me a heart attack. What the… What's wrong?"

He tried to keep his breathing even and to get his shaking under control, but to no avail. How fair was it to ask her for comfort when he had barely offered her any in the last few days? A sob broke through and Aranea dropped the self-conscious arm that had been hiding her chest.

"Iggy…"

"I can't… I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't…" his voice shuddered in and out as he stood before her, doubting he had a right to step into her arms. "I'm failing everyone around me, I keep making things worse and I don't want to leave you feeling alone, I just…"

"Come here. Don't let me get cold."

It was meant as a joke, but that made him apologize even more as the sobs took over. His arms were desperate and his back hunched over as he pressed his face to the crook of her neck.

"I told you you were pushing yourself too hard."

"I know. It's not even…" he hacked on a sob and Arenea struggled to keep her balance as she held on to him with all her might.

"You don't have to talk right now."

"She thinks I'm keeping him from healing. Like I want him to stay that way. She said I can't put you first, but I can, I…"

Aranea didn't need clarification and chided herself for letting Luna on her own after waking from a nightmare. The princess had looked so peaceful in her sleep for once.

"Oh, baby. You know she's hurting."

Her hands stroked his hair, the dampness sticking to his clothes, water and tears streaming down his face.

"I don't know how to fix this."

"You don't have to fix anything. What's going on isn't your fault and you're already doing your best."

"If I was, Noctis would…"

"Stop it, Iggy. Now, I need to be a bore, but it's just for a second. You can cry on my shoulder as much as you need, but I'm going to slip and then we'll both break something."

She was standing in the bath tub, awkwardly bent forward to hug him and it had to be quite uncomfortable with her shorter frame. Her comment almost made him smile, and he mustered some strength to lift her in his arms, which elicited another yelp from her, her arms hastily wrapping around his neck.

"I won't let you fall or slip, you should know it by now," he observed, his voice dark with the pain from his past failures.

He pulled her close, grabbing a towel to drop over her shoulders, sitting with his back against the door of the bathroom and the woman he loved in his lap.

"We're all on edge," Aranea defended herself.

"You are on edge?" he concluded.

"I'm worried about you," she deflected his inquiry. "And look at you making a mess just because you couldn't wait to see me."

He heaved a sigh, his breathing still too quick, kissing her temple.

"I apologize for barging in like this. I needed…" He tried to calm his breathing and shook his head, correcting himself, "I _need_ your arms."

She tightened her hold on him at that, giving him some time to gather himself.

"Sounds like she was pretty rough on you."

"Heh. I might have earned some of it. She basically accused me of trying to steal Noctis from her. Now I have strict orders to stay away from him."

Aranea blinked, looking up at him.

"That's going too far, even for her! I mean… I would confront Noctis about ogling all of your time to himself and being a needy child, but you two are such close friends…"

"Yeah."

"Iggy, did you just "yeah" me?"

"I'm sure I did. Why?"

"Now I'm worried."

"I don't always use sophisticated words to express myself," he shot back, managing a smile.

"Luna just wants someone else to hurt like she does. She can't achieve it, since I'm letting you in, not matter how cavalierly you treat me."

"You don't know how grateful I am. And I'm sorry if you've felt lonely or on edge lately."

"You're only one person, I know you can't look after everyone at once."

She shifted slightly in his arms and he realized how uncomfortable she had to be, naked and not even dry from her shower. Her silver hair cling to her shoulders, the towel having dropped lower as she moved to hold him.

"We can't go to your room, can we?" Ignis asked her.

"This house is at full capacity and if I see Luna right now, crying or not, I'll punch her for giving you an order. You're not her lackey."

"Technically, I'm at Noctis's service and as future queen…"

"Poppycock," Aranea cut him off, mocking his accent before getting more serious. "You belong to no one but me."

They both blushed at her bold statement, Ignis wondering why those possessive words made him feel more at ease. He'd always existed for other persons, mainly Noctis and it had been hard realizing how much he actually depended on his royal friend to be around him to feel he was worth something.

"You know, I've been missing you lately," he confessed.

"Me too. It's only been a few hours since we last saw each other, but you sleep more than you talk to me lately."

"I'm sorry."

"I don't want words," the dragoon warned him, her hands lifting the hem of his shirt to toy with the fabric. "Make it up to me."

He raised one brow at her.

"Do you… want another shower, or am I reading this wrong?"

"You're already mostly wet. And I can't feel my toes."

"We can't have that."

His hands instantly held her feet, and she couldn't help a shiver as the touch made her ticklish.

"So… I belong to you," Ignis said. "Does that mean… ?"

The words eluded him and Aranea couldn't help her grin. This unsure Ignis reminded her so much of the teenager he used to be.

"I can't answer unless you ask me clearly, Iggy."

He stroked her face with the back of his hand, trying to commit the look in her eyes to memory.

"Do you belong to me? Even though I… I've been a really lousy partner lately."

"Enough with the apologies. This shower is still running."

It seemed the answer he wanted would have to wait. There was barely any warm water left, but Ignis warmed her with his body, relishing the way she felt next to him. It was hard thinking how unfair it was to both Luna and Noctis that they couldn't enjoy being reunited yet and he had half a mind to ponder out loud if he had a right to this in the circumstances, but he knew better. He had to prove to her how much she mattered. He wouldn't let her reach the state Luna was in.

Aranea wanted nothing but caresses from him and he needed her arms a lot more than any kiss, although she made sure that kissing was involved in him repaying the time spent apart. When her shivers melted to outright trembling, he knew something was wrong and kissed her so delicately, she whimpered.

"You couldn't sleep," he observed.

"I'm fine."

Her hands followed a trail down his spine and he could have played along, except Aranea never took midnight showers.

"You had a nightmare?"

"Iggy, please… I'm yours, all yours."

She wrapped one leg around his, pulling him painfully close to her and he couldn't help his gasp. The smell of her shampoo reminded him of home and it wouldn't take long to reclaim the bliss they'd done without ever since his hangover back in Free Crown.

"I should have a right to comfort you, Aria. Unless I'm that bad at it…"

She gave up on hiding it from him.

"I needed to feel clean. I don't know if it was my nightmare, the gloomy feel of the house, or the weight on everyone's shoulders. My sleep has always been light…"

"Have you been getting that little sleep every night?"

"The princess can't sleep and since my man is playing teddy bear with her man, she had my full attention. She doesn't sleep a lot more than I do. We've snuggled a few times when we got too tired to talk, but I don't expect you to hold it against me."

"I wouldn't. And I'm sorry, I should have bullied Noctis into talking to her. Hell, he's started having dreams of her this very night."

Right after he'd said it, Ignis realized he wasn't willing to go into details to the sort of dreams it was, seeing as how he'd been woken up.

"Wow, I don't know what you just thought, but it was quite the turn off."

"Wha… I'm… I'm cold!" he blurted out.

 _Pathetic._

The amused look in Aranea's eyes was enough of a warning. She was going to take this distraction and use it no matter how hard he'd blush.

"Why are you embarrassed? Your prince said anything weird?"

 _Be an adult about it. You'll be able to tease Noctis about it for the rest of his life after all._

Aranea's laugh was worth the brief wave of shame that came with the admission.

…

Noctis jumped as the door closed, but he wasn't attentive enough for he never saw the slap coming. Gladiolus couldn't believe what he'd just seen, or hold back his arm. Was he going to have to see his King lying motionless for much longer?

"The hell are you doing?!" his friend asked, after nearly falling off the bed, his back instantly begging for mercy at the rough movement.

"That's my line, your _Majesty_. What do you think you're doing?"

"You know what he made me do…"

"And you know it wasn't your actual Luna," his Shield reminded him. "So you'll let her drive herself mad with pain and take it out on everyone but you until when?! I told you there was a risk of losing her."

"You don't understand."

Noctis hated the fact he seemed to be whining. He had reasons, they were good reasons, weren't they? He wasn't ready, but he would be soon, he just needed to feel more like himself. Less changed. Not..

"You think I don't get it?!" Gladio seemed ready to punch him this time and decided to pace around the room instead. Noctis didn't need too much shoving around. "My girl is _possessed_ by a goddess. It's not an illusion, her hair changes and so does her voice and her eyes, but it's her body underneath the magic." They exchanged a heavy look, both men lost in painful memories. Gladio's chest rising too quickly, his fingers twitching, itching to hit something. His voice stressed his girlfriend name as he went on, "If I attack her, it's _Crowe_ I'm hurting. And I did hurt her, but I didn't let that stop us. So get your act together and man up! You're wounded, you've been through hell, but you know she did too."

"Of course I know!" Noctis shot back, hitting his thighs with his fists despite the fact he needed balance with how much his back hurt.

"Then what's your excuse? She's not wearing a cute dress? You don't want me carrying you up to the aisle at your wedding with her?"

"I try to stop seeing her not being herself but…"

The Shield halted in his steps, knuckles white and his eyes glazed by memories that weren't distant enough to his taste.

"You think you got it bad, huh? This is going to stay between you and me, Noct, but you need to get over your little self," he waved a reproving finger at him. "And I'm not telling this to get pity or anything. I'd let my fists do the talking, but you're still in bad shape enough as it is."

Noctis wasn't sure if he should protest or defend himself. He was already mortified, but the voice in his head… Why had it come back? Why was it gone once more? How was he supposed to get rid of it?

"Crowe was possessed on my birthday," his friend started. "You know Etro cleaned up the daemons in that lab the Fleuret had made. What nobody knows is how long it took me to get Crowe back and in control of her body. I was played and tossed around by magic until I remained pinned to the floor. She dug her nails all over my tattoos to see more blood before making me into her own toy."

Gladio paused, wondering if a Shield should admit having been so weak to the King he was supposed to protect. Surely his father had never fallen so low. How many Amicitia had faced angry goddesses though? Noctis would understand though.

The concerned man had paled, slowly realizing what his friend was implying.

"She wanted to have fun, she was in my head, in my memories…" the tall man recalled, biting on his tongue as he looked for a right way to phrase it. There were crude pictures in his head and he knew Noctis didn't need any misery added to his own. "She had those tendrils of dark smoke that were actually able to hold me down like ropes and she… well, she just took me like a lamb. Fingers up my…"

His King swore out loud and Gladio didn't feel the courage to repeat himself. He'd never put words on what he'd been through, never accepted to even acknowledge it and saying it out loud made him realize how deep the scars ran.

"It was Crowe all the while, except it wasn't her in control. Etro was moving too fast and I knew she was hurting her, but there was nothing I could do," he admitted, his voice breaking a little, his head shaking from left to right as he forced himself to settle down his madly beating heart. "So when Crowe got back in front of me and started backing away, I had two choices. Phase out of there and putting as much distance as possible between the monster hiding inside her and me. Or make sure I wouldn't lose her."

Noctis had tears in his eyes and for once they weren't for himself.

"So what did you do?" he asked.

"I stayed," Gladio stated. "I put my arms around her and made sure she knew I still loved her. We talked, and we cried, and it was worse than Iris's favorite angsty chick flick movie, but I couldn't lose her. Crowe's been betrayed all her life. She thinks I'm staying by her side out of obligation, but that's not… The point of me telling you this is that… she matters too much for something like Etro to break us apart. That might make me a bad Shield, but I've seen you with Luna. Do you remember how excited you were when she accepted your proposal? Of course she would, but you were like a little kid."

Noctis remembered. He'd been overjoyed, and he still couldn't believe that the woman he loved wanted to be his wife. His queen. But he didn't feel like a king or someone worthy of her anymore.

"I love her. So much it hurts," Noctis told him.

"Maybe you should stop hurting her then."

"But I can't even walk on my own…"

"I couldn't stop her from raping me, you think _I_ don't feel diminished?! I'm scared when she gets too close. I need a light on when we have sex now. I don't feel strong like I should be. If Etro comes back, I don't know… But if I lose Crowe, that bitch wins. And if you keep pushing Luna away, Ardyn wins too."

Noctis ushered a shaky breath, shoulders sagging as he imagined how he'd feel if Ardyn had taken the manipulation that far. He looked up to Gladio, who was a bundle of raw nerves by now.

"How do you do it?" he asked his Shield.

"Do what?"

"Deal with… I mean, it's barely been a week."

"And you got kidnapped and tortured while our last city was bombarded in that little time. You want me to wallow in self pity when I can still hold a sword? When I should be protecting you? I don't deal with it," he admitted to himself. "I just push forward and snap at everyone around me. But enough on my case. What's holding you back?"

Noctis struggled for an answer. He wished he could go back to sleep, but all this running away was getting him nowhere. He had a country to save. His eyes fell to his legs. One crooked and the other one not feeling quite solid.

"I can't hold a sword and fight anything unless I use my powers right now. I used to have one bad leg, but now everything about me… I might be healing on my own but these won't get any better. How slow will I be when I walk again? Will I even be able to run? To make Luna feel safe with me around? I was ready to end up with a cane one day, but now I…"

Gladiolus could admit that being stuck in such a heavily wounded body would be rough on anyone.

"So pushing away the best healer on this team is your solution?"

"I know it's wrong, okay?! It's not just one thing, the fact I saw her dead and bloody, or the fact I can't stand or walk, or even the voice in my head asking me when I'll kill her for real. Put all that together and even you would freak out."

His shield heaved a sigh.

"Has staying paralyzed in fear helped you getting over it?" Noctis shook his head, much as the man expected him to. "Then it's time you opted for a new strategy. Or maybe you should give up on her so she can…"

"No way!"

"Good. Get to work then."

It was harder said than done, but Noctis gathered his courage and racked his brain for any way to break the ice after the empty stare and all the barriers he'd put between them. He had no trace of his old texts, it was hard to remember the last thing he'd written in their notebook.

 _Luna. I haven't known what to tell you in quite some time. While I was trapped, I wanted to see you more than anything, because I knew that once I'd have the real you in front of me, I'd be safe. But by the time I got out, even that thought was taken away. You didn't do anything wrong and I haven't stopped loving you. I've stopped trusting myself. I know I did the same thing in Free Crown. I know you're worth more than that. If I don't confront my fears, you'll end up hating me and I don't want that._

 _I feel weak and small, when I want to be strong and tall. I've always wanted to shelter you from harm. To make up for that time we left you behind. To make up for all those years where your words were too kind for the brat I was. I want to see you smile and make you dance and give you peace. Will I be able to stay standing for long enough to hold you through a dance if I heal? Do you really want to be by the side of a broken thing like me? You've healed people your whole life. I don't want you to be my eternal nurse._

It took days before an answer came for his monologue.

 _L: What do you want then?_

 _N: I want us back._

The next line of text warned him he had a lot to amend for. He could picture her cold eyes. The stiffness in her gestures as she typed and pondered before hitting send.

 _L: Prove it._

She had had enough words. It was time to take action.

To be continued…

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Luna is hurting so much. At least she has Ravus and Aranea looking after her, plus the rest of her team. I know Gladiolus surprised some of you by taking her side after being so harsh with her and putting Noctis first, but the man feels guilty and finally realize what he's been doing all this time. And he's still going to get payback for it. Noctis still needed to be shaken up.

Our poor Iggy though… Next chapter will focus on Noctis's attempts to mend things with Luna, we'll have some raviris and also the silvergold I wanted to make previously. Gladio's trials are coming up too.

As always, I'm happy to know what you think in the reviews. 😊


	74. This is us

I'm alive! And while this was a long update wait, I have to mention that my university went through rough times (I could make a story out of the stress all the students and teachers went through in the previous two weeks) and that I'm still facing ups and downs, plus a lot of tests regarding my health. Nothing serious, but I've been busy. I have three jobs for the summer (they are entirely manageable, I swear), plus a delayed end of term and inspiration took its sweet time to strike. I was trying to progress in my other fics too and wasn't as fast as usual due to a lot of side work in RL. My update time might stay unpredictable for the next few months. My thesis needs more of my attention.

In today's chapter, we have Raviris, Noct/Luna (a reconciliation!), Silver/Gold and more Noct/Luna. I hope you enjoy!

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Unexpected

Chapter 74 – This is us

Iris had just walked back from her garden, washing her hands in the sink, fresh vegetables on the counter beside her, the first results of her hard work. The past few days had been tense, to say the least. Ravus and Aranea had spent most of their time with Luna, while Ignis had left with Gladiolus and Crowe for a short visit to Free Crown. Prompto was left as the main caregiver to Noctis in the meantime, which meant Cindy was a bit more agitated by the day. At the very least, the King had started sleeping on his own again.

The operation to fuse two of his vertebraes to fix his spine was approaching quickly, the trio having brought back a radiologist and surgeon with them so they could assert the damages. They ran Xrays and gave him a dozen warnings, insisting on his immediate transfer to Lestallum's hopistal, but Noctis wasn't ready for the car trip just yet. He wanted to fix things with Luna while they were still in Cape Caem if possible, and Prompto was among the only ones giving him hope regarding that, since Ignis had yet to have a right to see Noctis again. He'd evaded Luna so well in the past few days, she hadn't gotten to apologize or lift her order.

Iris felt just as restless as everyone else, and she couldn't help the urge to claw her way out of the lonely feeling settling on her. It wasn't like Ravus didn't make time for her, even though he was always preoccupied by thoughts of his sister hurting or the fact they had yet to get any news from Tenebrae, or even the empire for that matter. It wasn't like Noctis refused seeing her when she brought him and Prompto lunch or when he sat outside under the sun and she worked on the laundry with Cindy's help.

Iris was looking at all of her friends, the last friends she had since everything that happened to her home, and what she saw was how on edge they all were. They needed their king and his future queen back to their old selves. They needed their life to feel normal again. So when Ravus walked down the stairs and into the kitchen to make himself a quick snack before leaving for either his books, his sister or one more training session in the yard, Iris couldn't help her urge to hold him back. He'd hugged her chastely every night, but that wasn't enough.

"Are you in a hurry?" she asked him.

The plaintiveness to her voice was vexing, but the Tenebraen man's instant concern was worth a brief blush. For once, there was no one around, which meant they could pretend they had some intimacy and talk without worrying about the others' judgement.

"I'm famished, but there's nowhere I need to be at this very moment," he told her. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Iris answered like she always did. "I can fix you something, if you'd like…"

This time her voice sounded normal, but all her countenance left her when Ravus wrapped one arm around her waist, making her jump at the sudden closeness.

"My flower seems pretty nervous."

"Rave," she protested to the nickname, wondering why she'd even jump at his touch.

How could she miss him when he was by her side every night?

 _Except I never wake up next to him._

Ravus always got up before she did, even though Iris did her best to have her alarm clock set a littler earlier every day. And since no one ever took a real break around Cape Caem, the only times they had together was in front of the others. Ravus was still reluctant to kiss her with her brother around.

"Does it sound too lame?" he asked, hugging her closer.

His scent invaded her nose, and she had to shake her head, both at him and at herself for feeling mesmerized by this impression of proximity. She felt like a schoolgirl as she wondered when she'd last washed her hair. She could feel his nose against the shell of her ear.

"It's just embarrassing," Iris defended herself.

"You smell like flowers," he objected. "And you sounded like you wanted my attention."

"Can I have it? For like… the entire afternoon?"

He chuckled, thankful for how refreshing it was to hear someone be hopeful and optimistic with all the gloom surrounding them lately.

"Don't be so unsure. You really just have to ask me."

"I don't want to make you feel bad or take you away from your sister…" she admitted.

Ravus swallowed, remembering the look on Luna's face the other night. She was growing colder and more closed in on herself with every day that passed. Since her outburst, Lunafreya wasn't sure how to face the others and blamed herself for making things worse, even though both Aranea and Ravus had tried reminding her she was human and had a right to be angry with the current situation.

Hell, Noctis had kept to his distant ways and had reached out to her through the most detached manner possible, a text message. Calling her right after her monologue against him and Ignis might not have been for the best of course, but Luna wanted more than texts and pitiful letters.

"I'm not sure Luna needs me right now. And if she knew I was making you feel lonely, she'd skin me alive."

Iris didn't insist, unable to hide her excitement at the prospect of spending time alone with her boyfriend. They agreed on a picnic, nothing overly complicated and with a single message to Gladio, they left. The King's Shield was cutting wood for their outdoor fire pit, since they had planned to keep Noctis out for a good part of the night with all of his friends. His operation was scheduled for tomorrow and he was growing frantic, cooped up in his room with the surgeon explaining him what could go wrong with his back and why he should eat actual food… Rehab was going to be rough on the young man.

They rode out each on their respective bird, Iris insisting on making a race out of it. Their goal had been to reach the closest safe haven, but after getting carried away with multiple retries for their race, neither accepting to lose, they found themselves much deeper in Cleigne than they had planned. The sun was high in the sky, Ravus had eaten one full sandwich while riding and it was Iris who spotted the safe haven, not far from a pond. The area was surrounded by trees, and they carefully steered clear of a pack of sabertusks.

When Iris complained about forgetting to take a camping chair and that the rock was too hard, Ravus pulled her on his lap, even though that meant making a mess of bread crumbs on each other as they ate.

"You just ate my daggerquill sandwich!"

"Was your name on it?"

Lots of teasing and tickling ensued on both parts, until Iris had enough of beating around the bush and kissed him square on the lips. Her hands slipped down his collar, holding to the fabric of his shirt and Ravus retorted with a dozen more kisses, soon laying her down on her back to have her closer, his mouth shifting to her jaw and neck.

"Ravus…"

"Tell me what you want, Ris."

Her needy moan was clear enough, electrifying his senses, and she blurted out the word "more" which was all the encouragement he needed. He followed he curves of her hips, the arching of her back, the velvety feel to her skin as his hands snuck under her shirt.

He nuzzled her neck, unable to resist the gentle tug on his hair, their lips joining in a wet dance. Every touch was lazy, familiar, welcomed and it was hard to tell when either of them had grown this bold. Now that he could taste her skin again… Knowing he could have her in his arms and keep her there for as long as he wanted…

"I'll go crazy," he sighed, tearing himself away from her to catch his breath.

"Just go crazy, Rave. It's not fair that we still need to hide, I know I… we're being selfish, but I need…"

His usual fears were threatening to come back, and he remembered how she'd complain about the roughness of the rocks, so he turned them around.

"You set the pace," he offered.

He hadn't thought of the fact Iris had been a little more confident with every new step they'd reached, or expected that her first move would be to remove her shirt.

"We're out in the open!" he reminded her.

"In the middle of nowhere. And that blush on your face is so worth the risk," she teased him, despite how much she was blushing herself.

The sun in her hair kissed her pale flesh, the look of pure love and trust in her eyes making his throat tighten with raw nervousness. Ravus reached for her with his metal hand first, despite knowing how cold his fingers were. Cold. Now that was a good reason to cover her up before that she decided discarding more clothes was a good idea. It was crisper around here than in Lestallum, but the heat between them was enough to keep Iris from shivering. All her shivers were due to his touches and she guided his hands on her, clearly knowing what she wanted.

"Iris…"

The worry in his voice made her self-conscious, her shoulders lowering ever so slightly.

"What? Don't tell me I'm too thin."

"No, you're not… You're perfect. Come here."

Raising himself on one elbow-the metal one, causing a screech that made them both wince-, he pulled her flush against his chest, his hand warm on her bare back. He kissed her neck, finding her pulse, shifting her straddling form so he could access her collarbone. Her hands worked between them, unbuttoning his shirt so they could be skin to skin. Wings flapping pulled them to a stop, the rush of emotions tumbling down to reason and embarrassment.

"You've got goosebumps everywhere," he observed, his voice sounding rough with need even to his ears.

"That's your fault," Iris accused him, smiling through her flustered state.

She was ready to claim more kisses, trying to make up for the time apart, but Ravus sat up fully, putting his jacket on her shoulders, making sure he closed a few buttons on it too.

"You should stay warm."

"I'm fine," she retorted. "And you don't have to treat me like some princess. I'm just a common girl."

Raising one brow at her, he slowly shook his head.

"Aren't you of noble blood, lady Amicitia?"

"What?" Iris laughed at him. "Didn't you hear? The guys in my family are important. Shields and bodyguards. The girls are only kept around to look pretty."

"You certainly have that part covered. But the girl I love shouldn't be treated like just any commoner."

Her blush reached her ears by then, but Ravus wasn't done with her yet.

"In fact, you'll become a princess if you stick with me, if not a queen."

Her eyes widened at that, her smile faltering.

"I didn't ask for…"

"It's not meant as pressure or anything, Iris. If I'm your prince, that makes you _my_ princess."

It sounded even cheesier out loud than in his mind, but Iris hid her face in the crook of his neck, whispering a thank you and more love words, as though this declaration just now made up for the past week.

…

Over the past few nights, Carbuncle had drawn both Noctis and Luna in the same dream over and over again. Luna had yet to understand what was happening to her and Noctis struggled a little more every night to have her let him in.

"Just go away!" she pleaded.

"Luna…"

"I need this to be real, do you understand? I don't know why my dreams keep torturing me like this, but I can't..."

Honesty was his last resort and he was grateful for the fact she still listened in their shared dreams. She barely answered him on the phone and had yet to visit him in person. She was gathering her strength, preparing herself for an nth rejection, even though he had never meant to reject her.

"Luna, it's my last way to reach you. Here I can walk. I can run after you. I can pretend I'm not a mess and that I can be enough…"

"You were enough," she retorted, voice cool, and words hashed through. "More than enough."

Past tense threatened to convince him she was the one gone, the one who was unreal. The dark pictures left in his brain had only started fading and this…

 _She's hurt. She feels betrayed._ This _is your fault. Not the death of the fake version Ardyn kept using to mess with your head. If anything this is worse, because you make the pain last forever._

His fists shook, but he forced his voice to remain steady.

"Have I any chance left with you?"

"That's what I wonder every day, Noct."

The dream faded, the usual wind in their hair roaring as though a tempest was brewing. Both royals woke up in separate rooms, Luna shivering, Noctis in a cold sweat. The princess got to her feet to pace away her worries, her King stuck on his side, hurting when he curled on himself, his back aching at the slightest movement.

…

It was the day before Noctis's operation when Lunafreya entered his room for the first time since "breaking in". Prompto had helped Noctis into the nicest clothes they had around and did his best sweep of the room. Gladiolus had teased their friend all morning about how much of a teenager he was acting like. Luna brought Pryna with her, both as moral support, and because she knew Noctis might feel more at ease with the dog around.

" _You really don't have to push yourself for him,"_ Ravus had told her.

But despite how angry she was, Luna still missed Noct. His desperate plea in her last dream couldn't get out of her head either.

" _He misses you too,"_ Prompto had repeated whenever she prodded him for information.

Did it make the last 10 days easier to bear for Luna, knowing she was turning into a resentful nightmare who needed to be consoled and cheered up at all time? Nope. Ignis evaded her like the plague now, Aranea had punched her for what she'd said and while it nearly started a fight between Ravus and the former commodore… Iris offered to fix her bruises, but Luna felt guilty and preferred to pay for it. The light ache did nothing to erase the gaping void in her chest.

"May I come in?" Luna called out after knocking.

"It's open."

They were both trying to sound casual, but neither of them felt anywhere near calm.

There was a pounding in her head when she walked in, wearing a simple dress, black and white on Crowe's suggestion. She had no idea if she was ready to compromise on anything or how she'd react to a "hello". Pryna wanted to yap in earnest, eager to see Noctis, but her mistress's unease affected her, and she stayed by Luna's side, her nose stroking her ankle as the door closed behind her.

Noctis was sitting on a couch by the window, his hair hanging low. He hadn't styled it once since he'd been found by his friends and he wasn't sure he cared for it, even though it might give him the sense of normalcy he so desperately lacked. He had braced himself for it, but the sight of Luna, paler than a ghost, her hair tied in a low ponytail, the green and yellow mark of her still healing bruise around her eye... He might as well have been the one punching her since he'd pushed her far enough to have the outburst that had lead to Aranea's fury. All he could do was stare and try to keep his wits about him as he struggled with the fear he still felt at the idea of having her in the same room as him. The furniture had been rearranged to make it look wider and brighter, but it wasn't enough to ease the tension between them.

Since Luna remained silent, waiting for him to make the first step, he gingerly tested his voice.

"Hey," he greeted her.

"Hey?" she couldn't help herself, echoing him with a raised brow.

"I've rehashed a ton of lines in my head for now but I'm drawing a blank," he honestly told her. "I was afraid you might not come."

Luna stayed by the door, crossing her arms over her chest defensively.

"I've been afraid you'd have Gladio throwing me out," she whispered, forcing a self-derisive shrug. "That's silly of me, isn't it?"

Noctis's face fell at that and he quickly shook his head. She sounded so serious…

"I genuinely want to see you, Luna. You can come in. Both you and Pryna."

The Oracle took a few steps in, settling down on a corner of the bed. She wasn't ready to sit next to him just yet. Not with how hard it had been to have permission to be in the same room as him. Pryna nervously crossed the room, briefly sniffing at Noctis's legs. The silence stretched between them, the dog whimpering as she understood the man was hurt.

"That's right, girl, I'm broken once more," Noctis stated without thinking. "Not really good at staying in one piece."

Luna's gasp made him look up, his self-mocking smile faltering.

"I'm not looking for pity or… I can't walk and it's…" he frowned, struggling to find the right words. "I wanted to greet you standing on my own two feet."

She could have pointed out that with her duty as Oracle, she was the last person to see any less in him because of this wound. She could also have observed how dumb it was for him to refuse any sort of healing from her, even if it wasn't about the blight, since she could have helped him get back on his feet faster. Her eyes followed the crook in his leg, her thoughts drifting to a discussion Ignis had had with Ravus earlier this week.

They were thinking of breaking one of his legs again to realign the bones better.

 _I wish I could remove all the aches and the limp and the blight and that shard of crystal too, but despite all my powers, they won't let me…_

No, that was wrong.

 _He won't let me,_ she thought bitterly.

"You could have said so," she whispered, hands clasped in her lap, her eyes looking down to Pryna.

If she looked at his eyes, she'd start crying and she was so sick of her own tears.

"I'm sorry. I know sorry is not going to cut it either, but I don't feel quite like myself yet," he breathed out, teeth clenching. "A part of me hoped I'd come back to the guy I used to be… and I hurt you while looking for a way to piece myself together."

All he had done since she'd stepped into the room was open himself up to her and Luna wasn't indifferent to his honesty. He sounded so vulnerable… She felt obliged to reel her anger back in, if only a few notches.

"All I wanted was to help you," she stated.

He let out a short, shuddering breath.

"Do you… I'm not worth it, but do you still want to help me?"

Luna looked up, meeting his unsure gaze and all the air in her lungs was gone as she pondered his question. Was there even a reason to hesitate? Or should she worry that once helped, he'd push her away again?

"Will you let me be around you tomorrow? And the day after that?"

He blinked, paling a little more. There was so much fear behind her words.

"You _want_ to be around me? I'm… I can't lift you in my arms, I can't…"

"Oh shut up!" she snapped, hitting her thighs to accentuate her following words. "When we first met, you were in a wheelchair and it didn't matter. You are going to walk again, and I don't care if you're slow or if you wobble a little when I lean back on you," she paused, looking him straight in the eyes. "You're the chosen King, with or without your legs. And you said you'd be mine…"

Her shoulders shook, her voice lowering as hesitation took over, Pryna whining a bit.

"If you want me, I'm yours. I just wish I wasn't… less than you deserve," he saw lightning bolts in her eyes and hurriedly added. "I know that's for you to decide, Luna. … Do you have to sit so far from me?"

"If you touched me right now, I think I'd break," she confessed. "I need to keep that safe distance you wanted in Free Crown. I don't want to trigger any of their voices or…"

Noctis hated his body for being so broken. Warping forward was his only way to move around without help and he wasn't going to rush her. He had the distinct feeling one wrong word would be enough to lose her.

"Where can we start over? I get that texts are not enough. And using Pryna as a messenger when we're in the same place would feel ridiculous…" He halted himself, closely waiting for her reaction, but Luna had no suggestion, no comment.

She felt lost too, with no idea of where they could even begin again…

Inspiration struck, and he tried something, "Would you be my fishing partner again?"

Her eyes widened, but her anger had given place to surprise.

"Fishing partner?" she repeated.

"It's just an idea, it could be anything," he insisted, excited to see a twinkle in her eyes.

"Like what?"

"Whatever you want. I just want to spend time with you again," Noctis explained.

Luna frowned despite how much she wanted to agree with him.

"Then why didn't you let me know before? This is the first…!"

He cut her off despite knowing how on edge she was, his shoulders squaring as though to support his point.

"What?! I have been letting you know for days now!" he protested. "I've been reaching out to you in every of those dreams…"

Luna gaped at him like a fish out of the water. What was he…?

"The first time you were drowning when I pulled you up. It's just… I can walk in that place, so it makes it easier to face everything else."

Was it still hard for him to face her right now?

"How does that…?"

Her eyes shone with confusion and her arms tensed, her fingers clenching around her palms. It looked like she was about to pray…

"I did mention Carbuncle once in our letters."

Luna blinked, remembering the magic she'd felt in all of those dreams. How hadn't she realized they weren't dreams?

"All those nights… It was really you? Not just my imagination playing tricks on me?"

"Well, if it was your imagination, it's vivid enough to reach me," Noctis observed, his voice shifting a bit.

He couldn't prevent his thoughts from going back to the way she'd hold him in those connected dreams. The blush on her face told him she was remembering it too.

"You kissed me," she stated blankly. "You kissed me while dreaming us and you wouldn't…"

"I'm sorry for it. I get that you needed it to be real, but the only thing fake was… me not being crippled."

This had to throw a better light on his attitude for the past few days. Luna got to her feet, her hands covering her mouth as her shoulders dropped inward. Trembling took over her limbs as she tried to contain the mix of pain and relief that confused her even further. Had he toyed with her? Taking his fill at night, while knowing she was at a safe distance from him?

"Noctis, it was like torture! Having you with me a few hours, thinking it was my mind giving me a fantasy instead of…"

"I should have told you. Face to face, even if I was terrified then… Hell, Luna, I'm still scared now," he confessed, his throat nearly too tight for the words to come out. "I lost you a dozen times in that tower. And now it feels like all I can do is lose you again, but I can't…"

He tried reaching out to her with both hands, even though his balance was precarious, and Luna could make out his tears through her own tears. She moved on pure instinct, wrapping one arm around his shoulders, pulling his face to her chest, her fingers instinctively stroking his dark hair. Noctis let out a yelp of pain when her weight reached him, but he pulled her on the couch with him, if only because he could.

"Noct, I…"

His breathing was too quick now, almost raspy, but he managed a few, pleading words as he clutched to her.

"Stay, Luna. Please. You're real, you're real and I won't…"

 _Not this time, not this time,_ he thought.

He shivered and shuddered, Luna gasping at the feel of his hands on her waist and back, desperate in their possessiveness.

"I'll stay, but this has to be the last time, Noct. I had to wait so long for you… for my life to be mine."

"I'm so sorry," he blurted out.

He was holding onto her for dear life and Luna realized she'd already forgiven him. It was herself she couldn't forgive.

"I'm sorry too. Sorry I couldn't protect you from him. I'm sorry my healing didn't…"

"No, no, no, no, Luna, stop." Noctis shifted like he could, his back on fire as he raised his head to meet her eyes. The movement made him wince.

"I'm hurting you…" Luna breathed out, ready to pull away.

"And I earned it," he told her. "You shouldn't apologize. And I can handle this kind of pain if it means you're in my arms."

She brushed his dark locks away from his face, pinching her lips to hold herself back from crumbling in his embrace.

"How do I help you?" Luna asked him.

"Help those surgeons fix my body? And let me know how I can fix your heart?"

His eyes held so much sincerity now, and she wasn't sure if they were both trembling or if she'd wake up again.

"You'll let me heal you? Even though…"

"You don't have to. You can help me by being by my side. And caring for the pathetic mess I'm turning into."

"I believe I am a mess myself," she declared with a frail chuckle.

She forgot herself, leaning fully on him, which made him close his eyes shut and snap his teeth together.

"Ow ow ow ow…"

"I really shouldn't…"

"I'm fine. At least, I'll be fine eventually. I asked you to stay," he reminded her, leaning his forehead against her chest.

His hair tickled her neck and Luna shivered at the warmth of his breath through her shirt. How long had it been?

"I'll stay," she reassured him, stroking his hair once more.

 _Will you let me for the rest of the day? And for the night?_

He gently pulled on her wrist, bringing her left hand between them so he could kiss her knuckles one by one. His lips were softer than she remembered.

"Forever," came his answer.

It would take forever to forget the doubts in her heart as she mused at the future they might have. But musings were better than despair.

…

"Noctis is having his operation right now…" Prompto sighed.

Luna and Iris could both supervise the medical team for the three to four hour procedure, but outside of Ravus, there wasn't anyone on the King's retinue who could be of any help for the operation. They moved Noctis to Lestallum in the dead of night, sneaking him to the general hospital like thieves and after making sure he wouldn't lack for anything, they were kindly asked to leave. Crowe and Aranea had organized a double date, to make sure Gladiolus and Ignis wouldn't have time to be preoccupied about their King. Prompto and Cindy had also been invited, but they'd decline the invitation, wishing to catch up on more time with just the two of them. It was mostly because Cindy was more comfortable with just Prompto.

"I know you're worried, but it's not helping the King in any way," the mechanic reminded her boyfriend.

She was sitting on the floor of their hastily booked hotel room, in a tank top and her usual pair of shorts. Her hair was longer than before, and she wore the chocobo feathers earrings he'd bought for her. He had snapped a dozen pictures already, saying the way the yellow feathers mixed with her dirt blonde curls was just amazing.

"Prom, please," she asked plaintively.

Seeing him tense with his leg bouncing and his fingers drumming nervously on his thigh was like torture. Pryna whined softly, her wet nose tickling Cindy's elbow. She rubbed her head absent-mindedly.

"I'm sorry, Cin, I'm just so anxious…"

He didn't have to say how much he disliked hospitals. The few times he'd been too sick to stay home, his adoptive parents had dragged him there, quite unwillingly. Cindy had made due with close to no medical care, her grandfather disliking the ride to Lestallum, even if it was to visit the local garages.

"What treatment works best on you?"

Her inquiry had him looking up with a frown.

"What?"

"Tell me what can I do ya for?"

He smiled at that.

"You know how wrong that sounds, don't you? Because now I'm tempted to ask for favors."

Cindy wouldn't blush at his boldness but the graphic gesture he made did make her flush with a mixture of outrage and disbelief. Did he think she had nothing but sex on her mind? That she couldn't comfort him in any other way? And moreover, how could he even believe she would…

"Oh-my-gods! I am not doing _that_!"

His eyebrows rose in alarm and he instantly gave up on the dirty joke.

"I was kidding, I swear!"

But Cindy was getting up and rummaging through her clothes to throw on a jacket. She hadn't packed any in their haste last night and had to resort to shrugging on one of his leather jacket, but it still covered her more than her top alone did.

"Come on, I… I'm sorry, okay?"

Pryna whined softly, distressed by Prompto's tone, while Cindy crossed her arms over her chest, backing away when he walked up to her.

"I've seen you stressed out and in all sort of a panic before, Prom. I wanna help, but…"

His shoulders hung too low for comfort, and he scratched at the back of his head.

"When it's me hurting, it's one thing. But lately, Noctis has been in such a bad shape. I'm scared about what he'd do if this operation doesn't…"

It would take months before they'd know whether or not it would have worked. Months when Noctis knew his country needed him right now. Over two and a half weeks of seeing his best friend drowning in his own pain, of trying to hold him up. He'd known Noctis had a lot of on his plate back when they were in Highschool. But his friend might never walk again. Riding a bird would be torture on his back, his legs moved but they were so crooked… Bathing him and walking him to the bathroom every day didn't help.

Cindy wanted to erase the space between them, but despite his usual softness showing up, she couldn't help hesitating. She'd seen that gesture before. Hell, she'd come to expect similar behavior from strangers stopping at the garage. And the last thing she wanted was for her boyfriend to treat her like a slut.

"I get that you're beyond worried. But you could have done any joke…"

"I'm really sorry. I respect you more than myself, Cin. That was stupid."

Her face fell even more, a shiver taking over her arms. He had to have more self-worth than that.

"Prom…"

"Can this idiotic clone get a hug? Just a hug, I swear, cross my heart, hope to…"

She hugged him so fiercely, he huffed, barely keeping his balance from her sudden charge. His arms tentatively closed around her.

"You're not fair. Belittling yourself as though that's what I want you to do."

"I hate myself when I hurt you," he whispered back.

Cindy wanted to object, but she was hurt and she hated herself for not holding it back in until the whole operation was done and they knew how Noctis was doing.

"I'm sorry. I give off mixed signals with the way I dress… And the way I treat you. Most of our dates end in the nearest bed, but that's only because we barely ever see each other. I keep forgetting to tell you how warm I feel inside when I get one of your texts. Even those silly good mornings with a picture of the sunrise you see."

His throat tightened.

"Especially those in fact."

"Would you like moonrises too?"

"Are you referring to your ass?" she shot back, looking up at him to see him blush and turning sheepish.

"I earned that one. But no, I…" Prompto paused, nearly biting on his tongue as he tried to figure out what she was thinking now. "Are we good? Do you still love me?"

"You are an idiot if you're asking me that. As for being good, we'll have to see how you earn my forgiveness," she cheekily warned him.

"Can I start now?"

"Depends on what you have in mind."

He worried his lower lip, stroking her hair as their eyes stayed locked together, asking silent questions.

"Well, my jacket looks good on you," Prompto commented. "I think I should give you one."

"For real?"

He wasn't sure which comment she doubted, but she looked so cute, he couldn't help the smile that lit his face.

"Babe, you rock everything you wear. But black definitely suits you."

Her blush gave him the urge to kiss her, but she was slipping out of his arms, straightening the jacket before snapping her fingers as though she'd just had a brilliant idea.

"Okay. We need to test that theory. I need something black in my wardrobe. Outside of this jacket."

"We're going shopping?!"

Now he sounded like a little kid and Cindy wanted to jump right where she stood, because she rarely indulged herself in a shopping spree. It would be a nice distraction to keep him from worrying about Noctis, and Pryna was too happy to follow them outside.

Lestallum wasn't back to its full glory yet, but the reparations had progressed under Monica's direction and it was easy to evade the largest trace of the Sylph's passage. The bridge leading out to Cleigne was a shadow of what it used to be, but temporary elevators had been installed. As they walked arm in arm under the sun, Cindy admitting she'd never worn black before, not even underwear, since Cid had forbidden her to do so, Prompto could barely contain his hope. Noctis was going to get all of this back. Even if the operation didn't work, no surgeon would leave their one true King crippled.

…

When Crowe looked at her fish, which was covered in oil and lemon sauce, she could have sworn the fish looked back at her. She'd taken one bite, the butter melting under her tongue and for the first time in days, Etro spoke.

 _ **Bad idea.**_

Her whole body protested at once, her stomach revolting. She instinctively brought one hand up to cover her mouth, Aranea frowning at the sharp movement. Gladiolus instantly paused in his commentary on the proper training regimen he had with Ignis. They were already trying to plan out Noctis's rehab, even though his appointed doctors would have their own say in the matter.

"Everything alright?"

"Y…yes, I…"

Those were the only words she could blurt out and the new wave of nausea that rush through her made her shake with the effort of holding it back. Crowe jumped to her feet and Aranea mirrored her.

"Don't shake your head, girl, the fish clearly doesn't agree with you," the dragoon observed.

The men motioned to stand up, but Crowe gingerly ushered them down.

"I'll just…"

Something seemed to be moving up her throat, slithering about and the repulsion she felt was too strong, her eyes blinking away tears as she turned on her heels with the need to run. She couldn't have a crisis here. She was doing better and Etro had barely…

"On that side," Aranea offered, gently turning her towards the bathroom sign on the wall. She threw over her shoulder for the gentlemen, "I'll check on her, I'll scream if we need help to deal with the alpha bitch."

She was the only one to refer to Etro that way, but no one had ever objected to the name. Gladiolus looked ready to protest, wishing to be around if Crowe was to shift, but Ignis insisted that he at least waited.

"If it's a stomach bug, she'll want some privacy."

"Her stomach is tougher than steel."

"Did we eat breakfast this morning?" Ignis inquired.

They had skipped it in all the rush and Gladiolus had to admit he was famished. If it wasn't for the advisor looking after them, they would have a dozen deficiencies already.

"Well, I'm sure glad your Aranea still take care of Crowe despite… all the craziness."

"She never had a lot of friends, if any, so the sentiment is mutual."

Gladio shook his head, needing the distraction to keep himself from rushing to the women's bathroom to make sure Crowe was okay.

"You almost sounded casual for an instant."

"What horror," Ignis sighed, happy to replay the old banter they used to have.

Anything to pretend things could be normal again. For the next five minutes, they kept at it, until Ignis's phone buzzed.

"Oh. It's not a stomach bug. But it seems Crowe is still fully herself."

"What is it then?"

"Whatever it is, Crowe doesn't want to be seen by you until she's done… getting the emesis out."

"Eme.. what?!"

After an eyeroll and showing him Aranea's text to make sure Gladio would drop it, the men found themselves lost in silence for a moment. It was the King's Shield who broke it first.

"You know… When I'm sure Noct is alright and on his way to recovery, I… I need you to take over as Shield for a bit."

Ignis clasped his hands, tensing slightly, gesturing for him to continue.

"I need to do something. The Shield's trials."

The advisor didn't bat an eye, but his mind was buzzing. No one had undergone the trials since Leonis. No one had survived except for him. Even the Immortal hadn't succeeded.

"You want to undergo the challenges?"

"Since we set out from Insomnia, when did I protect Noctis?"

"You saved him against Titan," Ignis offered instantly.

"That's it!"

"Gladiolus, you're…"

"His legs were broken and so was his spine, Iggy. He's still a shadow of himself and every time I look at him, I saw the kid I trained. I didn't train him for him to be…"

"I understand, believe me. Have you talked to Cor?"

"Yes. He's ready to show me to the place."

"Have you told Crowe? And Iris?"

Gladiolus sighed.

"I will. I don't want Iris to worry, but…"

"Then don't give her any reason to worry and come back in one piece," Ignis declared.

The Shield chuckled.

"That's my intention, Ig. I should take Crowe with me, but I don't want to impose that on her."

 _Or take the risk Cranky shows up…_

"She'll want to make that decision for herself," Ignis reminded him.

"Well, how do I invite her on that adventure? I might very well die along the way, dearest, mind tagging along for my last hours on this earth?"

Ignis's nostrils flared, his only sign of agitation.

"You're far more romantic than I am, Gladio, you can do better than that."

"Well, maybe I can, but I'll need help." He looked up to the bathroom door to make sure the ladies weren't coming back, mentally worrying since it had been a while since they'd left. "I want to get her a ring."

Ignis couldn't tell if he was proud of his friend or if he should be worried. It sounded like Gladio didn't want to leave for his trial with any regret.

"I can help. But note one thing. The timing of your gift needs to be impeccable."

"Which is why you're helping me!"

They shared a smile. Ignis couldn't remember the last time Gladiolus had come to him for help. But he welcomed the distraction. There was hope beneath the doubts and fear. And with this hope to carry them forward, they might just see Lucis rise, as their King would once again.

To be continued…

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This chapter ended up a bit longer than intended, but it's thanks to the dialogues. Gladio's trial is coming. And so is the final phase of Etro's arc. In next chapter, Noctis's operation, the start of his rehab and maybe some Ignea.

It's really late here, so I'm going to call it a night and keep this short.

Next update might take a while due to school, work, but I will update again. This story is too dear to my heart. And every review motivates me. So please, keep letting me know what you think ! 😊


	75. Be my queen

Hey guys! It's been a while since I updated, but I wanted this chapter to be perfect, plus I was moving, one of my friends had her baby, I had surprise last minute work for a subvention and I'm currently running on no pay because of bureaucracy. Things are okay, but I can't write all the time and I was writing on Altissia's events in Stranded, which got my full attention. I really, really need to stop saying I need to go back to my thesis and just go back to it. But things are moving along and I'm posting a chapter now. 😊 My new apartment is okay, pretty small, but cozy. I need repairs done until I can feel entirely comfortable in here and they are delayed which makes for a nasty last minute surprise in my installation, but oh well. All this to say, it took me time to sit down and write a decent amount of words to finish this chapter. It's a long one. I hope it will be worth the wait. I had said my update schedule would be unpredictable for the summer and it will stay that way. On a side note, asking me when I'll update the next chapter is not really useful unless you're logged in. I answer -or try to answer- every review I get from logged in users. Today's chapter has a good dose of bromance, some angst/fluff with Noct Luna, more bromance, a few time skips and fluff in the end. Enjoy.

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Unexpected

Chapter 75 – Be my queen

It was the fourth boutique in a row and Gladiolus was growing a little more nervous as Ignis inspected their options.

"600,000 gils, Iggy, that's…"

"When was your last gift?" the advisor cut him off.

"I don't think I ever did…"

The clerk behind the counter barely stifled his wince and Ignis didn't even try to hide his disapproval.

"I know it's only been a few months, but you could show a bit more care."

"It's not like we have a lot of time to go out dating," the King's Shield insisted.

"And still plenty of time to keep neighbors up."

Gladiolus rolled his eyes, missing the blush on the clerk's cheeks.

"Last time the stones were too small, then it was because you couldn't decide whether a gold or silver band was best…"

The third boutique had had pieces made by Dino himself and they were still too disappointed with the man to encourage his work.

"If you don't think it's the one when you see it, there's no use buying something that will make a dent in your pocket _and_ result in celibacy."

The tactician's lips were pulled up in a light smirk the Shield noticed in the showcase's glass and he understood what Ignis was doing.

"You're taking your anxiety out on me, aren't you?"

"I'm helping. And keeping you distracted. Now take a good hard look at the rings."

Gladiolus shrugged and bent over another case of rings. He couldn't help the impression they all looked the same. How was such a small thing supposed to carry his feelings in his stead?

"I could get a new tattoo…" he muttered to himself.

"How romantic," Ignis teased him.

"Wait, what about this one?" the Shield asked.

It was a silver band with one small diamond surrounded by the tiniest emeralds. The pattern was simple and elegant. It was about 250,000 gils, but for once, Gladio had pointed at something in earnest.

"I don't think it would make a bad fit," Ignis admitted.

"It would certainly go well with your eyes," the clerk observed as he took the ring out of its case to give it to them.

Both men were silent for half a second, connecting the dots and Ignis couldn't help his exasperation.

"First Noctis gropes me and now this?"

Gladiolus only saw a way to tease his friend as payback and grabbed him by the shoulders in a possessive gesture.

"Noct? Groping? Have you been cheating on me, Ig?"

"More like I was assaulted."

"My poor baby… Come here."

Gladio pulled him in a hug, Ignis immediately protesting. This was as far as he was ready to take the joke, except he was facing a wall of muscles as an opponent. Gladio managed to kiss his ear, laughing at how red in the face his friend was.

"He gets flustered so easily," he told the clerk.

"Okay Gladio, I know you've been patient, but…"

"We can have something engraved on the ring, right?"

The misunderstanding and the fact he had actually managed to choose something had lifted a big weight from his shoulders.

"Yes, but first, we should worry about measurement. This one won't fit."

"We can have it refitted later, that oaf wouldn't know the right measures even if he wanted."

"Erm…"

The poor clerk was clearly confused and neither of the men felt like explaining. When they walked out, the ring safely hidden in a velvet box Gladio had unceremoniously shoved in one of his coat's pockets, Ignis couldn't help insisting on a few things.

"You're not going to give it to her before the trial, we're agreed on that?"

"Apparently, I'm giving it to you, gorgeous," Gladiolus reminded him.

"Shut up."

"Oh Iggy, I like it when you get angry at me."

"Stop being such a child."

"I'm sure we'd make a cute couple."

"I more than make up for your gruffiness, but I'll leave you to Crowe if you don't mind."

"Don't think this is over, hubby. Clearly, Noctis has an advantage in this little competition, but I shall conquer your heart!"

Ignis gave up on protesting by then, since Gladio clearly needed to stay distracted from his worries about both Noctis and Crowe. They were supposed to meet up with the ladies at the hospital, but there had been no text from either Aranea or Crowe.

…

"You'll be fine," Luna had assured him.

She had been the only one allowed to assist the surgeon and nurses throughout the surgery, since they were afraid of the blight resurging and wanted to assuage their King's nervousness. Noctis had done his best when he was put under to appear collected and confident. The people operating on him were his subjects too and they needed him to be strong, even though all he'd been doing lately was crying and huddling in a shivering ball of sore limbs. Seeing him cut open gave her far too much time to imagine what Ardyn could have done to him. She'd been there a dozen times already, but she knew Noctis had been hurt in a dozen ways only to be fixed by a fake version of her. The idea made her stomach roll in protest.

By the middle of the operation, she needed a break, because she was fighting against her imagination more than proving helpful to anyone in the room. They had agreed on receiving her help to hasten the healing after the operation was done, but Luna knew she couldn't remove the pain Noctis would be in when he'd woke up. She couldn't even promise him he'd walk after this, even though his legs had been working for the last few days.

" _Can you help fix me?" he'd asked her._

She sat in the waiting room next to her brother, who had turned on his phone and was reading a thesis on pandemics to pass the time. Ravus didn't close it right away after she'd come out of the operation room, he needed his mind busy with something. Iris had gone to see Monica as they waited and as always, hospitals made the Tenebrean prince nervous.

"Luna, you've crossed and uncrossed your legs a dozen times already."

"I hate this," she sighed, leaning her face against his shoulder.

Ravus nodded softly, wrapping his arm around her. A few months ago, she wouldn't have used the word "hate" so casually or even looked for comfort in a semi-public space. She'd grown more open about her needs, more open about her thoughts. Empty words came to her brother's mind, but he didn't want to give this sort of support. He'd repeated himself enough during the past few weeks.

"We could…"

He wanted to suggest taking a stroll in the city, but ever since the attack on Lestallum, Luna had been recognized whenever she stepped out, even if she was wearing more common clothes. After all, she had been working so hard on healing people for so many days, she'd been all over the news. Noctis had yet to make a public appearance and the people were holding on to the idea their "almost" queen was looking after them.

"We could what?" Luna asked with a sigh.

She managed not to sound impatient, simply exhausted and once more, her brother hoped things would finally go back to normal after this operation. She needed to find herself again.

"Get something to eat?" Ravus suggested.

Iris wouldn't drop off his case on that regard and he had realized his sister was just as bad as him when it came to skipping meals when she was stressed. She had a bird's appetite as they grew up, the siblings encouraging each other to keep eating after their mother's murder.

"Okay. But something quick, I'd rather be here if anything happens."

"He can survive without you for a few minutes. I'm not leaving you on your own right now."

Luna agreed to follow him to the cafeteria, where they managed to keep a low profile. Luna's phone buzzed a few times, every member of their little group checking on her to have news about the surgery. She quickly answered them, since she'd learned her lesson not to leave her phone closed for extended period of time. She insisted on eating in the waiting room. Making small talk with her brother was already hard, but she knew she would stay even more quiet if strangers were close enough to hear their conversation.

"How was Iris?"

"She's nervous. And I can only distract her in so many ways," he explained in a self-derisive manner.

"What ways?"

Ravus didn't like where this was going and mentally chided himself for digging himself in. Luna wasn't nosy, but she loved to see him squirm. And since she barely ever smiled like that, he couldn't help thinking it was worth the embarrassment.

"Science?" he tried to save himself.

"You're her boyfriend, tell me you don't just play teacher with her."

He blushed, wondering which one was the teacher when Iris pushed him beyond the limits he tried to keep.

"I can be quite affectionate, rest assured."

"Never in public, huh? I'm sure Gladiolus wouldn't kill you for it."

"Well, I'd rather not tempt fate. She's still awfully young too."

"And she'll set her limits," Luna reminded him.

For an instant, Ravus felt like this might be an occasion to share his deeper fear regarding being affectionate with Iris. He needed a confidant for this, the dark secret tainted his heart and soul like the blight, but telling his sister was plain wrong. And even if he could get over that, the timing was horrible.

"You two are doing well, aren't you?"

"I think so."

"Was that a question?"

"Stop making fun of me, sister."

"I didn't mean it that way. I want you two to do well. I can tell she makes you happy. I haven't seen you this flustered in forever…"

"You're still doing it," Ravus observed.

Luna rolled her eyes at him, laying a hand on his arm.

"The important thing is that you have my support, Rave. You don't need to hide in a corner with Iris. Treat her to some dinner. Let her take you to the museum."

"For Shiva's sake, Luna, a museum?"

"What else would you want to do?"

Both of the siblings weren't quite good at this whole dating thing, but Ravus understood that by suggesting him normal activities, Luna was somehow hoping for her own chance of doing these things with Noctis again. They talked a little more openly as time went by, keeping each other distracted, the hurried steps of Iris coming up the hall with Prompto and Cindy in tow halting their discussion.

"Is it almost over?" Prompto asked.

Luna checked the clock on the wall and nodded.

"Considering there has been no complication so far, they should be done in half an hour. I'll go check inside," she added, her seriousness returning to her face.

Ravus crossed his arms, hoping Noctis would make his sister feel more comfortable around him upon waking up from this operation. He wanted to support her back, but he could only do that if that King stopped giving him reason to punch him in the face.

…

Crowe couldn't believe the dark flesh had been in her stomach. Or that it took three quarters of an hour of suffering for it come out after retching and gasping and choking on tears. In between all the symptoms, she kept saying she'd be okay. Being possessed by the goddess of death meant she couldn't die. She could suffer, but her life couldn't be in peril. Aranea had heaved once as she'd heard the smack of it against the water. It looked like a snake and just the thought was enough to make her stomach protest even more.

 _What is the meaning of…?_

 _ **I'm cleaning up in here,**_ Etro explained. _**It's getting crowded.**_

"This… is pretty messed up," the dragoon sighed.

"I'm gross, you don't have to sugarcoat it. I'll have to tell Luna and Ravus. Even though I don't see how…"

 _ **No need to be a gossip about this little mishap. Your big guy, yourself and I need to have a talk.**_

Etro was sounding weirder and weirder and Crowe wasn't sure she wanted a talk with her that involved Gladio. She was in a good place with him right now and she didn't need new difficulties.

"Girl, those worry lines aren't good," Aranea warned.

"Don't I have a right to be worried? This was inside me!"

Crowe was ready to freak out by now and wasn't sure if it was because someone else was around or simple since her nerves couldn't take more.

 _ **Oh please, can't you handle anything?**_

 _Stop patronizing me,_ Crowe retorted.

 _ **You're in for a world of trouble girl, believe me.**_

The former Glaive splashed her face with more water, not daring to look at herself in the mirror. Her hands were shaking, her sweat too cold on her back. Aranea offered her a towel borrowed from the kitchen and they waited a good twenty minutes before walking out.

They walked out of the restaurant's bathroom well after Gladiolus and Ignis had left. Crowe had a single text from her boyfriend on her phone, a heartfelt apologies for leaving while she was feeling so off. Aranea had conveyed to Gladio Crowe's desire to stay alone until she felt better and the promise she'd run to him if Etro threatened to take over. The nausea was gone now, leaving her empty, ashamed and revulsed at the very idea of food.

Usually, the rejection process wasn't… The dark flesh had never been inside her in such a way… Was she supposed to smile and even kiss her boyfriend with that mouth?

"I need a toothbrush," she whispered, holding her head with both hands.

"You'll feel better before you know it, Aranea tried encouraging her. Was this as bad as your worst hangover?"

"I wouldn't compare," Crowe managed a laugh.

Both ladies made their way outside, evading the odd looks from the other patrons and keeping to themselves as they walked to the Leville. They would check on Noctis eventually, but the prince wouldn't love being crowded as he'd woke up and neither Aranea nor Crowe liked hospital that much.

…

"Ignis!"

Luna spotted him right as he'd walked in the waiting room and Ignis wondered if hiding behind his "new found fiancé" could be an option. He wanted to know how Noctis was doing, but he also didn't want a new confrontation with Luna. Gladio halted his instinctive retreat with a hand in his back, pushing him forward with a smirk.

"Use your big boy words dearest," the shield teased him.

A glare was Ignis's only retort, as Luna was grabbing his forearm, her face torn by a contrite expression.

"Please accept my deepest apologies, Ignis. I was mean and out of line. And even if Noctis wouldn't want to have anything to do with me, I should not try to separate such good friends."

She'd spoken in a rush, since she wanted to make sure he'd listen without interrupting and Ignis blinked, taken aback.

"Why did you even listen to my orders? It was an abuse of my position and it's not like I have any real authority…"

Ignis stopped her by lifting one hand.

"Now, I hope you realize that you do have influence," the advisor told her. "And I've come to trust your decisions. I know the last orders you gave were due to strong emotions…" He paused, glad to see Gladiolus chatting up with Ravus and Iris while Prompto and Cindy were whispering to each other. "It's still unfair how little time you could spend with Noctis before escaping the empire."

Luna understood he wanted to apologize once more for not helping her back when she was exchanging letters with Noctis.

"I'm at fault, Ignis, don't try to throw any blame on you for good measure or to justify the fact you went along with my tantrum and abuse. Noctis can have more than one mother hen looking after him and I don't want him isolated because of my insecurities."

"Well then, no need to apologize further. Let's put this behind us," he offered her a handshake to seal the forgiving, but Luna went in for an awkward hug, only made more awkward by how stiff Ignis remained.

Luna hoped he wasn't afraid of her, even though she knew it would take time until her relationship with Ignis returned to normal. She wasn't sure they'd ever gotten to become friend like she had with Prompto. Iris laughing and chiding her brother had the pair looking to the rest of their group. Gladiolus and Ravus were warming up to each other lately, but things were still rocky every now and then. Iris had been sitting in Ravus's lap when they'd walked in and Gladiolus picked her right up to throw her over his shoulder while Luna apologized to Ignis.

"Gladio!"

"Why don't you sit on your own chair," he teased her. "She's heavier than she used to be," he added, throwing a brief glance to Ravus.

The Tenebrean prince shook his head.

"She's lighter than my sister."

"Oh. Maybe I should change target for my human weight training," the Shield joked around.

"Would you put me down, Gladdy?!"

While Noctis's operation was over without a hitch, the young man still had to wake up and it was hard on each of his friends' nerves to wait once more. He'd been so low during the past few weeks, they needed to see him feeling better.

…

When Luna was allowed inside his room, Noctis was already awake, although his eyes were barely staying open. His doctor had run a few checks and was content for now. The young King's first steps would be taken after more recovery was done, preferably a few days from now. They'd all been warned that walking and fighting would take quite the rehabilitation. He was lying on his side right now and managed a weak smile.

"I was told to sit at most 10 minutes an hour. Don't go hurting your neck looking after me," he suggested, his self-derision and anger clearly lying close under the surface.

"I understand that this is frustrating, Noct, but you're going to get better before you know it."

"But not a hundred percent," he sighed, before admonishing himself. "Sorry. I don't want to bring you down. I want to be up and walking already."

Luna stroked his hair gently.

"You sound like someone who's been up for hours, not a mere half hour. You underwent a big procedure."

"And I'm impatient for results. I'm a drag to everyone right now. Luna, I need to know how Lestallum is holding up. I need a way to let my people know I'm still here, up to defending them. If not me, at least my men can… That sounds so freaking presumptuous! Like I'm actually their King with the shape I'm in…"

Luna had grown used to Noctis's self-doubts, but this new way he had to hit himself on the head for wounds he hadn't run after bothered her.

"Noct, look at me," she begged, making sure he didn't twist his back as he moved to obey her demand. "You were in Free Crown for months. You solved a hundred problems. You helped your people all over Lucis. You've fought and bled for them. You didn't fail anyone, and you're owed time to heal. If I could fix you fully…"

"I know, Luna, please, don't hold yourself responsible for anything. Ignis told me how you held up for everyone. Prompto said… you endured so much shit for my sake."

"I know you'd do the same for me. Maybe was it fair, that I got to go through the same thing you did when I was captured by Ardyn."

Noctis blinked, his hands pushing away the sheet so he could raise himself on his elbows, but Luna gently pushed him back on the mattress, her hands shaking on his shoulders.

He'd nearly forgotten that time, it seemed so far ago now, but he had had a couple days to worry, while it had been more than a week between his kidnapping and his friends finding him. Not to mention the fact he could now imagine just how far Ardyn might have hurt her while she was in captivity.

"Tell me you don't believe you ever owed being beaten by that…!"

His sudden rage was so hard to contain, Luna had to deploy her magic to keep him lying down, and his voice remained strong despite the fact he could barely hold back on her hands.

"I told you I was fine, he barely…"

"There's no way… Don't shut me off with magic, I'm not going to pretend I'm the only one who ever got hurt."

"I don't want to be presumptuous," Luna declared, making it clear she didn't want to stay on the subject of her own kidnapping. "But I know you were worried. I worried you an awful lot, for years. So let's focus on the present."

"Luna…"

"Do you love me?" she cut him off, her voice white, her fingers too light on his cheek.

Her words were like a punch to the gut and his lungs gasped in his chest, his mouth hanging open as he finally took the full extent of what he'd done to her. How could she be here with him when she doubted…? A shaky breath was all he could muster at first, the realization hanging over his heart like a sword ready to end his misery. She'd stopped believing him since he'd pushed her away. Noctis didn't know how to regain her trust, he didn't know if he could mend what he'd broken to reflect the brokenness in his own soul. He held on to her right hand, squeezing her palm with all the strength he could muster. It wasn't much right now. His thoughts were all over the place. So he did the only thing he'd been doing lately. He started rambling.

"I… yes. Yes, I love you, Luna, I'm sorry, I know I was…"

She shook her head at him, her smile softer than before.

"Shh. If you love me, you'll be patient with yourself. It's the best way to get back on your feet. I'll be by your side. We'll make sure time goes by faster than you can see it. I'm convinced Ignis can cover you in paperwork while you're still on bedrest."

Noctis rolled his eyes at the notion, before realizing what this could mean.

"Did you finally manage to talk sense into him?"

"He was too worried about your state to keep evading me like he's done in Cape Caem."

Noctis's face darkened as he realized how each and every of his friends were concerned about him.

"How am I going to make this up to them?" he wondered.

Luna bit the inside of her cheek to hold back her instinctive question.

 _What about me? Will you make it up to me? Will you help me stop being this selfish?_

"How about a smile? It would cheer them up," she said instead.

Noctis felt too tired to stretch the muscles of his face. The painkillers hadn't worn off, but they didn't work on mental pain yet. His eyes took her in more intently as he tried to determine what his princess could be holding back from him. Their reconciliation was so recent, he kept waltzing between the joy she'd accepted him back and the fear she'd push him away at the slightest mistake. And he still took the risk of complaining to her…

"I can't do a lot right now, but isn't there something you'd like?"

Luna stared at him with wide eyes.

"All I want is for you to get bet…"

"Luna, I'm serious. You feel tensed, even though everything went well and we're both safe."

She pulled her hand away from his at that, holding it to her chest with lowered eyes, resenting herself for betraying her real feeling.

"I wish you didn't need surgery," she defended herself. "I know you're hurting…"

"No, I mean, I know you feel all that, but there's something else. If you could lie on my bed next to me, would you? We held each other yesterday, but…"

They hadn't kissed outside of the dreams. He couldn't help his impression she touched him like she would a wounded child. A stranger.

"What do you want me to say? We've been apart for weeks and most of them were your decision. It still hurts. I want to be here with you, don't get me wrong."

"Please tell me it's not out of duty."

Luna hesitated and that alone was enough for anguish taking over.

"If you take away my duty, I don't have much left," she observed.

 _I thought that was over. I thought you knew you had a right…_

She stroked his hair another time, her eyes looking anywhere but at him. Her thoughts were far away and her sigh was deep, exhausted. When her eyes met his, his heart missed a beat. She was on the verge of tears now.

"This will sound wrong, but you won't let me get away without the truth. I try to be strong and patient and to remind myself being the Oracle, being your…" _Can I say fiancée? Are we still there?_ "You keep needing other people than I," she went on. "Surgeons. Your friends. Monica and Cor and… I know you can't rely on me for everything. But even the healing now, I can't supply…"

"Oh Luna…"

He was at a loss of words, reaching out for her hand and kissing her knuckles as a new apology.

"I'm sorry for being like this," she whispered.

"You shouldn't be. I hurt you bad and I ought to know. Luna, I…"

"You need to calm down now," she gently asked him. "I shouldn't get you worked up or emotional with…"

"I won't hide behind my convalescence."

Luna tried to stir the conversation to something less charged and kept him company until his eyelids started dropping lower and lower. Noctis wanted to make the most out of all the time he had with her, but this surgery wasn't minor and hearing Luna doubting his feelings for her. Realizing how on edge she still was, how easily he could lose her… It had done a number on him.

"I should leave you to rest," his Oracle stated, slowly getting to her feet.

 _Why would she come back when she believes you don't care anymore?_

"Can you stay?"

Luna heard the trembling to his exhausted voice and worried her lower lip hard enough for it to smart.

"I… Are you sure?"

"It's not an order or… Please? Until I fall asleep?"

In that moment, he was the little boy she'd met as a girl. Lost in a foreign country. A foreign room. The only thing familiar had been the pain and she could take it away for comfort merely by staying at his side.

"I'll stay. But don't cheat and get some actual sleep."

 _I'd rather never sleep again if it meant not losing you._

…

The following week was weird for everyone. Noctis needed to get through his rehab and while he couldn't wait to walk, the pain in his back was serious. It diminished with time and Luna's constant healing, but Noctis had to remain with a brace and accept he couldn't sit for extended period of time. He was allowed to walk earlier than he'd expected, but it was because moving would help him more than lying or sitting around. The problem with walking was half his back, half his legs. Noctis didn't have a great sense of balance at first and accepting crutches after he passed the bars handle stage was hard. He wanted to feel whole again, to feel strong, not to have Prompto and Ignis catching him up every time he looked about to fall.

As soon as it became clear that Noctis had all the protection he needed and after getting into a fight with Iris and Crowe, Gladiolus left with his girlfriend for his Shield's trials. Iris wanted to accompany them, but all the guys were against it. Cor was driving the couple up to the secret place and assured everyone he'd do everything in his power to bring them both back. Aranea was angry to see her friend leave with so little back up and all the guys, except for Ravus, were pretty worked up by the decision the tattooed man had taken.

"It's his right and forbidding him to undergo the trial would mean doubting him," Noctis had explained to Prompto. "If anyone can make it back safe, it's Gladio."

"But no one succeeded in hundreds of years!" the gunman reminded him.

Ignis had sighed and suggested they focus on Noctis's training. Gladio had texted back the first three days. Their last news was from Cor himself, warning them the signal was cut off by the crystals formation lying all over the gorge the dungeon of Gilgamesh hid in. Cor wasn't quite this precise either, but little to say, Iris wasn't herself even when she tried offering support to Noctis with his rehab. The relationships between every member of the team were strained. Lunafreya had distant moments, getting lost in thought without any warning. Prompto, Ignis and Aranea teamed up with Noctis's rehab. Aranea felt comfortable in this context, since she had had her own rehab and had a good idea what the King was going through.

It was hard to wake up with the goal to walk over a distance of 20 feet in mind. Noctis had received an interdiction to use any warping or phasing until the pain had diminished to the point of being tolerable without medication or Luna's healing. Lunafreya was allowed on the political scene but wanted to heal people more than anything and it was clear the Oracle had a heavy mind whenever she appeared in public. Ravus didn't assist in Noctis's exercises after the man had begged for him to allow him a serious fight.

"I'll fight you when you can run and warp. Until then, you can keep your pretty face," the prince had declared.

Everything was about waiting in Noctis's life now. Waiting for Gladiolus to come back, waiting for his new training schedule, marking one more step on his path to recovery, waiting for Luna's visits in between, waiting for his muscles to thicken after the prolongated time in bed. There were days when eating even the most simple food made his stomach roll over in protest, nights where tranquilizers emulated Luna's light to ease his nightmares and the occasional trashing that came with them.

And throughout all the waiting, the one thing he worried about the most was the fact Luna still asked permission every time she visited. She didn't simply walk into his room and sit by his side or on the corner of his bed, she was _visiting_. She did her best to never blame him for those new doubts, when she smiled, the smile reached her eyes and her hands were soft on his shoulders, they held back his hands, fingers entwined. She would brush his hair and caress his face when he was dozing off, but he couldn't remember the last time they'd kissed. It was true his appearance was awful most of the time, he was self-reliant when it came to going to the bathroom or washing, but his cheeks were still hollow, ravaged by a beard that make him look more foreign than the bend in his legs.

Noctis refused to shave, looking for his father whenever he met a mirror. If he was going to keep a brace and need a cane after the crutches, he wanted some sense of reconnection to compensate his new handicaps.

"You look like an old geezer," Prompto teased him.

"Maybe you should try it, baby face," Noctis teased him back.

They were walking together in a private park, both barely tolerating the heat due to the meteor shards radiating from Exoneris. It didn't stop Prompto from wearing his favorite black shirt and wrapping one arm around Noctis's shoulders to help him as they walked down a steep slope.

"I can't grow hairs on my face. My chest, my feet, sure, but this chin is a smooth desert."

Noctis frowned at the analogy, since a desert was anything but smooth in his definition, but he rolled with it, glad for the casual subject they'd fallen upon. Prompto always found a way to calm him lately and he was starting to wonder if he did the same for his friend.

"At least I've found a balance," he observed. "At first it was a few strands here and there and it looked worse than not having any."

"You know, Ignis is starting to wonder if he shouldn't grow a beard, if only to support you."

"What?! Wait, I think he did have one at one point."

A few clicks on his phone and Noctis had found the picture, where Ignis managed to look dignified despite the thin hint of beard he was sporting. He'd lost a wager with Gladiolus back then.

"How is this the first time I see this!?"

"I keep forgetting it ever happened. Specs did all he could to make sure this picture was destroyed, but that's without considering my resourcefulness," Noctis chuckled.

"It's true that when it comes to prank, you are a force to reckoned with."

"How about you let me walk on my own then? I'm using the crutch," Noctis assured him.

He still grimaced on the fourth step, but his balance was growing better.

"You're pretty resilient," Prompto tried encouraging him.

"Yeah. I hope the next bone I break will just be my nose."

"That's not a bone," the gunman objected. "Plus, I know a couple of people who would get between you and any crazy assaulter before anything even happens."

"Prom, I'd rather not have…"

"We're not letting you get kidnapped again, man, end of story. You can try to stop us, but I doubt you'll succeed."

Prompto didn't add the fact Ignis and himself both felt like they had to be his shields right now, with Gladio still gone. They didn't need a reminder of this absence and all the concerns that came with it.

"I can always order you to stay safe."

Prompto shook his head.

"I can always fail to obey an order and face the consequences afterwards. I do have your advisor and fiancée as my other best friends."

Noctis could have worried about the fact Luna had yet to mention the forestalled wedding. He was starting to wonder if along the way of questioning his love for her, she hadn't started questioning her own feelings toward him. His face fell and Prompto instantly hated himself for not being more careful. He knew Luna was a sore subject.

"Dude, you've got to stop all the brooding. Cindy said…"

Prompto paused at that, wondering if Cindy's comment hadn't been for him and Noctis skidded on his next few steps, giving him a light punch in the shoulder.

"Was it that incriminating? I know she has a colorful language, but she wouldn't badmouth her own King, would she?"

"Of course she wouldn't!" Prompto protested, giving Noctis a nudge as payback.

It was instinctive, not something the gunman would do if he was still worrying about the fact Noctis had been walked for only a few days, but the chosen King didn't lose his balance. They both smiled as realization hit.

"You're solid on your feet, man!"

"I already was!"

"Our big boy is growing so fast. I need to warn Iggy. And take a picture!"

"Prompto!"

…

Monica refused to let Noctis appear in his still vulnerable state in front of people, her opinion backed by Ignis and Luna. It took a dozen hours of heated negotiation for Noctis to even reach the agreement of a radio announcement. The interview took place with the solemn promise of the announcer to keep his mouth shut about the King's actual state, since Noctis welcomed him in his room of the Leville, hobbling on his legs with the help of his crutch.

"Today, we receive his Highness, King Noctis, for a brief interview detailing the last events involving the empire in Lucian affairs." The radio announcer exchanged a few greetings with Noctis, accepting to drop the titles after the young man insisted. "Your High… I mean Noctis, the last sighting we had of you was during the attack on Lestallum."

"Yes. Like you already know, there was no warning, the empire has had leadership issues as of late…"

"Thanks to all the battles you've fought recently," the announcer reminded the audience. "This assault was on a large scale, almost enough to remind people of what happened in Insomnia."

"It was awful and sadly, we weren't ready for it. We know from trustworthy sources that the airship used in this attack was the last of this size in the empire's factories. We're not going to drop our guard now and the Lucian army has established protection over all of our cities and outposts."

"I think I need to ask the question that has been on everyone's mind for the past few weeks. We know people were hurt and that your retinue kept the damage to a minimum in the circumstances. But what happened to you?"

Noctis held back his sigh, his hand gripping the crutch he'd leaned on his left thigh.

"I want to be honest here, because I never meant to disappear like this. I fought daemons in the sky. People might have seen me dragged off at one point," he swallowed, aligning the words he knew Ignis disapproved. His voice remained cool and collected. "They broke my legs… And I was… captured. I freed myself, and before you ask, my powers still work. There's no need to be technical, but I was out of commission for a while."

The announcer knew parts of it, but he hadn't expected this sort of revelation. Lines were ringing in the station, but all Noctis had to focus on was this man, Dino's best friend apparently and the one who'd covered the events of Insomnia with the most respect.

"If you don't mind me asking, you were "captured"? Was it the real goal behind this attack?"

"They were going after our spirit," Noctis admitted. "Their goal doesn't matter, since they failed. I'm nearly fully healed and as we speak, we're taking the final steps towards the last initiative before we take the fighting to Nifelheim. We're going to retrieve the crystal."

Luna joined in the interview midway to convey her support to the chosen King and when the lines were finally opened, Noctis heard the first words from his people outside of the newspapers.

"When does this kid plan to take a break?" a man asked. "I had one single leg broken and it took me a while to go back in the field."

"I'm so glad to hear our king's safe. Take care, your Highness."

"I heard he was undergoing surgery not so long ago. He's still listening, isn't he? You saved my girls when you opposed those daemons, and no one could have done what you did. I wanted to thank you."

The girls spoke on the phone to give Noctis their own thanks and for an instant it was more than the young man could handle. The interview ran across radio stations, bringing a few answers and comfort to most. Monica handled the press reactions and closely followed the few blogs picking up on the news, to make sure there wouldn't be a wind of panic running over their country and that Noctis didn't have to fear any attacks after stating so clearly that he was still in convalescence. From then on, he could appear in public and the people spotted him from afar, most of them asking after his health, thanking him and offering him their help if he needed anything at all.

Every Lucian knew that their young prince had defended them as best as he could. People had talked about his intervention in Insomnia, people knew how he'd worked on the reconstruction and re-localization efforts and supervised Free Crown's birth from over Libertus's shoulder. The constant attention was a little too much to take it didn't take long until Noctis suggested that they leave for Cape Caem once more. Luna was the most reticent, since the house by the sea held bad memories of the time he wouldn't let her close to him, but the promise they'd leave for Altissia and pursue the peace treaty with Accordo was enough to convince her.

Gladiolus hadn't given any answer and Iris was growing more and more worried by the day. Ravus decided to take her to Free Crown so she could see Talcott and all their former patients, while Cindy insisted she needed to check on her grandfather in Hammerhead and Prompto had Noctis's okay for leaving with his girlfriend. Ignis and Aranea stayed behind to look after Noctis and Luna, the pair knowing Noctis was hoping to mend things with his princess given how few people were around.

…

For the first two days at Cape Caem, Noctis gave Luna some space, wondering if he hadn't been too clingy lately. She'd stopped asking permissions to walk into his room, but each of their interactions were still tentative. She sat by the side of his bed, but never accepted to spend the night with him. Her excuses were his back, how it still hurt, how she didn't want to hurt him if she shifted. In truth, Luna was giving him time to heal and be back to himself, since it had been his main reason for pushing her away. How he convinced her to accompany him on a picnic was still beyond him, but here they were for the third day's lunchtime, sitting on a blanket with a basket of food half emptied between them. Noctis's crutch was leaning on the grass and they knew Aranea and Ignis weren't far, keeping an eye on the perimeter in case monsters appeared. They were far beyond hearing distance and Noctis hoped their hovering presence wasn't didn't make Luna more self-conscious.

"Pryna doesn't feel so good lately, does she?" he asked as the silence stretching between them started unnerving him.

The pale dog had been the shadow of herself, apparently mirroring her owner's state.

"She misses Umbra. He hasn't come back yet from Tenebrae."

Noctis knew Luna had to be worried about her home country, but he gently pulled on her sleeve so that she would look at him instead of into the distance.

" _I_ am back," he reminded her.

Luna's eyes blinked, and her cheeks flushed.

"Can you be straight with me, Noct? You said you wanted my help and for me to stay…"

"I want you, Luna. I don't know how many times I'll have to say it, but I'm over being scared. You've been around for me, but I can feel this wall between us..."

She reached for the pendant at her neck, the one depicting a moon and Noctis noticed right before she closed her hand around it that his mother's ring, the ring he'd given her, was also hanging to her necklace. Pain was written on her traits and Noctis waited until she had the right words.

"Do you remember when we first met in Tenebrae? You were the first kid my age who treated me like a normal person. We could play games all day and you would listen to every story I had to tell."

Noctis nodded, a fond smile echoing her own. He wasn't sure what she wanted to hear. Their past felt safer than the present right now, but they both knew staying there wouldn't help.

"After you left Tenebrae and we started writing to each other… I couldn't help wishful thinking. Hoping that one day you'd show up with Umbra. I would dream of it and in the morning, I'd be alone."

And he'd insisted on visiting her through dreams only to give her the same awful feeling on every morning…

"I'm so sorry. I… I hate the idea I left you feeling lonely and rejected. I felt… I still feel so unworthy, Luna." He'd used so many excuses for his reticence to seeing her, it felt wrong to use one more but a voice in the back of his mind, his voice, told him only the truth could mend this. He shuffled forward, using his less crooked leg and his arms. Luna saw how his hands had turned to fists and stilled herself, fighting against her instinct to back away. "You remember when I heard those voices from my ancestors?" Noctis went on. "It hadn't stopped when Ardyn caught me. If anything, he did all he could to make it worse. He kept taking your appearance and since my powers were working on and off… When I couldn't take it anymore I… I snapped…"

His eyes could barely hold hers as his voice shivered. Luna had known her death was what his ancestors wanted, but the knowledge he'd been through this sort of torture. Not just seeing her dead.

"I know it wasn't you," he desperately defended himself. "I would have never raised a sword if…"

"You killed Ardyn," she said on a low tone.

It was easier to process the knowledge that way. Noctis shook his head no and yes before gripping at his own hair as the shame mixed with anguish.

"Or one of his illusions, it still felt wrong. I couldn't…"

 _You couldn't look at me. You couldn't let me close. You didn't know what you'd do. You didn't trust yourself, you didn't know if I was one more illusion or…_

The understanding should have helped, since Luna had been left second-guessing herself and pretty much everything after finding him, but instead, it helped her realize how hard it had to be for Noctis to even be around her right now.

"I'm sorry. I'm s..sorry, I can't…"

 _I can't undo this. I can't fix this. I can't take back what he did…_

She got to her feet and Noctis didn't even try to, because he was so damn slow and couldn't lose a second. He was taking the biggest gamble of his life.

 _Please, don't let it be a mistake,_ he prayed.

"Luna, wait!"

She didn't listen, turning on her heels, her arms winding around herself as her feet hit the grass in a hasty retreat. She wanted time. For him, for her. The space between them might help, but…

Panic was threatening to overwhelm both of them and Noctis knew this was a turning point. He warped to his feet and tried to break into a run.

What could have been predicted by a two-year-old happened. He missed the third step and warped with a groan. He wouldn't let her slip away this time. She sensed his magic and gasped as his chest collided with her back. He couldn't cushion her fall, the pain down his back was too great, and the pair of royal dove head first to the ground in an undignified mess of limbs.

Luna couldn't breathe at first and she wondered if it was from the sudden pressure in her back or the fact his arms were around her. But he'd killed another version of her and that meant Ardyn could…

"I'm not going to hurt you," Noctis assured her. "Except for tackling you down right now. I swear, I'm so…"

"Stop apologizing," Luna pleaded with him, struggling to roll over while not pushing him around, to no avail. Noctis was holding on to her as though his life depended on it.

"You're not going to run again?"

"I won't," she promised. "And I wasn't running from you."

The shifting around was awkward at best, neither of them remembering when they'd last been this close. The hug on the start of their reconciliation barely counted and even now, the feelings involved were based on fear more than love. Luna shifted until she was lying on her side, Noctis wincing just enough for her to worry.

"I'll be fine Luna, I need to know if _we_ will be."

She tried to calm her breathing, but it was nearly impossible with the thoughts running over her mind.

"I couldn't help but wonder how it would feel if Ardyn had done the same to me. If he'd pushed me enough for me to hurt… a fake version of you…" she managed with a shaky breath.

Their eyes met as she cupped his face and he carefully balanced his weight on one arm to reach for her jaw, before stroking her hair.

"Luna…"

"How can you stand being around me?"

"I should be the one asking that question. Luna, I love you. I miss you so much, I wanted to hide in my memories of you and even those were tainted, so I thought… I'm done thinking like that. I know we can't pick up where we left off, but I still want you as my queen."

Her heart swelled as those words and she smiled through her tears. When had she started crying?

"I want to be your queen, Noct. I want it so badly," she confessed, her fingers weaving through his hair.

"So you still love me?"

"I do, silly King. You just made me really, really insecure."

"I'm sor…"

She pulled him down to her, the very motion shutting him up. Their eyes barely closed as their lips joined in a tender dance, so light the brushes were more due to their breath mingling than skin touching. Noctis gingerly leaned into her, his hand cupping the back of her head as she welcomed his new kiss with a moan.

The taste on her mouth was foreign, but the thunder in his heart wasn't. He felt vivified by her very touch and like a starved man, he came back for more, pushing away the growing pain in his back.

"This is real," she sighed in between kisses and he echoed her observation with an approving groan, stealing her breath only to remind himself how she melted against him.

"There's no rush," Luna tried, but he was still terrified by the idea this could be their last embrace.

"I should have been cherishing you for weeks. You were deprived."

"Very much so," she chided him with a gentle smile. "You think you can make amends in one single afternoon?"

"I don't want to rush you."

Luna experimentally trailed one hand down his back and noted how his face paled and his strength faded, Noctis leaning a little more into her.

"You're hurting."

"I earned it, didn't I?"

It was then he understood his Luna was back. She shook her head and called on her light.

"Tell me where it's worse."

He guided her hand to his chest, where his heart was beating madly.

"Noct."

"It hurts a little less with every of your kisses."

She giggled as he laid a dozen kisses on her neck, unable to worry about the fact Ignis and Aranea might very well still be watching over them. She tried to ease his pain, but it was hard with his hair tickling her skin and his breath ghosting shivers through her shirt.

"Noct, you need to calm down, or I'm the one who won't control herself."

He smiled at her confession and laid his head in the crook of her neck.

"Do you know where we are Luna?"

They were a few miles away from the lighthouse, but his next word made her heart flutter.

"We're together. And I'm never going anywhere else."

"I'll keep you and you'll keep me," she sighed into his hair, content for the first time in such a long time.

To be continued…

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I don't thank fuzzi fox enough, but without her help, I don't think this chapter would be half as good. Thank you for your kind support and beta reading my friend!

Noctis and Luna are reunited! You can expect massive fluff for these two. Next chapter should be Crowdio centric, since I'll finally go over Gladio's trial.

This was chapter 75. That's quite the achievement. I want to thank you for all your reviews and your support and the faves and the hits this story has been getting. I'm so grateful. I want to get the team to action, but Noctis's recovery is not done yet. Do you want a status update of Free Crown with Ravus and Iris? Ignea? Altissia is the next big arc after I close the one with Etro and the "break-up" between Noctis and Luna. Like I've said earlier, my life is still pretty hectic, so I don't know how long it will take for the next update. I'll try not to update Stranded twice in a row again, I do want to focus on Unexpected, but it depends on when inspiration strike and also on how much pages I have already written in a corner – for I suffer from this thing where I have to write a little bit once a day to feel good with myself- 😉


	76. Question and answers

This chapter was written quite smoothly despite the abominable heatwave. I should admit now that this chapter is nothing but fluff and that we veer on smut a few times, while respecting the T rating -at least I think so-. We have Ignea, Crowdio, Raviris, and more Crowdio. The actual trial starts next chapter, and we'll have more NoctLuna and a little Silvergold too in it. Enjoy your read!

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Unexpected

Chapter 76 – Questions and answers

"About time…" Aranea whispered.

"It's rude to stare," Ignis cautioned her, only to feel her elbow tease his ribs, because for once, he hadn't taken his eyes off the scene.

Down the slope, lying a few feet away from their picnic blanket, Noctis and Luna were still in an embrace that might never stop.

"Well, you are being rude, Ignis Scientia," the dragoon teased him, to which he pulled her behind the nearby tree, leaning his back against the trunk so there would be no way for either of them to spy on the royals. "Tell me we don't look like that when we make up," Aranea added.

"Do we make up? We never argue," Ignis objected.

"You're lucky I'm in a good mood, otherwise, I'd be proving you wrong, mister."

Instead, she decided to test how carefree her man felt, knowing that his best friend was happier than he'd been in a while.

She raised herself on her tiptoes, Ignis smiling into the kiss that followed, pulling her flush against him. She wasn't wearing her armor, but a simple dress on a pair of leggings and flat boots. She'd insisted the casual clothing was only to encourage Luna into wearing more comfortable clothes instead of her white dresses. Lunafreya had turned back to her more formal attires, as if to remind herself of home and of the past when she felt just as lonely as she'd been lately. It seemed that time was finally over.

"Iggy, I'm here," Aranea poked him in the ribs, unable to believe he was zoning out on her.

"Sorry. I was wondering what I should make for dinner."

She laughed.

"Really? Dinner is more interesting than me?"

"You're right. I mean, I shouldn't take you for granted like that," he apologized, turning them around and lifting her up against the tree trunk. Aranea didn't gasp, welcoming the attention, her hands pulling on his hair as the next kiss turned to pure heat. She had his entire focus this time, and it was a lazy but heavy embrace that left them both panting. The smile on his face was far too cocky to her liking, but Aranea was happy enough to let it slide.

"I let you get away with far too many things."

"Do you now?"

He pushed his luck, squeezing her thigh greedily and laying a kiss on the side of her head, until he could lean to her ear and find the spot on her neck that made her lax under his touch. The sound of her real name on his voice made her shiver, reminding her of stolen moments in the streets, where she'd pushed him beyond his careful and shy ways. She loved it when he let his passion out. There was so much hiding beneath his collected exterior. She removed his glasses to prevent them from digging into her skin, her legs wrapping around his waist.

"We're acting like teenagers," he sighed as they parted for air.

"Don't you like it? We're still young, we have a right to be foolish every now and then."

"I need more now and then," Ignis confessed, pressing into her as much as he dared.

"Now, that's really improper," she mocked outrage.

"Should we take this inside?"

"And leave the lovebirds to their own devices?"

The look of pure mischief in her eyes told him she was ready to take more risks if he was game and Ignis lost a brief fight with his sense of morality. Words came to mind, but he feared they'd break the mood and he wasn't sure when he'd left himself go wild for the last time. He was still worried about his friends. He should have been making plans, been determining a date for their travel to Accordo with Noctis's progress in mind, but…

"We're not animals, Aria."

"Your hips are telling me otherwise," she teased him, even though she wasn't quite dignified herself.

"Well, this tree can't be comfortable."

She kissed him in between his few objections and only agreed to move a few minutes later, when they were both too hot and bothered to even worry about replacing their rumpled clothes. Aranea remained playful, tugging on his arms while Ignis merely to keep her close, both of them trying to find a somewhat comfortable spot for more than a simple make-out session. This little game lasted over half an hour, during which they both refused each other's suggestions for ridiculous reasons.

That spot was too shady, he'd seen a bug there, it smelled like cat litter, the garden had still a few things growing in it, the ground was too damp, the ground wasn't damp enough.

"Seriously? We've slept in worse places," Ignis observed.

"I'm growing partial to a certain level of comfort."

"Let's just go inside before I have to prepare dinner and we need to worry about being heard by our royal friends."

"Oh, you think you can make me vocalize?"

"With the proper incentives."

"You're on."

Little to say, Noctis and Luna were left with little doubts as to their friends' activities from the way they couldn't keep their hands off each other when the pair saw them walking into the house.

…

Crowe was sitting up on their bed with her back against the headboard, eyes closed and her knees drawn in. From the moment he'd realized she wouldn't show up at the hospital, he'd been worried, but Gladio fell into their habit of pretending that everything was alright.

"Are you meditating?"

"I wish…," she sighed, cracking one eye open to greet him with a frail smile. "I'm so sorry for leaving the table like that…"

"You weren't feeling well, that happens. Feeling better? I hope you ate something."

She scrunched her nose and barely contained a shiver of horror.

"Food sounds revolting," she sighed, trying to massage her temples as Gladio knelt on the mattress and slowly made his way up to her.

He clearly wanted a hug and she still felt too disgusting to let him close. Crowe stretched her legs before her, her way of letting him know she needed her space.

"A migraine?" he suggested, sitting back on his heels. "Or Cranky?"

"It's fine, stop worrying. How's…"

"Babe, I let you keep the details of your illness between girls, but I still worry."

Crowe had grown to accept how overbearing Gladiolus could get when he focused entirely on her. As endearing as it felt to have that hunk of a man holding her face in his hands as though she was a delicate flower, she didn't feel worthy of his attention. She frowned, gently pushing him away.

"Do you want to ask me something, big guy?"

"Maybe?"

Her smile turned upside down.

"Why does it feel like I won't like this?"

"Can I hold you? I need to tell you a story. About the shields that came before me…"

She hesitated for a second, wondering if the fact he didn't even insist about the reason she'd been sick was good or bad.

"Have you been postponing this talk with me? Or you just discovered there was a rule about Amicitias' men not dating possessed brunettes?"

"Nothing like that. Don't panic or start imagining stuff."

He inched forward, and she let him sit beside her, reaching for his free hand as he wrapped one arm around her. He smelled like damp earth and sweat, all thanks to the heat in Lestallum. He'd thrown his jacket in a corner of the room, not flinching when she leaned into him, simply pulling her closer.

"For years, the King's Shields were asked to undergo a series of trials," he started. No use beating around the bush. Crowe tensed up next to him, but she remained quiet. "Whoever walked out of there was worthy of being the King's Shield."

"Gilgamesh's trials? Those are real?!" she exclaimed.

"Well, yeah, they call them that too. I don't think any member of my family ever won it. Regis didn't let my father do it and I was just given the position when Noctis was born. I don't know when my family even got appointed to being Shields, it wasn't inherited at first. People would compete for the chance to undergo the trials…"

Crowe had paled three shades and held his hand tighter.

"You think you have to prove yourself?"

His breathing shifted and there was a tremor to his voice as he answered, "Yeah… I've been failing both you and Noctis…"

"Gladio…"

"You know it's true," he insisted. "I'm not strong enough yet. And there's other gods we need to face, so I can't…"

He pulled her into his lap, bending his neck to settle his chin in the hollow of her neck, his lips lighting up shivers on her skin.

"You think I'll take the news easier being distracted?"

Crowe still ran one hand up along the side of his face, knowing he was looking for comfort. Even though his body was still too warm, not yet acclimated to the air conditioning in the room, he kissed her shoulder, breathing her in.

"Just the feel of you in my arms is so damn soothing," he defended himself.

"I didn't mean to change the subject. I need to have a better idea of what you're planning. You want to undergo a trial that is pretty much a suicide mission."

She tried to lift her head to meet his eyes, but he'd rather she didn't see the look on his face and held her closer. He felt so freaking helpless. Like a child begging for his chance to be considered a man. Was that what the trial was about?

"It's true everyone but Cor died when they tried it, but…"

Her breathing caught, and Gladiolus realized he'd been too honest. He hadn't shown fear with Noctis or Ignis, but with Crowe…

"So to prove you can lay down your life for Noctis, you need to die?"

"It's not…"

"What is this talk about then?!" she asked him. "If I beg you to stay…"

"I'm going," he cut her off. "I need to do this."

"I know you've got a big dick, there's no…"

"I'm not rushing to my death or trying to be a prick. I'm just… doing what my father should have done."

Was he panicking? Was that why he couldn't let her finish a single sentence. She shifted in his arms, staring into his big brown eyes. He looked paler than usual. His beard was clean shaven, and it made him look younger. Her hand travelled down his chest, fingers splayed above his heart.

"I'm serious, babe," Crowe insisted, her voice frail. "You said you wanted me to be your family. I can't do that if you're gone…"

"I'm not looking for an easy way out. I just… need a win. Maybe it's petty, but I think the experience will help me get stronger. Maybe strong enough…"

What if it could help him deal with Etro once and for all? What if passing the test could give him his own blessing?

"Okay… I can go with you, right? The pissing contest is not exclusive to males, is it?"

He seemed ready to refuse, but the look in her eyes silenced him.

"I asked to sound polite, but that's only so you know that if you leave without me, I'll track you down and ruin your trials anyway."

Gladio chuckled. "I think there has been a few female Shields. We'd have to ask Ignis."

"Iris would love to know that." Crowe observed with a smile.

His face fell at the mention of his sister.

"She's going to kill me…"

"That's my job. And kidding aside, you'll have your immortal girlfriend with you down there. I'm sure Etro will be happy to take out any daemons getting in our way."

They both blinked at the realization Crowe was starting to consider the goddess possessing her as an asset.

"We don't need her," Gladio reminded her.

"If she helps keeping you alive, I guess I can tolerate her."

 _ **You say that now. But I'm not a tool to be used.**_

 _How does it feel? That's how you treat me._

Gladiolus had cupped her face in his hands again and was trying to regain her attention, his thumbs gently massaging her temples. He knew she was lost in her thoughts and she wanted to reassure him when the heaving rushed back to the surface. She jumped to her feet, hastily covering her face as a shiver ran up her spine.

"Shit, again?!"

"I… Oh gods…"

She barely had time to reach the trash can in the room as the bile burned her throat.

"You're not coming with me in this state," Gladio cautioned, kneeling on the floor next to her despite her gestures suggesting he'd leave her be.

"I am, believe it… or not," she stated in between her raspy gasps.

"You need to see a doctor," he insisted, drawing circles on her back as he held her hair to the side.

The violent heaving subsided with more bile and Crowe stood a bit straighter, accepting to lean into him as she shivered, her arms instinctively holding her stomach.

"This one was different."

"Different, how?"

Gladiolus sounded so worried and she wondered if he was shivering too or if she was just trembling too much.

 _ **There's a new tool user in town,**_ Etro chanted in her head.

Could that mean…?

"Crowe?"

"I'll see a doctor. Just so you know I'm fine and we can go to that trial. You are not going without me."

"Okay, okay, just… try to relax. You need to stop scaring me."

He kissed the side of her head and she couldn't help laughing in self-derision.

"You have a really big heart to still love a mess like me."

"I'm damn lucky, you mean. I need a shower. And I think you do to."

She was far from arousing, but she accepted to follow him, not feeling ready to part from his arms. She wondered if she could ever feel independent again. Or if she wanted to.

…

Iris had been lost in thought for days now. Ravus had first thought about riding his own bird with her following or even racing him on the way to Free Crown, since depriving Noctis from the Regalia was unthinkable -he seriously doubted Ignis would ever let him drive the car- but it was soon clear that Iris couldn't ride on her own.

She insisted on sitting between his arms a few times and although the intimacy of the pace pushing them into each other was a sweet torture he hadn't imagined before, Ravus had to admit, this time alone with her was almost enjoyable. If she was enjoying herself instead of worrying for her brother, he'd fully appreciate this chance. When he observed it, she couldn't help teasing him.

"Well, I guess that's how Luna was whenever she heard about your crazy antics, don't you think?"

He had nothing to reply to that and was just as surprised when they stopped for the night at a camp. It had started to rain and they were both soaked through, the wind blowing hard enough to make it a hassle to set up their tent for the night. When they could finally sit inside and turned on a light, Iris quickly changing into dry clothes while Ravus looked the other way, she couldn't help complaining.

"It's so cold out there…"

"You're kidding me right?! That rain was barely refreshing. I always feel like I'm running a fever."

"Does that mean you're warm?"

He blinked at her and Iris used his brief daze to make a space for herself between his arms, settling in his lap and stroking her face against his bare chest.

"My polar bear."

"What?" Ravus asked with disbelief.

"That's what you are. A gruffy, grumpy, gigantic pile of warm bear-iness."

He frowned, fighting against a blush as her lips grazed his skin. Her hair made him ticklish, her fingertips were freezing on his waist, and he wanted to warm her up in a dozen different ways.

"You, little white mage, have hit your head when I wasn't looking."

She shook her head, looking up into his eyes with a serious look on her face.

"Ice ursa then? Is that what you call them in Tenebrae?"

"It's polar ursa in Tenebrae. Like there would be any ursa in Lucis." She rolled her eyes at him, slipping her arms on each side of his neck, which effectively made him relax a little. "I'll admit… polar bear sounds better."

She repeated the nickname, her smile growing as he sighed, embarrassed at how flustered he felt.

"It's cute when you blush, Rave."

"I prefer when _you_ blush."

"Well, I can't right now, my blood feels frozen."

The tip of her nose was cold, and he gasped as it brushed his neck. Her playfulness made him so much more comfortable than he'd ever felt with anyone.

"I'll fix that. And next time, you'd better tell me you're this cold."

She had an answer ready, but the way Ravus carried her onto his sleeping bag with a sparkle of desire in his eyes and the deliberate slowness of his movements as he wrapped himself around her took her voice away. He made sure not to lay any weight on her, his eyes drifting to her lips a mere second before coming back to her eyes. One of his hands cupped her head, and with the sheet he drew over them both, she could soak back in a cocoon of warmth that was all him. Iris hid her face against his chest, knowing her cheeks were crimson. How could he make her feel so safe just by holding her?

"Is this better?"

Iris wanted to say no, or yes, or anything that might sound wise, but suddenly, she just felt overwhelmed by the fact this man cared enough about her to be this considerate.

"Ris? Talk to me," he asked, stroking her still damp hair.

"I thought I wanted more kisses, but just this hug…"

Her deep sigh left much to his imagination and Ravus didn't like where his imagination was going. Was it wrong that _he_ wanted more? He knew over-analyzing himself around Iris wouldn't help him. Or her. The silence stretched between them, as damp as the night and since he was tense next to her, the young girl wondered if maybe he had more to say about how to fix a cold nose and freezing fingers.

"Unless you had more in mind?" she suggested, running her hands down his sides in a deliberately slow caress.

"We've got more road ahead of us tomorrow…"

 _He didn't deny it_ , Iris thought with a small sense of victory.

"And I'm young and full of energy," she teased him, her head shifting against his chest.

Her first kiss made him tense up more, her lips drifting from the underside of his jaw to his neck, his collar bone.

"Don't leave me fumbling around," she begged. "When you stay silent like that, I have no idea…"

"Iris, you do realize I could do anything to you right now."

"Maybe I want that. For once, we get to be alone. Is it bad that I want to feel wanted?"

"Far from it," he whispered, his body moving as lust took over reason. Was it really wrong when he loved her so much?

He claimed her lips, parting as much as he could from her to touch her waist, her spine, pulling her shirt up so their skin could meet directly. Her approving moan and the way she pushed him away to take off the offending garment, pulling him back to her hurriedly was almost enough to drive him crazy and he let his hands wander. The metal of his prosthetic warmed up against her flesh and when his fingers followed a trail down her chest and seemed ready to hesitate, she let out a desperate sound.

"It's okay, Rave."

He sounded almost sheepish when he asked if she was certain, but her hands gripped him greedily and it was all the permission he needed. He'd teased her through her clothing before, but the direct touch couldn't compare. And as patient as he'd been, this new step only intensified his need. His lips followed the path traced by his hands, his hair tickling her while his touch left her gasping for air. She tried to give back the caresses, but the sensations wracking through her were overwhelming. He was holding her to him with his metal arm, his mouth not leaving her flesh for an instant. His tongue did things to her, his breath leaving goosebumps all over her skin. There was no doubt he wanted her. If only she'd known how to flick that switch before.

"Rave…"

Her nails dug into his neck, the girl merely trying to get a hold on reality, but the gesture brought Ravus to all the dark memories he'd been trying to repress. He had been certain he wasn't hurting her, but what if he'd misinterpret her whines? He pulled away from her, sitting up somehow as their cover fell to the side and the sleeping back zipper's creaked open. Ravus's face was flushed and his eyes brimming with fear.

"Why did you stop?" Iris asked,

"What? Was that…? I lost control, I shouldn't…"

His right hand went to the spot on his neck where her nails had grazed him too hard and Iris wondered if she'd ever have the right to know why he was this hard to approach.

"You're with me, polar bear. Have I ever let you do things I didn't like without warning you of it?"

"Well, you don't stop me an awful lot either. I said I needed limits."

"And I want those limits to fade," she shot back, tugging on the waistband of his pants.

Iris could admit then that she had let her deep and long-suppressed frustration dictate her conduct, for she wasn't ready for a full out night of sex, even though she was more than ready to be treated like an actual woman with needs, not a curious and petulant child. Ravus grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a sitting position, his eyes not entirely focused on her face.

"Okay. No limit. No control. Are you trying to run away again? Forget your current worries through us?"

"Would that be so wrong?"

If that was what she truly wanted, it didn't have to be wrong. It wasn't like he wanted to remain this heap of self-doubts every time they tried to get more intimate.

"Iris, this isn't wrong. _I_ feel wrong," he confessed. Her face crumbled and he knew her own self-doubts were all coming back. "It has nothing to do with how little experience you have. It's…"

 _If you tell her, she'll run away and never look back._

"What would you want Iris?"

She turned an adorable shade of red at that and it eased his beating heart a bit. Was it dirty to name the gestures that could come between them? Wasn't it far safer to talk things out instead of rushing blindly? He pulled her hands to his chest, looking into her eyes.

"There's a lot that can happen without us crossing every line. And you're good at cracking down my defenses. But I keep worrying I'll make you uncomfortable. I don't want to force you into anything."

"Me neither," Iris told him. "I just hate the way you suddenly pull away. It happens almost every time. It's like I'm on fire."

"Gods, Iris, you're the fuel to my fire. I don't want you getting burned. And don't try one of those silly comebacks of yours."

Iris looked timidly at him from under her brown lashes, clearly unsure of what she could say.

"Can I touch you? Like… How can I touch you to make sure I don't trigger one of these reactions?"

Ravus grimaced.

"You just need to tame this polar bear. The last people that saw me naked were scientists planning to tear me to pieces."

Her eyes widened, her face turning white and he kissed her worries silent, hoping to let her know through this kiss that he was much stronger than he made it sound. This time, he let the heat grow between them, let himself try more touches. They ended up naked in each other's arms, as he found his voice to trail every gesture with words that made Iris blush. A question for every tentative touch. He encouraged her to ask as many questions back and after more fumbling and countless shivers, the mutual exploration stopped in shy kisses and a warm embrace.

"I'm glad you're with me, Rave. You haven't run off on your own for a long time now and… there's a conceited part of me that hopes it's because you like me."

He chuckled, grateful for her honesty.

"You make me feel like I belong, Iris."

"So you'll never run off again?"

He didn't have to ponder long to understand what was eating her up. Her brother had left without so much as a hesitation, rushing to an almost certain death. But as much as he wanted to reassure her, he couldn't make such a promise.

"One thing is for sure Iris. If I ever go away somewhere, I won't be running away from you. And I'm always going to come back for you."

She let out the cutest gasp, blushing more as she tried to convince him he should never go anywhere without her before apologizing for how possessive that sounded, and Ravus knew he was melting a little more for her.

"If I ever leave, there will be a reason, Iris, and I will explain myself to you. I won't leave you in the dark. Or act as though you can't understand."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

…

The results had all come back negative. When Gladio asked her what that meant, Crowe had simply smiled. She didn't want to add any pressure on his shoulders with the trials he wanted to undertake. She couldn't help the thought the man wanted to prove himself because of Etro. He'd never mentioned the urge to prove himself through any traditional trial before. He _was_ the King's Shield. He had been for years and it was hard for the glaive to understand how he could say that now he needed to prove it when he protected Noctis for so many years without a hitch. The doubts Etro had planted in her head wouldn't leave her and she needed to accept they might stay for a while.

How could her body get crowded? What could be this new parasite? Except the pregnancy test was negative.

 _I can still follow Gladio and make sure…_

 _ **He'll get into more trouble. I can only support that. To think you let that bastard put his paws all over us.**_

"Shut up," she whispered through clenched teeth, not even realizing she was speaking out loud.

Cor raised one brow, but Gladiolus dismissed it with a wave of the hand. They were nearing their last stop before the Tempering Grounds. They'd driven in silence for most of the way after the Immortal and the King's Shield had run out of old anecdotes about Clarus than they could reminisce about. Crowe actually loved to hear Gladio talking about his father. He rarely did it with Iris, since the wound was too fresh and somehow, the siblings' memories of Clarus seemed a bit different. It was clear the man had been a strict father in different ways if he was talking back to his son or watching after his daughter.

More than ever, the thought of family was on her mind and Crowe was worried about the fact Iris could lose her brother and all that was left from her family if anything went badly in those sacred Grounds. She promised herself she wouldn't let that happen.

 _ **If the man wants to die, what can you do?**_ Etro insisted.

Gladio jumped when he felt his girlfriend grabbing for his hand, her fingers shaking slightly. A single look from her was enough to know she was being tortured by the goddess possessing her once more. Cor had stayed on the roads, knowing about Crowe's situation. They were still forced to drive at night a few times to reach a camp or a pitstop and much to their surprise, Etro hadn't manifested on the few occasions daemons had shown. Crowe didn't even have to push her away.

She simply had to bear with the constant backhanded comments. Gladiolus made it quite worth it, treating her like a queen even when she told him he didn't have to worry about her so much. He made it a point to hold doors for her, snuggle with her at night and share every little touch he could throughout the days despite Cor being around. The man had words about their recruits and the status update on the small army still in training in Free Crown helped changed their preoccupied thoughts to something akin to hope.

"Is it really necessary that you stay with us for the whole trial?" Gladio asked as they were finishing their diner.

The couple would sleep in the trailer while the Immortal had booked himself a bed in the Hunter's HQ. He'd teased Gladio about wanting alone time with his girl whenever the men had found themselves between men, and much to his surprise, Gladiolus had mostly smiled and nodded, even blushing once.

"You'd better not get lovey-dovey in there. Gilgamesh isn't the type to let cute love stories warm his cold heart."

Crowe instantly tried to get more information out of the Immortal, but he shelled up like he always did.

"I'm sure Monica could have him talk," Crowe observed as they settled in their camping car.

Gladio had given up his coat on the small counter by the sink and out of habit, the glaive set to fold it in a neat pile. She was still jumpy and didn't want the piece of clothing to fall to the floor in the middle of the night. It would be enough to have her up to the ceiling. Gladio was making his round of the trailer, locking every window, starting the fan, making sure there was no vermin lurking in the cupboards. Some of their gestures felt forced and Crowe realized she was bunching the coat instead of folding it neatly. She flapped the fabric open, folding it once more.

 _Something's different_ , she thought.

Etro was lurking just at the back of her head, ready to ram the parasite theory back into her head, but Crowe's hand felt something in the coat's pocket. It wasn't keys and it was too small to be a phone, while being a square shape.

"Gladio?" she called out. "What's in your pocket?"

"Huh? What game are we playing?"

"No game, your actual pocket."

She had half a mind to pull the thing out and check it out for herself, but she didn't like people going through her things and with the way Gladio knocked stuff around in his hurry to get next to her faster made alarms ring in her head. He pulled the coat out of her hands, hastily making sure the pocket still held its contents.

"You didn't see it, did you?!"

"Shit, how serious is…?"

His shoulders dropped as he realized the secrecy was worrying her.

"This is not the timing I wanted. Or the setting I had hoped for. I did everything else wrong so I guess this is only one thing to add to the pile."

Crowe frowned, crossing her arms over her chest and Gladio ran a nervous hand through his hair.

"Did you pack a dress?"

"What?"

"Over the past few days, I developed this picture perfect vision where you were wearing a dress. Bear with me?"

"What were _you_ wearing in that vision?"

He flashed her a boyish grin and Crowe couldn't help the little somersault her heart made.

"I may have a skirt. I'll change, but I'd better not need to wear any make-up or change my hair."

Gladio made it up to her by changing in his Crownsguard uniform, which he'd only worn for Noctis's coronation. Crowe had to admit he looked quite dashing in it, although they both felt silly. The former glaive had a good idea of what was happening and refused to sit down when he took out the small box from his coat.

"I had an eye on you back in Insomnia," he confessed. "And I have wondered if it wasn't only the circumstances that helped you see me."

"You're not easy to miss," she tried teasing him, needing to find her countenance as he kneeled in front of her.

"Well, you barely saw me when Iris first found you. Finding you alive was like getting a little piece of my home back. I know you would have clung to anyone then, but… With time, something clicked. Something more real than… Before I knew it, you'd taken over my world. And I'm not referring to you-know-who. The taking over is all you."

"Is that a good thing?"

Gladio smiled at her, his genuine, strong smile and she dropped to her knees, unwilling to stand for the inequality between them.

"Would you keep me in your life, Crowe? When we get over our personal trials, the challenges of this war and… Will you have me by your side?"

He revealed the ring there, but Crowe could barely look at it, because this was more than she'd asked, and she was so afraid…

"How can I say no?"

"Well, that's the whole point, you know? You say yes. Or you break my heart."

"You're planning on dying, aren't you?"

"No, Crowe, I swear…"

"Don't! I'm not going to cry tonight, I already told myself I wouldn't…"

She inched forward, and his arms wrapped around her, the tall man looking just as emotional as her.

"I'd seriously love for you to say yes, Crowe."

"I… I've said it before, haven't I? My mind didn't change in the meantime."

"Come on, I wore my best uniform, asked properly and am still on my knees. All we need is an answer and we can kiss, sit up and get out of these clothes."

She half laughed half cried and managed a shaky yes, wondering why Etro was just silent in her mind. Wasn't this the best time to make fun of her? Of him? Didn't she want to call them ridiculous for putting so much importance on an engagement ring, knowing neither of them could be free? Gladio kissed her forehead and both her eyelids and his thin stubble both itched and tickled her skin.

"Are you sure?" he insisted.

"Yes. Yes, yes, yes," she nearly chanted in his ears. "Do you doubt it?"

"I don't want you to feel stuck with me. I know you don't want to be convenient and as bad as it sounds, you really aren't…" She slapped him at that, but it was all playful and he managed to admit his insecurity. "I don't want to be your last resort."

"Gladio…"

"You had to tell me you wanted a proposal before I could even…"

"There's nothing wrong with that. You can't read my thoughts, and neither can I read yours."

"So you're sure? And you won't change your mind?"

He looked like a kid then, overjoyed and hopeful and it warmed her heart to the point it could nearly burst.

"I might if you keep this up! I was promised kissing and shedding clothes."

The first kiss was brutal as they rushed to meet each other, but after a very brief clash of teeth, their tongues joined into a lazy and soothing dance and Crowe accepted to lay on the floor for the first few minutes, her hands tugging on his hair and massaging his scalp as he kissed her with abandon. When it seemed he would take her right there on the floor, she insisted for a proper bed and gasped as he lifted her in his arms in one swoop, hungrily kissing her neck and the one shoulder he'd freed of her blouse. The mix of urgency and utter care in him scared her and Crowe was tired of being scared.

"Gladio, I don't want us to act like this is the last time we…"

"This is the first time we make love since you officially agreed to become my wife," he cut her off, halting his ministrations to look her in the eyes. "I want this to be special."

Considering they had been together for less than a year, every time felt special, but he punctuated his words by slipping the ring on her ring finger and Crowe couldn't help the euphoria blooming in her heart. Her smile was so wide, her cheeks hurt.

"Careful now. I'll grow conceited and difficult if you don't turn out as romantic in our future."

"Why can't I get sweet words back for my efforts?" he teased her, stealing another kiss from her. And a dozen more, taking off the layers of clothes keeping him away from her.

She helped him out of his uniform, fighting against her instinct to store it in such a way it wouldn't be covered in wrinkles. He was so dashing in it, it would be a shame, really… Except neither of them had the patience for that. She whispered words into his ears, about how she loved the feathers tattooed onto his back or the way he shivered when she grazed the tender skin of his sides with her nails.

He hummed against her neck, tracing her own shivers and moans with his deft fingers and tongue. As always, they set on a competition to please the other, giving back as much as they could until they couldn't breathe without panting or align a thought without whispering each other's name.

"I love you," Crowe managed, unable to muster anything cleverer in the throes of passion.

"Love you too."

"You do?"

"Crowe…"

It was half a plea, half him being amazed at what she made him feel. When they shifted around, trying to get even closer, he realized he couldn't see the brand on her back.

 _Wishful thinking_ , he warned himself.

"Hey, big guy, look at me. Focus on me."

"Say my name, Crowe."

She did, in a whisper at first, feeling too soft and warm against him. The night faded into each other, until they were spent and left with no other need than to curl up together, bodies ablaze with sensation and their minds drifting.

She didn't mention the trial and neither did he, for this moment was about them alone.

"You're a noble lady now," he told her with a cocky grin and a tender kiss on her temple.

"Am I now? I think you're rushing things. I need to say yes at the altar too."

"You want an altar?!"

To be continued…

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As always, reviews make me happy. I have a cold so I write excruciatingly slow now. I hope I can bring the next chapter soon despite everything!


	77. Going back or forward?

A new chapter! And it's quite a long one too. I have a big event coming up for my job, so I might not be able to write before a few weeks -I'll try to write despite it, you know me by now- but I'm not making any promise. Today's chapter has Noct/Luna, Gladio's episode, Silver/Gold, and more on Gladio's episode and Etro's final arc. Enjoy your read!

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Unexpected

Chapter 77 – Moving back or forward?

After their picnic turned into a "making up, making out" session, Noctis had realized how tentative everything remained between Luna and him. She took the habit of walking with him as he struggled to keep up his daily exercises, forced to stand two feet away from him to evade his crutches. Ignis still had to help him to his feet sometimes, and there was a wheelchair on the first floor of the house, in case the pain became to strong for walking. Noctis had to accept he couldn't stay up for long, or sitting for long either. It was immensely frustrating, since his last rehab had been different. His back had barely been touched the last time, but now he was relearning how to hold himself on top of everything else.

How was he supposed to hold Luna in such circumstances?

Sleeping on his own still terrified him despite the brave front he kept around his friends. He wanted to get over his fear. The nightmares caught up to him without fail, but at least he wouldn't wake up kicking and screaming. No, he could lie between the sheets, his back damp with cold sweat, fingers clutching at his hair as he covered his ears in hope to push away Ardyn's words. There were worse nights than others and he knew time would make him better. It was hard being patient with himself.

But the hardest part was being patient for Luna's confidence in him. When they'd first met after 12 years, while tense and somehow wary, the princess had welcomed him with the same smile as when they were kids. And he'd broken that smile.

"Noct?"

When she stepped into his "training" room, Noctis observed she was wearing her blue dress, the one she'd gotten in Lestallum for their first date. She tried to hold herself with grace, but her shoulders inched inward, and her hands were holding her skirt so she wouldn't wring them together nervously. There was a very light blush on the top of her chest, her eyes meeting his with a nervous flicker to the right before holding on to his gaze. His heart did a few summersaults as he remembered dancing with her and taking that dress off her. If he could have crossed the space between them, he would have pulled her into his arms to let her know what the sight did to him without a single world. Instead, he pushed on his shifty legs and managed his awful crab-walk to stand by her.

"Hey. Did I miss a notice about formal dress for dinner?"

"No, I simply wanted to see the look on your face," she explained playfully

"I think I've looked stupid enough lately."

Luna shook her head at him, taking a shy step forward and pecking him on the cheek before pulling away.

"I know you feel like you've been stalling for a while… I thought maybe proper motivation would help."

"Are you telling me I should make more progress?" he mused.

"All I'm saying is that I can be waiting at the finishing line… Or I can be by your side for the entire trek."

Luna wasn't sure how else to support him and while they enjoyed a private dinner every night and held hands as they sat in the garden or when they'd read a book together, there was still a small barrier that neither of them wanted to cross. Noctis knew Luna needed more reassurance. She needed to be held and kissed senseless and showered in all the care he could muster. She needed to feel loved and while he had sweet words for her in-between his bouts of misery at his incapacity to walk without help… well he had bad days and it was hard not to make everyone pay on those.

He wished Luna wouldn't be so fleety and tried not to sound too whiny as he said, "I want you by my side of course. Unless you're going to tease me like this."

Luna cocked her head to the side, waiting for him to explain himself further.

"It's really hard not being able to hold you or catch up with you right when I want," he admitted. "I took those things for granted and now everything is a struggle… Is it wrong if I ask you to meet me halfway?"

"I feel wrong for making you feel like you needed to ask," Luna whispered, taken one step forward and halting before the second one, trying to figure out a way to defend her action. "This teasing was only means as encouragement. You've been selling yourself short. You can walk for a full hour after a mere week. Do you remember how long it took when you were a child?"

But that was the problem. He hadn't been ready to go through the whole rehab again. He didn't have his dad to cheer him for every little progress or tell him stories before he went to bed. He didn't have Gladio around to guard him or visit on his off-duty days, eager to start his sword training again. Prompto had never seen him broken and Ignis, while just as devoted a friend as back then, well he was slowly realizing how much of a burden he'd always been to Ignis…

"I have your light to thank for it. I've been standing for over three hours today, my back is killing me," he admitted after taking his own step forward. "Can you come over here?"

Luna obliged, her hands steadying him and her eyes shining with a golden hue, her magic instantly relieving the worse of his aching back.

"I wanted a hug, not…"

"I don't like hurting you with my hugs," she cut him off, removing a few wrinkles from his shirt, her nails grazing him through the fabric.

From this close, he could see the scars from the burns she'd sustained in Lestallum while he was fighting daemon Aldercapt. It had taken a lot of convincing to have her remove her shawls and bare her shoulders again despite these marks. They had faded thanks to Iris's magic, but since the healing hadn't been quite immediate, with the young girl's fever, Luna would remain marked by this event. As though she needed a physical reminder of that day… Noticing where his eyes were looking, she seemed ready to pull away again.

"Hey, don't be so self-conscious," he whispered, tugging on her wrists to have her between his arms. She tentatively held him back, her fingers gripping his collar and pulling on a few strands of hair as her emotions got the better of her. Sometimes, it felt as though all the self-doubts she used to feel were back. "I've got plenty of new scars too," Noctis reminded her. "While you certainly don't have to keep up, I know these are the sign you protected my… _our_ people. I'm really grateful for everything you've done. You've been Lucis's Queen for a while already."

"A Queen should have unblemished skin, shouldn't she?" Luna asked against his shoulder, glad he couldn't see her face.

"And a crown and a dozen kids and twice as many dwarves for servants," Noctis enumerated, reminding her of one old story Gentiana had told them back in Tenebrae.

"Now that's silly."

"Just like you are, thinking some little burns will make you mean any less to me."

He marked his words with a kiss on her hair, gently pulling her backward to reach her jaw, before leaning down to draw a path of shivers down her neck. Luna couldn't help worrying about his balance at first, but a light moan escaped her lips as he nibbled a spot. Her skin felt too raw under his touch, but the tenderness to the gesture took away her instinctive tension. Noctis knew he was testing their limits, but he needed more than hand holding, even if his own body couldn't follow. One of his crutches fell with a thud as they shifted to hold each other better, both royals jumping and drawing the other closer as if to protect them from potential harm. Instead of pulling away, the King nuzzled her neck, eliciting a whine from her.

"I need your lips here, Noct," Luna asked, surprising them both with her boldness.

"Where?" he shot back, his voice warm and playful.

The princess realized then she had run out of patience. Noctis's arms around her was still a rare occurrence even if they'd made up and since she didn't have him around her in those magic dreams anymore, she was starved for affection. He always acted as though she'd break. And right now, she feared he could be the one to break, but she wanted to believe in his recovery.

She wiggled her hips against his, her hands pushing against his shoulders and Noctis took the few steps backward they needed for his back to touch the nearest wall. It was a bit weird with his left crutch in the way, but the brief struggle was worth it, Luna inching just high enough to reach his mouth as he bent his neck to meet her. She could fully help him support his weight this way, but she was far more interested in ravaging him it seemed, stealing his breath and coming back for more after pulling away for a few seconds. She pressed into him as much as she dared, one hand cupping his face and he steadied himself, hands on her waist, pulling her closer then propriety suggested.

Luna stroked his chin with a hungry sigh, mouthing a thank you against his lips, her tongue dancing with his. Her rush was intoxicating, but he couldn't help the ghost of pain at the thought he'd driven her to his state.

"Luna…"

"Shh…"

She kissed him again and this time the pressure on his back was too strong for Noctis to hold back a whine.

"I'm sorry," she gasped, pulling back as she realized what she'd just done.

Her hands dropped to his chest, clutching to his shirt and Noctis held her in place, shaking his head slightly, his fingers digging into her forearms before to give them a light, reassuring squeeze.

"No, please, I need this too."

They stared at each other for a minute, breathless, eyes wild with a mix of need and longing.

"So this is… okay?"

"Are you kidding me? I love you, Luna."

"I love you too."

She raised herself on her tiptoes again, tugging him down by his shirt and the following kiss was much slower, as they tried to find an angle that would be comfortable for his over-sensitive back. They only parted a few minutes later, her lips red and swollen, Noctis in desperate need of a chair.

"Your back?"

"My legs actually. I can't remember the last time you kissed me like that," he tried teasing her, his cheeks flushing.

His legs felt like mush if he was honest and it had little to do with their crookedness. Luna's smile and bright blush was worth a little embarrassment and he promised himself to pull her into a kiss every day, even if he had to beg for her to sit in his lap or lean down to his bed-ridden form.

…

Crowe could barely remember the last part of the road they'd taken, Cor having them sitting in the back of a jeep reinforced to deal with the beasts of Lucis. She kept bumping into Gladio and couldn't help the smile on her face as his arm squeezed her closer every now and then. Cor had been forced to pull them out of bed, both of them too happy to snuggle close after sharing one mind-blowing night together.

" _Are you certain that you're ready?" Cor had insisted._

" _As ready as can be," Gladiolus had retorted._

Crowe made him promise to wait until they were back to announce the news to Iris, and then to his friends.

"Sometimes, it sounds like you're more eager to gain a sister than a husband."

"Can't I want everything just this once?"

"At this rate, I'm really going to leave you two to your own devices. I think I'm going to puke," the Immortal teased them, his eyes looking at them in the rearview mirror.

Gladio offered the man a sheepish smile while Crowe fought against her blush.

"We need to snap out of it," she whispered.

"My head will be in the game, sunshine."

"What?"

"I needed the exact opposite of Cranky," he defended himself.

"If you try too hard being cute, you'll start getting on my nerves, babe."

He chuckled against her ear, refusing to admit he was basically running away from what was waiting just ahead. The jeep stopped abruptly, thrusting them forward a little and Cor stated what Crowe had hoped would come just a little bit later.

"We're here."

A slope ran down past a few trees, leading to a set of gorges crisscrossing a small valley of crystals, resembling the one where Titan used to hold the meteor, but with tighter crevasses and the crystal were a light blue, reminding Crowe of the ice Luna could summon thanks to Shiva.

"I will not follow you the entire way," Cor explained, "and while you consider this the rambling of an old man, I doubt Crowe will be able to make it through to the end. The spirits here are different from those you've met so far. I don't know how they'll react to Etro's presence."

Crowe held her tongue, afraid she'd jinx them with her instinctive bravado.

 _ **This place seems strange. Like it appeared out of nowhere after Cor turned in rounds a few times.**_

 _Really?_

 _ **You don't believe anything I say, do you?**_

 _You lied about that parasite._

 _ **Your science is stupid. That ugly little thing is holding on so tight already.**_

 _I don't have a single symptom that would…_

 _ **I'm in your blood. You think I don't know what's going on in here? I rode your man and he left a gift behind. Humans really are disgusting.**_

Crowe nearly missed a step at that and Cor gave her a look that meant it was already starting.

"I'm fine. Let's…"

The ground shook beneath their feet, a violent hiss cutting through the air and a reptilian head sprang from the earth, throwing Cor on his back while Crowe and Gladio drew their weapons out.

"Is that…?"

"He should be inside, not here!" the Immortal grunted, struggling to his feet.

A giant snake was whipping around and trashing about, splashing them with droplets of water and acid. Crowe winced as the shoulder of her jacket melted against her skin, Gladio raising one arm to cover his eyes. Dirt and mud flew everywhere, the snake known as Brunnrsormr letting out a furious snarl.

"Is he part of the test?" Gladiolus asked as he evaded its tail by rolling on himself. "And why didn't you give us a word of warning about that?!"

"How was I supposed to know it was still alive?!" Cor retorted.

Crowe tried calling out electricity, even though her flasks were empty and realized the magic wasn't answering like it would usually.

 _ **I said I'm no tool and this thing is no daemon. You'd better get through this on your own, sunshine.**_

Crowe bit her tongue, blowing out hard through her nostrils.

 _Okay, let's do this your way._

She jumped into the fray, running on the beast's left side as Gladiolus took the right side. Cor had drawn out its katana and stood in the middle, keeping the snake's attention on him. They'd faced each other years ago and Brunnrsormr sported scars that showed its past defeat. It lacked one eye and one of its fangs was broken, leaking venom that steamed against the damp ground.

"I suggest we kill it this time, what do you say, Cor?" Gladiolus asked.

"You stay alive, boy."

The snake moved right as the Immortal took a step forward and the fight was on. The ground adhered to their boots, making every move sloppy while the rings of snake-flesh shifted with ease at the slightest motion. The three of them were forced to evade it at first, studying their opponent's behavior, looking for a weakness among the scales. Gladio and Crowe were reminded of their fight with the Malboro by the threads of venom and acid threatening to make them slip. Cor looked green and Crowe had to fight against a rush of bile up her throat as the tail whipped a few centimeters away from her. Her nose was filled with a scent of decaying flesh and rotten eggs.

"Did that thing ever take a bath?"

"He lives in water," Cor supplied, making it look too easy to jump around, evade hits, slash regurlarly at the snake and keep up conversation. "But I bet he doesn't brush his teeth."

"Guys, try focusing!" Crowe snapped, covering her mouth with one hand while raising her spear in self-defense. Aranea had given some training and one of her own spears to help her in fights where daggers weren't the best solution.

Whenever the snake recoiled on itself, it would unfurl to snap at them with its tail. Gladio tried cleaving it in half with a massive blow, but the thing was agile and all he could do was chip a few scales off while evading the beast's snapping jaws and its tail. They were losing energy fast and hadn't made any progress after twenty minutes of this, the monster recoiling whenever they were getting closer to him.

Gladio managed a hit, cutting two feet of tail right off and had to step away from the boiling blood that came flowing out of the wound, leaving burn marks on the ground where it landed.

A gust of wind pushed the snake's venom back onto itself, Crowe unable to hold back the vomit as the magic burned her veins. Thankfully, the snake was too busy trashing in pain to see this opportunity and Gladio used the beast's torment to sneak closer, his bastard sword cutting into the trashing flesh while Gladio was phasing through the drops of acidic blood.

 _What's this? He's already been blessed by a King?_

The Shield missed a step and had to jump over the snake's head, falling right into a puddle of venom and getting to his feet with a groan of pain. Everywhere the dark liquid had touched burned, but all he could think about was the strange voices resonating through his head. Etro he'd heard once and this was different. He raised his sword to cover his back in case the monster came back for a bite, but Cor finished it off while Crowe was wiping her mouth with the back of her sleeve.

 _What did you bring with you? What's inside that woman?!_

"What the hell is this?"

Gladio held his head with both hands, wondering how so many voices could echo in his skull at once. Cor hadn't warned him of this, but the man looked just as puzzled as Crowe as they both walked up to the Shield.

"Gladiolus?"

 _That's the boy who left with two scars and Gilgamesh's arm, isn't it? But who cares about that one, this girl has energy that shouldn't exist in this plane of reality._

"Can you hear me?" Gladio asked.

Crowe recognized the foreign look on his face and worried her lower lip, while Cor frowned, grabbing Gladio's shoulder.

"Are you poisoned? Of course we can…"

 _We hear everything you say and see everything you do from here on out, aspiring Shield. Your King has given you quite the honor, granting you powers from the crystal. Are you worthy of this gift?_

Baring his teeth, Gladiolus looked at Crowe without seeing her. He felt a presence inside his mind, like an insect crawling between every nook and cranny of his brain.

"I'm here to test that."

 _Good answer. We'll have to make sure you can handle your responsibilities in mind and body._

The creepy impression faded and Gladio blinked, as though he was stepping out of a dream. Cor was shaking his shoulder now and Crowe looked pale, which he wanted to put on the fact she'd thrown up, but he knew when he was his girl was worried for him.

"They talked to me."

"Already? I guess they're eager to test you."

Crowe tried to use humor to diminish her own stress towards the situation.

"It's been 30 years since they last saw anyone walking here, hasn't it?"

Cor coughed as he nodded, never liking to be reminded of how old he was getting.

"Let's get going. Unless you need to empty your stomach again?"

"Smell that thing's dying breath and tell me you can keep your breakfast in afterwards," the former glaive retorted.

"I'm too old for this," the Immortal sighed, breaking eye contact with Crowe before stepping forward. "This is only the first test and you passed it. I won't be able to help much more, but you might as well get moving before you take root."

Gladio exchanged a worried look with Crowe before accepting her hand in his and following in Cor's footsteps.

…

Upon reaching Hammerhead, Prompto and Cindy were received by a stressed-out Talcott, the boy having offered his help to take care of Cid upon the old man's transfer back to his garage. While retaining all of his wits and being perfectly able to bark orders left and right, Cid had been diminished after his stroke. The imposed change in his diet had driven Takka into a corner, his usual recipes slowly shifting to accommodate the man's needs. Talcott was looking after himself with Takka's help, and supporting Cid in a lot of things whenever Cindy had to leave. At first, the support consisted mostly of lending the man a shoulder to walk around the garage, bringing him water and food and scolding him when he refused to get some sleep. But during her stay in Cape Caem, Cindy had missed a few lapses in her grandfather's conditions.

"Where's that old geezer?" she asked Talcott.

"We decided to keep him in bed today. He fell and has pulled muscles. He's been having difficulty using his right arm."

Prompto frowned as Cindy took off to check on her grandfather, the boys staying behind as Talcott explained that Cid was starting to lose his balance more and more.

"He reminds me of my grandfather…" the young teen explained.

The gunman wondered if it was really a good thing for Talcott to be the one looking after Cid after what happened to Jared, but they all knew how trapped he felt in Free Crown. A lot of people were planning to head towards Insomnia to help the clean-up crew in the hopes of starting over in the capital city instead of the underground haven Libertus was working on. The recent attack on Lestallum had raised the idea of asking their King to raise a new wall on every big city to give them adequate protection, but Monica was firmly against the notion and her arguments of what it had done to King Regis kept everyone calm. It was a good thing too, because Noctis certainly didn't need a new strain on his body with all the healing he still needed.

"He must hate being stuck in a bed. Can we at least help him outside so he sits back and gets some activity?" Prompto asked.

Cindy came out of her house after yelling over her shoulder, her grandfather clearly yelling back and from the angry scarlet on her cheeks, Prompto knew his suggestion wouldn't be welcome.

"What's wrong?"

"Paw-paw decided not to tell anyone he'd broke something with this little fall of his. He knew he would have fared better if he would just have stayed in Free Crown, but could he do that? No, he had to complain about mold and humidity when what he needs is fresh air, not this godsforsaken heat!"

Talcott lowered his head, Prompto barely managing not to do the same and Cindy lowered her tensed shoulders, sighing softly as she realized she was taking her anger out on the wrong persons.

"It's just a finger," she admitted, drumming her own fingers over her arm as she held herself.

Prompto fought against the urge to walk up to her and give her a hug, knowing that when her grandfather was her main concern, she either initiated the affection or pushed him away.

"I'm really sorry," Talcott started apologizing.

"You, kid, really shouldn't feel bad. You're a big help around the garage and I'm sure paw-paw is more than happy to have a new apprentice to listen to every little trick that "old dog" knows about. It's just hard to see him lying in bed and realizing that if he hides something like this, he could also hide something a lot worse. I need to know if he can't stay home…"

"He can stay home. I'm here to make sure he can," Talcott tried reassuring her.

"And that's not a job we should ask of a kid your age," Prompto interfered.

"But that ol' Cid greatly appreciate your help," Cindy told him with a smile.

"Takka is doing a lot of stuff too," Talcott reminded them, "it's not like I'm the only one looking after him. If we can say that I can look after someone who knows so much more than I do."

"Careful there," Prompto warned, "you shouldn't turn into Cid's little butler, buddie."

"And right now, my paw-paw is being unreasonable," Cindy added. "If he can't keep his balance, he needs to walk with an actual cane, not just to lean on you."

She wondered how hard it would be to locate a walker or even to have him walk around Hammerhead with one. Neither her or Cid were good at keeping things tidy and she didn't want him falling and breaking one of his hips. Free Crown still offered medical care free of charge because everyone was in the same boat, but it wouldn't stay that way forever... Prompto could see the worries running through her eyes one after another and couldn't help feeling bad for keeping her from her home and grandfather for so long. She had spent weeks with him, mingling with his friends, but mostly helping him endure everything with Noctis's state of mind. She had voiced concerns for Cid during that time when probed about it, but never to the point Prompto expected this type of welcoming committee.

Takka was a bit desperate when they met up with him in the restaurant, but everyone forced on a smile as they brought food to Cid and insisted on eating in his room until he accused them of making him claustrophobic. As she always did when stressed out, Cindy took it upon herself to find something to repair. There had been a few calls and some people were still waiting by their cars on the road, so the couple of blonds left, bringing Talcott with them in order for Cindy to teach more about the job of mechanic on the way. That night, the girl barely slept, and she was equally restless in the morning.

"It's five in the morning Cin…" Prompto complained as she slipped out of bed.

"I didn't mean to wake you babe. I just thought I could update one of the bikes, make something to counter stuff like that airship."

"You know I was kidding when I mentioned flying motorcycles," he whispered, his eyes opening wider.

"But you'd look so hot on one."

"Now you're just making fun of me."

By breakfast, a fully awake Prompto realized his gear-freak of a girlfriend hadn't been kidding. She had removed the frame of Aranea's bike, arguing that with the loss of her airship, the dragoon had to miss the feeling of flying. She'd heard about the accident of course, but she still laughed when Prompto mentioned security.

"Paw-paw and I made a freaking car fly and I was the one who insisted on putting seatbelts in it. If that thing can get as high, wearing a helmet won't save you."

"I know I would still feel better with a helmet on."

"Think about your hairstyle."

"Oh. Right. Wait, do you think I'm that vain?!"

Cindy laughed and gave his left pec a playful punch, Prompto grabbing her wrists despite the oil covering her to protest with tickling. Before they knew it, he was tasting the laugh on her lips and the oil was all over his hair, but the interlude stopped as Cid cleared his throat.

"Is that how you work, Diddy?" the old man teased.

"Paw-paw!"

Prompto couldn't help a sly smile as his girlfriend's hands slipped down his neck before gripping to his shirt, his smile faltering at the feel of grease through the fabric. This was one of his favorite too…

"Diddy?" he repeated. "That's a new one."

"Don't call me that!" Cindy looked mortified.

Cid had escaped Talcott's surveillance by tasking him with finding three different types of pipes in the scrapyard, his mechanic's sense tingling since he knew his granddaughter was working in the garage. It was hard to keep up with these two when they gathered around blueprints or tried to re-purpose a vehicle. Prompto really wondered why neither of them were engineers with their skills, but he just sat down and snapped a few pictures while Cindy wasn't looking, happy to see her smile without the need to be tickled to tears.

Not long after lunch, the blonde mechanic enrolled Prompto's help to gather the pieces and raw material she needed to put her revised plans into motion and they set out with chocobos, as was slowly turning into their habit for such errands. They rode each on their own bird, enjoying a few rushes of speed or just the fact they could admire the scenery without a single dropship flying over their heads. After picking two pieces of metal, they got lost in a set of canyons and had no other choices but to push their birds as high as they could get, in order to find a way out. By the time they dismounted to let the chocobos rest, the sun was setting down, bringing a sense of peacefulness all over the land with its orange glow, giving a pink and lavender hue to the sky.

"This is a picture waiting to be snapped," Prompto whispered.

"Then don't wait," Cindy offered, unable to hold on the smile that came as she saw how excited he could get about a simple sunset.

She had to admit, taking the time to watch the sunlight on the rocks, highlighting the sharper peaks and following the dips and holes like a glowing waterfall…

"I shouldn't be in it," she protested, but Prompto insisted until she agreed on a selfie with them both.

He held her close, his chin against her ear, the hint of his stubble making her skin itch and they nearly lost balance as their feet shifted around too much. The first picture was a mess, on the following they were blinded by the sun, their eyes squinting so much they looked closed due to a bad angle and the third one barely caught any light. It took three more to get a result that satisfied Prompto, but Cindy insisted they were all good.

"How…"

"I like how our hair catches the sun. We're two goldilocks on that one."

"My freckles show an awful lot."

"You know I love them," Cindy declared, a quick peck on his shoulder marking her words.

The sun was further down in the sky now and Prompto suggested putting up a camp. They had come prepared this time and after setting their repelling lights and tent, Cindy started working on dinner while the young man groomed and fed their birds. When he sat down next to her, his fatigue setting in, it was to wait in silence for a good ten minutes before either of them moved. There was no unease between them, but he could tell Cindy had her mind somewhere else. She gave him a plate and remained immobile, staring at the fading sunlight as her thoughts reminded her of something else which was slowly fading. Someone else.

"Cindy?"

"Hmmm?"

"Your stomach just grumbled," Prompto told her.

"Really? I didn't even notice I was hungry…"

He gave her a concerned look to which she sighed, shoulders hunching slightly.

"I… I think I need to prepare for when my old man will be gone for good. It's scary. My whole family is Takka and him. There's Holly in Lestallum, but she's like an aunt and… If I didn't have you, I don't know how I could even face the idea of paw-paw getting closer to the end…"

She forced a mouthful down her throat, hoping it would make her sound and look less pitiful, and Prompto couldn't help wondering about what could happen to her if Otto-2 was to get his hands on her. After what he did to him to get him to talk, he didn't imagine his cloner having any scruples. To think the guy was still running free somewhere in Lucis… Miserable and angry…

 _She needs you now,_ Prompto reminded himself.

"Are things that bad?" he tried, unsure if there was a way for him to turn things around.

"His doctors aren't encouraging. And Takka said he's having trouble making him maintain the diet they suggested for him. I know he has a right to live comfortably, I don't want him to be miserable, but he's in worse shape than he looks."

His lungs were half ruined, his alcohol intake was still too high and she felt a little more helpless with every new medical news she would get for him.

She couldn't forbid him to live like he used to simply because she wanted to have him around for longer. But was it so wrong when her parents had left her this early that she wanted to keep the grandfather who'd been her surrogate dad and mentor all these years?

"It feels wrong to talk like this. He's here right now. And if I start acting like he's half gone, we'll do nothing but argue."

"You can still be worried about him, Cindy, it only proves how much you care."

"But he doesn't need me to care. At least that's what he said…"

"Babe, you have to put yourself in his shoes. He can't tinker as much as he used to with stuff, he's looking for his breath after barely any effort and so many things he likes are suddenly forbidden. He doesn't want things to change."

"Does he believe _I_ want things to change?"

Prompto pinched his lips together, doubting he had the answers she needed and Cindy huffed, slapping her cheeks a few times with both hands in a rapid, cupping her own face motion, as if to beat some sense into her.

"I don't want to be like this. He's old and tenacious and if he wants to live ten more years, he will, no matter in what shape he'll be for it."

She shuffled closer to him, hiding between his arms until she settled, not shedding a single tear, although her breathing shifted into shudders for a bit. The sky was dark by the time she looked up to him, worrying her lower lip.

"I'm going to lose my title of extra cheerful girlfriend, aren't I?"

"I don't want to know what my own title is," he confessed with a sheepish look.

"Depends on the categories we're talking about. For a man so skinny, you're quite warm."

"Only around you," he countered.

"Interesting. Any other reaction which are only for me?"

They raised one brow suggestively at the exact same time, which had them laugh at first, until Prompto felt her hands running under his shirt and tracing imaginary lines over his undefined abs. He pulled her closer, lying down on his back so she wouldn't get herself dirty as she straddled him, bending down for a dozen brazen kisses that left them panting and in need.

"Should we head to the tent?" he offered.

"Do you think the birds would be scandalized if we didn't?"

"Oh lords. Cuddling is fine, but we should protect their innocence."

"How does this qualify as cuddling?" Cindy asked, wriggling against him for good measure.

"It depends on what you need more. Cuddling or all out sex under the stars?"

"The chocobos! Prompto!" she teased him, letting out a surprised gasp as he grew more adventurous, his nails grazing the skin from her thighs all the way up her shorts.

"Am I competing with them for your affections?"

"I'm not _that_ wild," Cindy objected, rolling her eyes at him before licking her swollen lips. "Less talking now…"

"As you wish."

He pushed himself up on one elbow to reach her better, holding her close with one arm. Their lips linked together once more, tongues dancing, hands grasping and brushing in turns, giving each other comforts and the best shivers they could share. Prompto weaved his fingers through her hair, cupping the back of her head while she teased him under his shirt and held the side of his face with a fragility that got to him, to the point he couldn't hold back a throaty moan.

Their birds kweed and a daemon crackled into form in the distance, pulling them apart for two seconds, breathless and flushed.

"It's just a flan," Prompto observed.

"Now I want something sweet to eat."

"I can be sweet… But I'd rather you don't eat me."

"Oh, I can be gentle," Cindy promised him, giving him a wicked wink, squeezing his thigh.

"Damn, am I owed all that?"

"Only you, Prom."

"Come here, you."

This kiss felt a lot sweeter than the ones before, until Cindy shifted closer to him, leaving no space in-between them except for the fabric of their clothes. There was a rush underneath the tenderness, a need too strong to be denied and as they removed or parted open each other's clothes, their eyes remained connected, asking for a permission that had been granted long ago. The pair tried not to be too scandalous in the far-off chance somebody walked in on them, soon finding themselves entangled in a dance of caresses and starlight. Their shivers and sweet whines drifted into the night, the ache and soreness due to the rocks under them only showing after love.

"I can't believe we did everything out in the open," he declared, Cindy blushing.

"This is staying between us. And don't expect a repeat of…"

He kissed her another time, slowly and adoringly, holding her up and keeping her close as the moon bathed them with ghostly shadows.

Prompto insisted on carrying her to the tent, even if she felt too heavy and gasped in fear of being dropped along the way. She made herself small in his arms, her head never leaving his chest and her arms refusing to let go of his neck. She felt fragile, but he was just as vulnerable, snuggling close to her as they lied comfortably on their two sleeping bags instead of the cold hard stone.

"You're so beautiful…" he whispered against her hair.

"Please, you're going to make me tear up."

"What?"

"I… I feel extra raw."

"I love you, Cin."

"Love you too."

…

Taking a few steps in the gorge after defeating the gigantic snake, Gladio couldn't help spotting corpses lining the walls, their shoulders shifting at their approach, lights turning on in their featureless faces as the disgruntled cadavers launched into movement.

"Are they alive?" Crowe asked.

 _ **Abominations**_ , Etro supplied her questions.

"They're zombies?"

 _We followed our leader, in life and in death. If you're worthy, you should be able to meet our blades._

Gladio raised his sword, swinging it through their ranks. They all wore the same uniforms, green and brown mixing with mold on their creaking joints. They moved swiftly for undead creatures, their corroded blades and lances catching on the trio's own weapons. Thankfully, none of the souls of old were strong and they vanished to nothingness after being cut down. Gladio took the lead, Crowe and Cor making sure to cover him as they progressed in the maze of caves, crystal shards breaking under their heels while bones cracked and whimpered under their hits. A few stalagmites had grown out of the floors like the ribs of a fallen giant and more and more corpses were impaled on each of them, the stench of decay ruling over the Tempering Grounds.

"Something feels wrong," Crowe whispered.

"This is pretty messed…"

Gladio halted in the middle of his sentence, a new voice having joined the ones already in his head. His throat turned dry and his heart faltered in his chest.

 _-You had to take the Immortal with you like a little kid? And even this girl you want to turn into my daughter-in-law? -_

Three corpses had risen but stood side by side now, their faces shifting around, features melting and rearranging themselves.

"Glad…" Crowe started, reaching for his shoulder.

"Don't talk over him," he asked, his voice void of any strength as he tried to understand how he could even hear Clarus Amicitia right now.

 _-You left your King without protection, son. Is that what a shield should do?-_

The three corpses took a side step towards the one standing in the middle, their bodies fusing together in a shimmer of ethereal light and Cor swore under his breath. He would have recognized those broad shoulders and shaved head anywhere.

"That's a trick, it can't be…" the younger Shield almost begged.

"That never happened before," Cor opposed while Crowe felt something burning in her veins as Etro simply screamed against her skull.

This was wrong. This was wrong in so many ways that neither of them could begin to understand what they were seeing.

Clarus finished forming, his skin dark, his eyes void of emotion, his stubble defined down to the smallest speck of hair. He wore his armor, the one Gladio had always seen on him, the one he'd tried wearing as a small boy a dozen times, back when he would get lost between the plates and could barely carry the chest piece on his own.

"Old friend, my son, lady glaive," he greeted them, his voice resounding in the cave with gravelly undertones. "I have waited for this moment. Although I was hoping you'd show up on your own, Gladiolus, like I raised you to work. A Shield protects his charge, he never endangers others for his sake."

How many times had he heard that sermon? How many times had he missed either of his sermons since he'd realized what had happened?

"Father…"

"No excuses? Not even raising your blade? I am dead, son. I could be a figment of your imagination."

"Not if they can see you too," Gladio objected.

"They can… I wonder which one I should strike down first. Cor for being away when our King needed him."

Clarus turned his attention to the concerned man, who turned whiter than the moon, his throat tightening.

"You know where I was. You know I wanted nothing more than to…"

"Funny thing when someone dies and get stuck in limbo, Cor. We start forgetting things."

"Why would you be stuck?" Crowe asked, hoping that clarifying the situation could somehow alleviate the growing tension that seeped from both men in the room.

"Funny you should ask, my daughter to be. I have you to thank for it."

 _ **That's a lie**_ , Etro shouted, strongly enough that Crowe winced, wondering if there wasn't blood coming out of her ears.

"How is your sister, Gladio? After giving up on protecting your King, I hope you still managed to protect our Iris. Or should I worry about the man who buried me? Following you is much easier than following your sister."

"You've been following me?!" Gladio repeated.

"I've been trying would be more accurate," Clarus corrected him, uncrossing his arms to materialize his sword from dust to steel. "You get hurt an awful lot, Gladdy-boy. And it's never to protect Noctis."

"You don't get to judge me, alright? I always…"

"Always? Always?! Don't make me laugh. You're still a petulant child, wanting nothing but to grab fun everywhere you go. You side up with the bitch who's keeping every soul locked in this realm like a dog in heat. We warp and blight and warp some more as we wait for that so-called goddess to lose any enjoyment of torturing you two. I can't have peace and neither can my King."

"That's…"

"I can't see your mother even now. All I can see is you and your mistakes…"

Gladio couldn't breathe. He hadn't done only bad things, he'd saved Noctis at least once and there were all those fights against dropships and monsters, not to mention the daemons.

"It's not…"

"You even needed your King to lend you some of his power! Did I ever ask that of Regis?"

"Maybe you should have! I'm not the only one who makes mistakes!" Gladiolus snapped. "How were you supposed to protect your King after getting yourself killed? Why didn't you tell me what was going to happen so I could prepare and get Iris out faster?"

"My fault, your fault, it's easy to throw blame. But if you can't withstand your father's bearing the ugly truth to you, what will you do against the blademaster?"

Cor gasped and Clarus flashed him a dark smile, his grey skin taking more colors as the apparition sapped at both men's spirit. Crowe's eyes widened as Etro's crisis receded to an outstretched buzz in the back of her skull.

"You're making him stronger by believing him!" she tried to warn them.

"Half-dead, possessed and wise! You do pick interesting girls, son. But this is a family matter."

As he raised his sword, the undead version of Clarus first aimed for Cor. The Immortal barely put up a defense, fighting against the shock of seeing his friend and hearing what was happening to everyone who'd died back in Insomnia.

It was logical to believe the souls of the deceased didn't have anywhere to go with the goddess of death remaining on Lucis instead of her usual plane of existence. But to think Clarus Amicitia would drift all the way to the trial grounds in order to test his son himself…

 _Tell me you're not doing this_ , Crowe asked the goddess.

 **If this is truly my fault, it wasn't an intended result. I needed to right a balance, not multiply them.**

She sounded genuinely upset and while the former glaive's stomach rolled and churned as was getting usual, Crowe doubted it was Etro's doing. Something else was amiss and she couldn't quite understand what it was, outside of the fact Gladio might come out even more shaken then he already was from this ordeal. Her fingernails were turning blue and her vision was fading out as one horrible wave of dizziness threatened to take over.

Cor was pushed into a wall and Clarus turned around after whispering something to his friend, his dark eyes falling on Gladiolus with a threatening glow.

"Show me how a Shield fights!"

Crowe could only watch, catching glimpses of the battle opposing father and son, Gladio parrying, dodging and making the undead version of his old man cower with the violence of his attacks. Strong arcs of his blade slashed left and right, almost inhumanly fast, but his speed was decupled by the pain swarming his heart. The younger Shield would phase in and out, which was a good thing, because the ghost did the same. When a hit landed on Clarus, his left arm shattered into dust and his scream of pain stopped Gladio in the middle of his follow up attack, which gave his opponent the opening he needed. Steel ripped through Gladio's ribs, scarlet blood falling on the dust covering the stone floor.

Crowe wanted to call upon her magic to give Gladiolus some support, any kind of support, but Etro's powers had thinned to a flickering flame in her breast.

"If you keep phasing, you can't hit me."

"Is this one of your lessons? I've been keeping myself alive just fine, dad," Gladio groaned back as he came out of a phase, slashing through the man's legs and effectively sending him to his knees.

Clarus had to catch himself with his remaining arm and couldn't muster any physical resistance, heaving a sigh as his features finally relaxed. His body started to vanish limb by limb, like the previous undead did not so long ago.

"Wait, you can't just leave like this."

"That's not how I died the first time," Clarus sighed with a weak cough, "but I imagine this can do…"

 _Don't tell me I killed you. How am I supposed to face Iris if…?_

Gladiolus nearly dropped his sword at that, but he managed to hold on until the man had entirely faded, his voice ringing in his head.

 _-Be stronger than I was.-_

The voices of a thousand souls rushed through his brain, reverberating and he couldn't swallow back the scream of pain as they triggered a dozen memories at once. The father he remembered, who would laugh with Iris and offer him wise words when he felt lost. The boss Clarus turned out to be when he wasn't his drill-instructor. That time when they'd gotten drunk together, to the point they'd cried against each other shoulders until Iris had walked into the room, watching them struggle for a reason to their messiness. The silent nights when Gladio would keep on studying on one half of the dinner table while his father went through files and plans on his own side, both men hoping either of them would stop so they could call it a night, but both staying up into the early hours of the morning, refusing to be the first to cave in.

 _Jared's dead, so you might have met him as you drifted. Iris misses you. Did you hear her words on your tomb? Did you see the good things I managed in between the mistakes? We freed Insomnia. We did everything we could._

The souls stumbled upon the more recent memories of Noctis lying down, broken and too thin. Their shock at the idea the chosen King had been this wounded and the questions that followed made his heart ache.

 _I know I failed him. But I don't intend to fail again._

"Gladio?" Crowe asked after walking over to him, tentatively reaching one hand out to hold his shoulder.

The sound of her voice reminded him he wasn't alone and instead of breaking down, he turned to her and pulled her into his arms, hoping feeling her closer would help him stay in control.

"Was I supposed to break him?"

 _How dare he break you?_ Crowe thought bitterly, holding back to her man with all her might.

"I'm sorry," she told him. "If it wasn't for me, he wouldn't…"

"Don't you dare. You're not responsible for Etro sticking here."

 _ **He's right. Your giant monkey is right.**_

 _Oh please, can't we have a moment?_

The burning feeling inside of her veins rippled and she could barely differentiate Gladio's shiver from hers. She stroked his hair, letting him hide his face against the crook of her shoulder, letting him find the comfort he needed in her presence. She was pretty certain that if it wasn't for his arms holding her so tightly, she would have collapsed to the floor.

 _ **We shouldn't be here, Crowe.**_

 _I'm where I should…_

 _ **We can't stay here**_ _,_ Etro insisted.

Opening her eyes, Crowe realized she didn't feel her feet anymore and tensed in her fiancé's arms.

"Gladio, I think something's happening."

He had barely started pulling away to look into her eyes and all she got from him was a glimpse of the tears in his eyes as a veil covered her vision. She thinned out of reality, Gladio finding himself holding onto nothing but air and his panic surged right back, his voice quivering out of his throat.

"Crowe?! Where… This can't be another test, this isn't…! Crowe!"

Etro was gone. And she had taken her vessel with her.

To be continued…

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The cliffhanger is more me trying to keep myself into writing -not that I'm giving up on this story before seeing it to the end- but mostly because I'm up to my neck in work lately (anything new under the sun? I doubt so). Next chapter will keep the Gladio's episode dynamic going, with more Noct/Luna and surely Raviris too. As always, reviews makes me happy.


	78. You will be tested

Hey! Today's chapter is pretty long. Like 9,5K words as I write this. We have Gladio's trial mostly, a better idea of what's happening with Crowe, Aranea and Luna being silly and some Noct/Luna fluff borderline smut. I prefer to warn you before you reach that part. Raviris will be in next chapter for certain! Enjoy your read!

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Unexpected

Chapter 78 – You will be tested

Gladiolus held his breath as he turned on himself a second time, trying to spot a shadow, a hollow among the rocks surging from the ground, brown hair or even the white hair he'd come to hate. But Crowe was gone. He had been holding her just a second ago and now his arms were empty, and Cor was just as surprised as him.

It had been Etro's fault if the souls of the death couldn't get to the afterlife apparently and while Gladio was more than happy to find more faults in that goddess, he hadn't prepared himself for losing Crowe in such a way. He knew the former Glaive was supposed to be dead. Etro had basically kept her alive and they had gone through each day with the fear that if the goddess ever changed her mind, she could take that life back.

 _My father turned to dust. My girlfriend is gone._

 _ **\- Will you stand tall? Or will you crumble at the first difficulty? -**_

"Is this a part of the test?"

"No," Cor objected to his pupil's question. "Clarus was already…"

Gladiolus barely noticed how white his voice sounded, desperately wishing for an explanation that would give him Crowe back. Hadn't they been through enough already? He'd carried her beaten body more times than he'd ever wanted to and now…

His breathing turned too rough, panic swelling in his heart.

 _I didn't bring her here for… I can't fail now._

 _ **\- A King's Shield can only protect one. -**_

"We need to find her," he managed.

"Gladio, we have no idea what happened. Etro did something, but we never got even close to understanding that goddess."

"That damn bitch…!"

His fists shook by his sides and before he could gather his wits about him, new corpses rose from the ground and crawled down from the walls. He had to thank his years of training for raising his sword without thinking and swinging it to take out the undead coming after him. They crumbled to dust like his father did and he wondered when his turn would come.

Had he taken away Noctis's shield by deciding to test himself?

A sharp pain to his side reminded him he couldn't move like he wanted with the wound sustained against the ghost of Clarus and he downed a potion in hope it would light enough fire in his veins to quiet the ache.

But the ache remained, multiplying itself for every chink taken from his armor. The list was so long, he wasn't sure where to begin anymore.

Maybe beginning was a mistake. Maybe all he needed to do was make it end.

…

Crowe came up gasping for air, hacking and grasping for something solid. Blacking out like that terrified her, because when Etro possessed her, her consciousness fading out was gradual at the very least. Her eyes struggled open, her mind ablaze with questions and the first word on her lips was Gladio's name. Her voice was a whisper that echoed in a shivering sound, drawing spirals of colors that died down as soon as her mouth closed. Crowe could see nothing around but a shimmering darkness, her feet not touching any ground, her body floating or drifting among an ethereal space.

Where was she? Was this even somewhere? Gladio was gone and so was Cor and even the cave they had been standing in.

 _Where are we?_ She thought.

"…"

 _I'm serious, I need to know…_

The violent ache of her remaining migraine cut her off mid-sentence and after a mental huff and a wince, Crowe realized she was alone in her head. She might very well be alone in this world, because she couldn't hear a sound, not even her own breathing or the beating of her heart.

 _Am I not breathing?!_

Being dead wasn't something she remembered, even if Etro had joked about killing her a little here and there, and after waving her arms frantically and managing to bring her hand under her nose, Crowe was comforted by the sense of her breath coming out of her nostrils.

Maybe was this a place where sound didn't exist?

"Hello?" she tried out, feeling sheepish as soon as the word came out.

Waves of colors darted into space and faded as quickly as the sound. Was the air too thick for any noise to make it through? Was there an invisible barrier around her? As she struggled to find her bearings, Crowe wondered what Gladiolus could be thinking. Was she physically here or simply out cold and having the weirdest bad trip of her life?

She kicked with her feet, making swimming motions to propel herself in any direction, but there was no up or down, only this void. It wasn't cold, but it wasn't warm either. She sensed a shiver in her belly and a silent scream made her blood freeze. She screamed in colors as a thousand invisible needles sewed threads into her body and dragged her down. The tugging was rough, pulling her under, or higher or further or maybe closer, Crowe could only feel a burning sensation all over her skin as the pinpricks of pain grew larger. Her screams drew rainbows above her head and she decided to stick with this idea of an above because she needed one straight thought in all this confusion and pain, her eyes barely holding on the fading lights as she moved faster.

 _Now I really can't breathe, but I can still scream._

And while the invisible force dragging her around made no sound, while her voice barely hovered above the hearing range, she heard this ghostly howling, thundering in her mind. It wasn't Etro and it wasn't herself, Crowe would have bet her hand on it, but it felt almost worst.

 _Why does it hurt so much? How can I ease your pain?_

Tears rolled down her closed eyelids, freezing her eyes shut and when the motion came to a stop, her stomach lurching but bile refused to come up and she was left to retch and shiver as her knees touched something solid.

"Where…?"

The screaming had her gasping and curling up on herself and a dot of fire burst in her belly, as if she wasn't already enough of a mess.

It was a fight against the ice on her eyelids to look around her again and while reassured by the fact she could see her own hands and make out shapes in the far-off distance despite the ever darkness, Crowe couldn't help the primal terror she felt. Because she could understand where the screaming had been coming from as she saw a tower of colors drifting and colliding together. When they did, she could make out faces for the briefest moment and those faces looked in so much pain.

The invisible threads in her skin pulled again, dragging her forward this time, until the colors were within her reach and she could make out a few faces' features. Her heart dropped in her chest as she recognized a few of them. Drautos. Lucche. That lady who used to pester her about the rent.

On the other side of that ever-moving maelstrom of colors, wearing a dress that might have been sown from stars and meteor shards, her hair standing up and shifting despite the absence of wind, eyes dark on whites that shined too brightly was Etro herself. The real, goddess form of Etro, which looked nothing like what Gladio had described when Crowe was taken over by her Crankiness.

Titan earned his name from his incredible height, but Etro was larger than life. She towered over the intertwining souls, standing higher than any sky scraper Crowe had seen in her life.

"What is this place?"

The color of her words unfurled in a mist that rushed to Etro and the former Glaive covered her mouth hastily, afraid of garnering her attention. Here, Etro had to be in full power and what need could she have for a puny little human?

" **Oh! Here's our one and only host. How's your tiny speck of parasite doing?"** the goddess asked with a smile that showed off teeth sharper than obsidian.

Crowe felt the fire burning her flesh grow stronger and barely held herself together as Etro parted the cascade of souls like a curtain and stepped up to her. Her steps should have caused earthquakes, but the goddess was light on her feet and for an instant, Crowe wondered if she wasn't hovering above the ground.

" **Talk about a change of perspective, huh? I'd ask you to excuse the mess, but with the shape your own brain was in when I stepped in, you really can't point fingers at anyone."**

Crowe felt most of her initial fears leaving as she recognized the Etro she'd grown used to.

"Are you serious?! Why am I here?"

" **You think I'm going to give up on a better balance for the souls of the living just because one ghost made a complaint?"**

A thousand screams seemed to be saying otherwise, but Etro shut them up, creating a barrier around them, waving her fingers in the air to draw more light onto the plane, Crowe's eyes widened as she took in the sight of marbled columns and tiles of dark stones covering a space so wide, it went further than the eyes could see.

"This is where people go when they…"

" **Where souls go,"** Etro corrected. **"I'd rather leave your rotting flesh on Eos where it belongs. How does your little worm feel?"**

The fire in her belly was still burning and Crowe realized she had yet to stand back to her feet, the enormity of what she was seeing too much for her to regain her senses.

"Don't call it that!"

" **No more denying it? Let's call it progress. Now Crowe, I think you need to start the crossing before I do. I doubt your body can handle this realm for long."**

"If I die, you can just…"

" **I can't cheat myself when we're apart."**

Etro tapped her foot and it changed the landscape, turning a faraway pyramid into a full-blown modern city. Crowe felt shards growing under her knees, sprouting from the ground at the call of the divine entity. The former Glaive held her belly, and the fire shifted in her veins, rushing up to her fingertips. It burned and she could see marks on her skin, following the path of the magic, but as she inhaled and exhaled deeply, she understood this magic was hers.

"I shouldn't be here," Crowe stated. "And you'd better not be thinking you're coming back with me."

…

Gladio had started seeing dark spots under his eyelids by the time they'd reached the first altar. A floating nightmare Cor called a Nerghal had toyed around with the Shield, sending him into walls with its laserlike attacks. Winning would have been easier if his body had moved faster, but the fight with the ghost of his father had left him shaken.

And that wound was slowly taxing his body. Once the Nerghal was gone, Cor joined him once more, pushing a potion into his hand.

"I'm starting to think we could have used a healer here."

"Did you need one when you took the trials?" Gladio instantly asked.

Cor sighed.

"I survived, but I didn't feel quite alive when I got out, let me tell you that."

The potion applied directly to the wound sealed the cut, and while it was only a temporary fix, Gladiolus knew he could keep going for now.

"I just touch one of the ribbons?"

While a dozen voices congratulating for passing this first test, a few expressed doubts about his ability to make it through everything that was still to come. And while he was blinking away the daze of magic, Gladio wondered why the room suddenly felt so warm.

A bright light had him blinking even more and he slowly realized the space around him had changed. The walls were made out of wood instead of rocks. Cor was gone but there was a young woman standing in front of Gladiolus. She wore her dark brown hair short and he recognized her just from the shape of her ears and the way her feet shifted against the floor when she turned around.

"Sis?"

Iris was about 24 years old, sporting scars that were making his own battle scars look ridiculous. She lacked a few fingers on her right hand and could only roll one eye at him, the other one hidden behind a patch that took over a good third of her face.

"Gladdy, you're finally here."

"What happened to you? This is another test, right?"

"What happened is that you do what you always do. Protect me when it's unneeded and nowhere to be found when the real trouble hits. Where were you when Insomnia was under attack? When mother was struggling to breathe in her hospital room?"

Iris walked up to him and pushed against his chest, Gladio holding his ground at first, repeating to himself _"not real, not real, it's just a test, it's…"_

"Where were you when Noctis was captured? When they broke his limbs and toyed with his mind? Where was my strong brother when a daemon decided to feast on me?"

"Iris…"

"You were lost somewhere, gone for a test," she mocked. "Look how well you protected me. And the world."

There was a snapping sound and the door to the shack they were standing in creaked open. Beyond it was nothing but devastated lands, rotten trees hanging onto the sky more than the ground, said sky darker than Gladio ever remembered it to be. He could hear daemons lurking about and there were no otherworldly sounds, they were all already out and ready to attack anything that moved.

Iris grabbed his wrist with her crippled hand, tugging him forward and outside so he could take a better look. He felt the softness of her scarred flesh, how it was too tender, almost melting to the touch and he wanted to pull away because this wasn't the sister he remembered and he couldn't believe she could ever get this hurt… She had a limp and he realized she was missing one foot and walked on a metal prosthetic. His mouth went dry and his shoulders tensed to the point they were hurting.

"The King died while his Shield was having a pissing contest with ghosts and we landed in a nightmare."

"Iris, this isn't real…"

"I tried denial and it didn't help."

"What am I supposed to do here? Apologize? This isn't the future…"

He sounded a little more unsure and Iris clicked her tongue disapprovingly.

"How do you know? All you have is muscles…" she mocked him.

 _ **\- We've seen the word drift about and unfold for centuries. -**_

The vision was broken by Cor's voice yelling for Gladio to snap out of it and when the young man came to, he was breathing too quickly and looked around him with wild eyes, desperately hoping to see his sister as he remembered her. Whole and safe and smiling. His fingers reached for his phone, but the Immortal was reminding him they didn't have any connections thanks to the crystal-like formations outside of the caves.

The tempering grounds were testing him. And Gladio couldn't help the feeling he was failing.

 _If only Crowe was here, I would feel stronger since she'd depend on me a little._

But right now, the one person depending on someone was him while Cor proved to keep his calm, like always.

"Did any of the people accompanying you the last time vanish? I'm still trying to get my head around…"

"No, but that's not what worries me the most right now. You're not simply hearing voices, are you?"

"I saw Iris…" Gladio admitted. "A grown up and heavily scarred Iris."

Cor grumbled something under his breath about the former shields having upped their game in the past 30 years.

"Crowe must be somewhere around here, don't you think?"

"She's possessed by a goddess, Gladiolus, I don't believe Etro gave you access to her rules. There's a legend about how the first King's Shield made a pact with a goddess to resist death, but it's a child's tale…"

"I don't remember anything like it."

"My mother was well-versed in old-fashioned myths," the Immortal explained. "Some people would have called her a witch, but… your stress is making me talk too much. You're bleeding, and elixirs won't fix you for long."

"I'm sorry for being worried, okay? I don't get where their tests are supposed to go."

"Does the rat in a cage get it?"

They were playing with powers that surpassed them, but Gladiolus couldn't help his frustration at the Immortal's acceptance.

"Am I supposed to graduate from a rat to a cat with this trial? What's the whole point driving someone crazy like this?"

"You saw what that Izunia could do. We're not faced with normal adversaries in this war. If you're going to be tested, isn't it better to prepare yourself for something you could never imagine?"

"You, old man, aren't making a shred of sense."

Cor managed a smile at that and pointed the way out.

"Let's keep walking and see if we can't find your fiancée out there."

Gladio held on his grimace and followed the Immortal, taking the lead once his steps had grown confident again. He needed to see this through, otherwise, he had brought Crowe and risked her for nothing.

They followed small wooden ridges, one hand on the stone walls, their eyes making sure not to miss a step. The height from such a fall would kill them and there were plenty of monsters who already wanted a go at them.

When they reached a bridge made entirely of stone, Cor halted, waving for him to go on. Gladiolus was starting to understand when the tests started, and he hoped this one was about his strength, because his muscles were aching for a fight instead of more mental torture to endure.

"I'll catch up," the Immortal assured.

Was there an invisible line the man couldn't cross in fear of angering the souls of the previous Shields? How far had Cor gone when he'd taken the trial himself? He seemed familiar with everything so far and Gladio was starting to wonder where he would truly fail. If Leonis himself hadn't made it…

 _Focus_ , he reminded himself.

He took a few steps on the bridge, noticing dark columns pointing at the sky, only remnants of a time when this place might have served as something more than a trial temple. Had there been a time where people came here to pray? How many had set foot here? His eyes were drinking in the strange structures, the stone uneven beneath his feet, crystal spikes lunging forward on either side of the bridge. Nothing moved except for the wind and then a hawk-like roar made him jump, Gladio barely having time to look up to locate the thing.

It had wings larger than a house, its muzzle reminding him of a dragon with a beak. Scales burned on its hind legs and the Shield raised his sword, wondering how it was supposed to damage the thing. He phased through the first attack, the magic fire making his eyes tear up and his skin crawl.

He swirled on himself to follow the Enkidu's movements, slashing at its wings which moved so much wind by flapping around, they threatened to send him off the bridge. The thing was quick for its size and Gladiolus remained unfocused despite his best intentions, thinking of Crowe's hair as he saw the scales from too close, their brown being too similar. Was she gone? Like his mother; without a word, without a goodbye, simply telling him something felt wrong and…

 _Dodge, watch out for the fangs!_

His body moved but his mind was far away, wondering about a dozen different questions. Was the vision going to become true? Was he really that much of a failure at protecting his family?

 _You asked her to be your family and look where she is now. Gone._

The griffin phoenix roared again and knocked Gladio into a pillar with its tail, the man nearly phasing through the stone only to remember there was no ground beyond it at the last instant.

Something cracked, but it wasn't his bones for once. He'd broken his ribs so many times, Luna had warned him even her magic wouldn't be able to fix him if he kept this up.

 _ **\- A Shield protects, but to protect, he must first protect himself. -**_

He'd learned that lesson so many times over and he'd retained the idea he was a bit invincible despite it. He blamed his father for not surviving to protect his King, but he'd always looked at himself as less important than Noctis. A Shield could be replaced.

 _ **\- But can you be replaced right now? Will your King be safe without you? –**_

 _I don't want to be replaced unless I have to._

His sword got kicked out of his hands and he felt blood under his palm while fire licked his boots. They were barely holding together after facing the giant snake, so Gladio hurriedly grabbed the closest weapon he could think off. He twisted his waist and used his weight on the pillar, cracking it completely off.

 _ **\- You're but a man. –**_ the voices warned.

"I need to be more than that!" he groaned, leaning the weight of the stone columns on his shoulder, his neck bent to the side as he looked for proper balance.

Every muscle in his body begged for mercy and from across the bridge, Cor swore out loud, but Gladio was looking at the Enkidu, focusing his anger and rageful helplessness on the thing.

"Get outta my face!"

His arms moved and the stone pillar followed, much to his own surprise, striking the monster hard enough to push it on its side. Gladio couldn't run holding that thing up, so he walked as quickly as he could and struck it again, feeling his own body begging for mercy as the stone crackled a little more with every impact. There was dust in his eyes and lungs and whenever he blinked, he pictured Crowe calling his name, asking for his help and instead he was playing the one-man army against a string of daemons and monsters to please some ancestors… all so he could feel better with himself.

The pillar broke and the Enkidu rose its head, blood streaming from the various wounds and heavy fractures it just endured. Gladio phased through the monster, needing a new weapon to defend himself. His sword was being tossed around as the monster's bellowed and whipped its tail, the young Shield seeing dark spots under his eyelids again. There was a painful throbbing in his sides, pulsing a little more with every step he took, his wound burning and pulling on his muscles.

 _I'm sure I've handled worse._

 _ **\- Oh, listen to him, he's sure. Children like him always believe they've seen everything.-**_

When the monster flapped its wings, Gladio couldn't keep his phasing up and the appendage hit him square in the shoulder, followed by warm fragments of stones that burned through his clothes.

"Shit!"

He instinctively grabbed at the talon coming out of the wing and felt the bones crack under his hands.

 _ **\- It's started. -**_

Gladiolus's arms were trembling, and he wasn't sure what the voices were on about, but a little voice that was all his told him that this was beyond normal. He couldn't shatter bones with his bare hands, could he? He gave an experimental pull to the wing frame and more snapping sounds followed, until the Enkidu pulled away, its scaly wings remaining between in the Shield's hold.

 _I can hold pillars of stone and break bones._

The souls that had been messing with his head and showing him those visions of Iris were running in his blood, changing him, making him stronger somehow. He snapped the long wing into two on his knee and wondered when this surge of strength would stall. Was it only for the trial? Or if he proved himself worthy, could he keep it? Wouldn't that make him dangerous for his friends though? He'd always been in control of his strength and now…

He used the talon as a makeshift spear, effectively piercing through the Enkidu's skin, phasing his head through an attack and praying hard the magic given to him by Noctis wouldn't run out just yet. He hadn't taken an ether in a while and his head ached with the voices talking over each other.

 _Do they want me to do this or not?_

Claws scraped against the stones and the fire burning on the beast died down. Gladiolus had to lean over the corpse to keep his balance until Cor was next to him.

"How did you do that?!"

"I don't know. I feel like I'm going to be sick."

"Let's cross to the other side first," the Immortal suggested, giving him his shoulder to lean on.

Gladio tried to explain, because he could tell this trial wasn't going as it should, even though he was overcoming the obstacles one by one. Had Crowe vanished because he had needed her help to defeat the snake, or was it just because of Etro's meddling? Why was his vision clouding and his ears ringing now when the pain was receding?

 _ **\- He can handle our souls, but can he handle the toll that goes with it?-**_

Gladiolus blinked and felt his consciousness fading, Cor's voice drowned out by the sound of water running.

When he came to, he was kneeling on a marble floor, parade sword drawn out, the blade shining between his arms as he held the expected posture for the Shield of the King. His hair was tied up in a long and heavy tress falling on his left shoulder and his clothes were dark and red, for this was Lucis's finest hour.

A few feet from him, standing in black garb, neck and head bare, the Founder King bowed to a being of pure magic, with wings and a crown of hair that reminded Gladio of horns.

 _Bahamut…_

Where was he and what the hell was going on?

Another blink and the scene shifted, his body standing for battle, cutting down foes in a flurry of blood, his hair still too long. He was living through someone else's memories or he was going crazy and he wondered if it was another test. Was something simply wrong with him?

Mud and blood on the ground beneath his feet and corpses as far as the eye could see, except for the few remaining soldiers on his side and on the other side, a dark maelstrom of blight-infected monsters.

"Your King is a fake!" a man roared, commanding daemons and beasts alike.

"The crystal chose him," Gladio heard himself answer to the cursed one, knowledge of the past rushing through his brain.

Ardyn's purple hair was wild and his dark yellow-ish eyes glared at Gladiolus's counterpart from over a cart. It was pulled forward by a behemoth and two skeletal horses, the metal wheels cutting deeply in the ground and the fallen. Somnus Lucis Caelum, formely known as Somnus Izunia to only a chosen few, rode on Leviathan herself, glaives in hand, a dozen weapons surrounding him like a necklace offered to the sea goddess. The giant sea serpent's body used the earth as though it was her sea, leaving ravines and trenches in her wake. Thunder roared in the sky and the lighting struck at the flans littering the soil, the smell of their burnt flesh reminiscent of charred sugar.

"You've haunted this earth long enough, fallen healer," the King warned. "You blight everything you touch now."

"This why you're scared of coming too close, Somni? You had to gather all the gods by your side and look at us go! Titan has already fallen, Bahamut won't answer your call… And the darkness in my damned flesh begs to be set free!"

Gladio felt his anger growing at Ardyn's taunting, a wrathful desire for vengeance for all the comrades who had fallen as they advanced on the mad man. For years they had looked, for years they had been at war, desperately looking for the instigator, the first one to suggest that this new nation would be the end of the old one. They should have expected a vengeful spirit, filled with nothing but hate and venom, but what they'd found was even worse.

"I have never been scared," Somnus claimed.

Gladio cut down another goblin, whirling on himself, his two blades laying waste to anything coming close.

"That was always a mistake. You made me into the Scourge. And you can undo me."

In the final charge, the spirit of a daemon wielding a blade found an opening in Gladio's guard. They were swarming from everywhere. The King's retinue had no magic shield. No light to hold them, since the Oracle had given everything she had during the covenants. She'd passed, leaving one heir behind and their hearts bleeding for her.

Gladio was hacking daemons to pieces and all of a sudden, he felt the sharp pain in his side. His mind racing to a stop and the darkness he'd expected turned into pure light. He still had no idea who he was, but that person was dying and with him, he crossed to the other side.

…

" _ **The warrior spirit out there is someone from my past**_ ," Etro admitted.

Crowe couldn't believe her ears. What spirit?

"The swordmaster? It's a legend!"

" _ **I'm a goddess and you weren't quite superstitious until we met, have a little more faith in the impossible, girl.**_ "

"So you ran away because of him?"

Etro shrugged at the insinuation, glaring down at Crowe with disdain, but the former Glaive could tell she was on to something.

"You know all my dirty secrets, what do you believe I'll do with one small confession? I'm stuck here with you anyway."

She was biding time to find a way out, but Etro seemed too happy to converse with her host's soul. After all, the dead didn't sound quite talkative and it wasn't every day this goddess found herself at fault.

" _ **It's been 2000 years, but yet he still lived. Ever wondered why?**_ "

"He's a ghost?" Crowe offered, wondering why the air was suddenly feeling warmer.

Was this whole realm influenced by Etro's emotions? Could she even consider that Etro had emotions? She had sensed her panic earlier and it was impossible to say that goddess was purely devoid of emotions, otherwise she wouldn't toy with Crowe like she had.

" _ **No. He's a stubborn bastard. And a cute one too.**_ "

"For the love of Bahamut!"

…

Dying wasn't as bad as Gladio had imagined, but the welcoming committee was enough to make him scream. At least, he would have screamed if he was in control of this body. Or soul? What was he supposed to be here?

Her hair shone too brightly, moving through a ghost breeze that never ended. She floated around, legs crossed, sitting in mid-air. Her curves were full, her eyes always looking for a reason to laugh. Back then, she wasn't mocking yet, simply cold for the average soul, taking only interest in people who had tried to leave a mark in the world. She was dealing with what was left of the Founder King's soul in another version of this realm, her being split in as many entities she needed to welcome each and every dying soul. But her attention had gathered for the Shield instead, since the King's spirit has been swallowed by a ridiculous ring.

The Astrals had made something unthinkable with her queendom, something she couldn't tolerate since no one, not even a pretended god could forego the final trip to her domain when their life ended. And yet, there had been another death among the hundreds of passing on this day and that soul hadn't come.

She couldn't ask Somnus why – who could expect an Astral to explain himself, the petulant children they were! - and Gladio found himself faced with Etro's full anger.

" _ **Thus dies the King's Shield, quickly followed by his King. I hope all those vows and pledges were worth it**_ ," she commented.

Gladio spoke with the same gruffy voice that wasn't his, words he didn't thought but he saw Etro's face change with every one of them.

"If the scourge stops haunting our world, I'd do it all over in a heartbeat."

" _ **Those are obsolete for you, now.**_ "

"So… My work is done."

He crossed his arms, taking a look around, the man Gladio was stuck within seemingly unfazed by the giant incarnation of a woman floating around him.

" _ **Yes, eternal rest and such. At first, people usually scream, but after a while, they settle, and the colors keep them entertained. If you look close enough, you can see a thousand lives go by.**_ "

Gladio made no motion to look at any of the rays of colors fluctuating around him. Etro smiled as she noticed the tension creeping into his posture.

" _ **Something on your mind? That too will be gone soon.**_ "

"We won, didn't we? Our work _is_ done?"

" _ **I'm not a monster, but I hate lying. You failed,**_ " she deadpanned, jumping off her invisible throne to stand next to him, shapes raising in the distance to draw pictures of the scenes and facts she roughly described. " _ **Ardyn can't die. The Astrals made sure he couldn't once they saw what he'd done to Ifrit. Those imbeciles are so terrified of change, they'd rather let the scourge destroy a thousand more humans**_."

Gladio held his forehead, his mind reeling with that of the first King's Shield.

"That… Do you mean to tell me they had our Lady…! She died for these covenants, all my comrades…"

He blinked and Gladiolus saw his own brothers lying on the cold hard ground. Ignis, dry blood caking his face, his body limp and pale. Prompto with a gunshot to the heart, eyes wide opened and glassy. Noct stretched out on a throne of bones, his limbs cut off, impaled with the sword of his father.

 _No, no, no, no, no._

Iris with her missing feet and fingers, telling him of the eternal night.

Etro snapped her finger to bring the Shield back to his new reality, her height shrinking until she was barely as tall as him.

" _ **The King wasn't half as disappointed as you, Shield**_."

"How were we supposed to fight something that can't die?!"

" _ **By not dying?**_ " she shrugged.

"Is that your idea of a joke? I prayed to you, I helped build one of your shrines and…"

" _ **Don't believe I give this long of an audience to just any soul, Ursus Gamesh.**_ "

Gladio could have gasped out loud. That name was… He really was incarnated inside the body's of the first Shield of Lucis.

"So what, you care about some small human? If even the Astrals don't…"

" _ **Hush now, tall baby.**_ "

He groaned at the moniker and Etro smiled, in a way that was almost not creepy.

" _ **I took an interest in you, after you sent so many souls down here. You always respected the people you fought. You respected every life and still, you fought like a wild creature till the very end. Forget the Astrals. Your King was a tool in their games. I don't play by their rules. By default, I can't play, but this latest trick of theirs… I can control this world without even blinking, but I can't leave. I can't interfere in any other realm.**_ "

She gave him a sidelong glance and Ursus stood straighter, wondering if this might be a chance.

"What do you want?"

" _ **I could make an exception. Make you undying while retaining your wits unlike the scourge-infested mortals on Eos.**_ "

"What do you want?" he repeated, stressing the word "you".

" _ **In exchange, I want you to draw me a path. You can train and test a successor for the next King's army. And once down there, I could correct the imbalance between the living and unliving. The shrine you helped building would be a start.**_ "

He shook his head, stopping when Etro stepped closer to him. She didn't breath but he felt her presence, like a fire on his skin.

"I don't know…"

Her fingers covered his mouth and her touch instilled knowledge right through his brain, Ursus fighting against the urge to pull back.

" _ **I know. I know everything, and I'll give you the sanctuary you never had. I just need a way out.**_ "

His heartbeat quickened. In fact, his heart started once more. He woke up on the battlefield, surrounded by charred corpses and dust. His skin was cold to the touch and he had to chase away birds as his limbs were slow to regain movements. Her voice was stuck in his head.

" _ **Live, live, live, live, live.**_ "

"I was too weak," he thought out loud.

" _ **How many men can take on an army of hundred daemons and stand equal to a magic-infused King commanding gods? If anything, you were too strong for your own good.**_ "

 _She can give peptalks?!_ Gladio thought furiously.

He felt a strong and bitter taste under his tongue and the vision finally let go of him, the Shield opening his own eyes to see Cor hovering just above him, apparently on the verge of a panic attack.

"I stated my conditions when I agreed to take you to these trials and it was not to die. Stop passing out like that!"

"I'm not doing it on purpose. I don't know why, but something here insists on showing me things. I saw… You won't believe me, man."

"Oh, try me."

…

"Wake up already," Ignis insisted.

He'd pulled the curtains, the covers and set a bowl of steaming stew at Noctis's bedside, but the King was out cold, or at least pretending to be.

"I'm tired!"

"You've been sleeping for ten hours straight, you need to settle back to your old sleeping patterns. It's six pm already."

Noctis rubbed his eyes awake, struggling to a sitting position.

"You do know it takes me hour just to find a sleeping posture that's comfortable?"

"I know, you text me through it even when I ask you to stop. Should we tape your silhouette to the bedsheets so you remember?"

"Very funny. I don't mean to bother you, I'm just worried. Gladio has been gone for a while and we didn't receive any sign in so long."

"Sleeping it off won't help. You need to move and keep doing your exercices."

"Yes, mom."

Their respective girlfriends were equally nervous. Aranea hadn't been able to go out hunting for the past three days and the lack of news from Crowe was driving her insane. Luna had tried texting the former Glaive too, since she was just as distressed. Prompto wasn't answering a lot when his friends reached out to him, explaining he needed to focus on Cindy right now and Iris had cut herself off. Ravus did text his sister back, even if the concept Luna had a phone felt pretty foreign to him.

"He sounds so happy with Iris," Luna observed as she sat at the dinner table with Aranea over an intricate board game. "…at least, when she's not worried sick about her brother."

"How long is that trial supposed to last?" the dragoon asked, tapping her fingers on the table as she looked for a peculiar rule.

They were trying to colonize another planet, but this was their second game only and Luna didn't like bending rules, quite similarly to Ignis, so Aranea had accepted to check them at every new question they would ask, the pair barely managing to keep a straight conversation through the ordeal, although they needed the distraction.

"I wish I knew," the Oracle sighed.

Aranea set down the guidebook of their game with a huff, her impatience getting the best of her.

"I think we need to calm down and right now, the only thing that will work for me is booze."

Luna's eyes widened, but she still followed Aranea to the kitchen.

"Do we even have any?"

"Care to join me, girl? You could use some relaxation."

"I could certainly indulge a little. If my brother was here, I would never hear the end of it."

"Seriously? After how drunk he was when he walked back home with Ignis and a comatose Prompto back in Free Crown?"

Luna chuckled at the memory, finding it quite endearing now with a few steps back. Aranea rummaged through the fridge and had to go beneath a cupboard to find Cor's hidden stock of alcoholic beverages.

"Whiskey, bourbon, rum, red wine that dates back to before my grandparents were born… I think we're in business!"

"Bourbon?" Luna repeated. "Is it as awful as it sounds?"

"Depends on the palate, but I'd say worse," Aranea admitted as she rummaged some more. She hit her head on some pipe with a yelp and cursed, Luna offering her light to reduce the potential bump only to hear the dragon insisting she was fine. She went on with her quest to prepare them a cocktail of drinks, "I wonder if I can find something to prepare us shots. He might not look it, but Ignis has a wild side. Especially if you put ebony into the mix."

"Are you going to touch his ebony stock?" Luna exclaimed.

If there was one thing Ignis didn't like to share, it was his ebony. He would usually let Aranea have two sips of it because he loved her too much to say no, but letting either Prompto or Gladio enjoy the cool drink, knowing they usually mixed it with soda or anything else with added sugar made him wince.

"I won't think twice about it. Coffee shots are awesome!"

"Now I have to try it!"

Enjoying girl time between themselves was still really new for both Aranea and Luna, but they loved it all the same. Ignis and Noctis had been surprised when they'd realized just how close they'd gotten, but they were quite happy with the end results, despite the circumstances bringing it up. Both ladies had needed a girl friend their whole lives, and while Aranea was pretty close to Crowe, depending on someone else helped at times like these.

"Oh my god, we have tequila! I'm going to ruin you."

"How many ingredients do you need?" Luna laughed.

"How about you pick a new game while I prepare us something nice?"

They debated for an instant on building castles, starting up a farm and Aranea made a comment about the complexity of every board game Talcott had left here. They settled for a fantasy battling game, which took about half the table and over an hour just to set up. Luna had been introduced to it by Prompto and Cindy, and while the mechanic couldn't handle the hours of patient gameplay and being constantly wounded and reduced to almost no action while they tried to heal their respective characters, Luna loved the similarity with her life and the fact a map of the world could expand as the game went on, laying out ruins, dungeons and mysterious towers.

"We don't argue about the rules, deal?"

"Deal."

They started out with a drink that Aranea called girly, following it with a shot of coffee mixed with alcohol, cream and cinnamon and Luna couldn't help asking for more. They focused less on the game and more on their talk, after vowing to remain on light subjects.

"Ravus had this big promotion when he was 18 and he got quite worked up about the ceremony and looking his best for it, if only to maintain the Fleuret's name. Believe it or not, but less half an hour before the ceremony, Pryna puked all over him. She had a stomach bug, poor thing."

"Ha! Oh, the look on his face had to be so priceless."

"If Umbra had done the same, he might have strangled him, but Pryna was in so much pain, he just called off his own promotion ceremony to take us both to the vet."

"Did you need a vaccine, or your claws removed?" Aranea teased her. "Because if you also threw up on him, I hope he'd take you to a doctor!"

"I…! No," Luna couldn't help giggling at that and held her ribs as they laughed together. "I was fine that time, it was a genuine stomach bug."

"That time, huh? What if Pryna's in heat?"

The princess blushed at that and raised her glass to her lips to avoid answering, the alcohol burning its way down her throat as Aranea accepted to lay off the teasing, although she was still determined to get Luna to talk some more. She knew the poor girl was keeping things to herself regarding the situation with Noctis and she also knew remaining in her far too alarmed state wasn't good for her.

"So that's why they stopped throwing him ceremonies," the dragoon started innocently enough. "Talking of ceremonies, when are you going to wear that ring on your actual finger instead of a necklace?"

"That's not light…!"

"What can be lighter than a wedding? I guess you'll be throwing money everywhere for it, but you can get all the donations you want and it's not my point anyway. Are you becoming his queen soon or do we get to call you princess for a few more years?"

"I… I don't know. We're barely finding time to make out and sometimes, it feels like we barely know each other anymore. I want to recognize us again. But enough about me. What about you and Ignis?"

Aranea raised a brow.

"Oh, I can recognize us anywhere. With or without clothes. You didn't hear us last night, did you?"

"Oh, believe me, I did. Noctis too. Good thing we have headphones."

Aranea had the decency to blush, and she did a little more than she would normally, slowly feeling the effect of all these drinks they'd already consumed. She wasn't sure at which glass the princess was, but her words were slightly slurred and there was a funny shine to her eyes.

"Won't you put a ring on that gem of a man before something new happens?" Luna insisted.

"I don't feel the need for it. We talked about maybe having kids and getting a house. That's a lot of engagement coming from me."

"And yet you lecture me on not being married already?"

"I'm not lecturing, dear, simply letting you know that everyone's impatient for it. That celebration would ease a lot of minds and I'm sure it would do you a world of good. Having the thing you dreamed of for so long finally happen. What d'ya think?"

Luna considered it for a full 30 seconds, her focus not quite as sharp as was her usual, before hitting the table with her fist in a manner that resembled her brother far too much, squaring her shoulders.

"You're right! I've waited long enough and the people would… Ari-girl, I'm really tired of putting the people first. That feels so wrong."

"Good grief, Luna, how many of us must tell you it's okay? All the people can do is smile and wave at their perfect queen, but you should…" a light hiccup surprised Aranea in the middle of her speech and she struggled to get the rest of it out. "I mean, you shouldn't… This is your life and you have a right to be happy. We should beat some sense into that Noctis of yours."

"No, I'll talk to him. We've been talking… _a lot_ lately."

Aranea noticed the way Luna's brow crossed as she said that and couldn't help herself.

"Need some action instead of all that talking, huh?"

The princess hunched a little in her seat, dropping the cards she was holding to rub at her tense neck in the hopes Aranea would let the question go. The dragoon pretended to do so, shifting subject.

"How many wounds did I take? It's like my cards are nothing but bleeding tokens now! Let's play something less complicated. Cards?"

"Good thing we're alone, I imagine Gladio suggesting strip poker. And Prompto wanting to snap pictures"

"I would strip them both naked in less than half an hour if we did play!" Aranea laughed.

"That's quite confident. I have a really good poker face. Used to play with Rave and I would end up with all the candy every time!"

Both women agreed to play a daring game, in which the loser of every round had to down a shot, and by the third round, the dragoon herself was far beyond tipsy. They challenged each other to imitate their respective boyfriends for reasons that still eluded Aranea.

"I shall woo you with my amazing cooking, amazing sunflower."

"Sunflower?! And that was repetitive."

Luna shook her head, clapping on her thighs in hope it would help her put more flourish and attention to her words. When she spoke again, she mimicked Ignis's accent so close to perfection, it was quite a sight to behold.

"My sweet sylleblossom then? It's fair to say _I_ 've never contemplated them for myself, but I'm certain their blue hue would fit your armor and silver hair lovingly."

Aranea snorted and had to clear her throat as she tried to picture how Noctis flirted. She tapped her nose and suddenly hit the table with both of her palms.

"I'll need paper for this!"

"Why?"

"I'm sweeter when I sit down for hours and write something heartfelt and compelling."

"Nonsense!" Luna laughed instead of taking offense.

"Dear Luna… Or my dear Luna?" Aranea made big writing motions as she went on. "Anyway, being a bit of a mess doesn't prevent my heart from bleeding for you a little more every day."

"That's depressingly accurate," the princess said in a low voice, her face falling a little.

The dragoon worried her lower lip, reaching one hand out to cheer up her friend, but Luna was jumping to her feet, wobbling a little as she stood.

"I don't want sweet words written on paper anymore," she claimed.

"Wait a sec, I've still got all that vodka…"

Luna gave her a hug and a peck on the cheek, at least, that was her intention, but her lips grazed her ear instead, both girls laughing together.

"I don't think you should drink any more. I'll go before I change my mind."

"No need to thank me!" Aranea teased her for a salute, looking at the table littered with two game board and their decks of cards. "Now that's grand. I'm picking up after us both?"

…

Noctis and Ignis were talking about the reconstruction of Insomnia and the money needed to even sustain the hunters still working on cleaning up the mess the former capital was in when Luna stepped into the room.

"Lady Luna…"

"Hello Ignis, glad to see Noctis is finally awake. Mind if I borrow him for a while?"

Noctis frowned while Ignis fought and lost against his own growing smile, not blind to the way the princess's eyes were fixated on her beau and noticed how she leaned to one side more than the other even when she stood still. What had Aranea done this time?

"I have a feeling I'd better check on the love of my life. Good evening to you two."

Noctis was sitting up in his bed and pushed the papers lying all over his mattress underneath his unused pillow, feeling his throat tighten as Luna's gaze focused on him. Her desire was unguarded and he felt flustered and shocked at the same time.

"Hey."

"Hey you," she greeted him, closing the door with a sway of her hips and barely staying upright. "Missed me last night?"

She walked up to his bed, shrugging off her vest and shoes before running one hand through her hair in a gesture she'd meant slow and sensual but her head was turning and her patience so thin.

"I always miss you," Noctis whispered, his nervousness rising as he saw Luna fumbling with something in her back.

Her dress pooled on the floor and she moved too quickly for someone so drunk, climbing on the bed, her hands pressing and greedy on him. His breathing quickened, the young man jumping between anxiety and amazement. He'd never seen her so assertive and while he doubted he was ready, Luna decided she'd waited long enough for him.

"I've missed you," she told him, kissing his fingertips, while pulling his shirt open. "I've had to go without your touch for months now. Months of feeling alone and longing…" She made quick work off his sweat pants, Noctis helping her by then, completely taken in. "And those weeks when I thought I had lost you when I barely had you at all."

"I'm sor…"

She shut his mouth with a finger, her lips eager for his skin, her weight pinning him down as she shuffled until she was straddling him. Then her hips moved and Noctis surrendered, his arms wrapping around her.

"I want your hands," Luna explained, guiding his touch, relishing the first tentative caress, a needy whine escaping her parted mouth.

"Kiss me," he pleaded.

"No, I'm doing the asking," she teased him. "I want you, Noct, all of you."

"You're so drunk, Luna."

He felt awful at the idea it took this for her to be open about her needs.

"And yet I know exactly what I'm doing. You don't like it?"

He couldn't keep his voice down and moaned against her touch, gripping her waist, desperate for the warmth of her embrace.

"I love it. Gods, I love you, it's just…"

He'd been apart from her for so long, the slightest touch was overwhelming, and he knew his body wasn't answering him fully yet.

"Tell me if it hurts."

He flushed a little more and repeated her name, holding himself up on one arm while brushing and squeezing her thigh with one hand, her motions driving him close to madness.

"It doesn't hurt," he assured her, Luna leaning into him far enough so their lips could lock together.

It was sticky and bitter at first, but also sweet and Noctis was already drunk on her touch alone. His back was protesting, but his heart ached for more and Luna was holding his face and moving just slowly enough for the pleasure to be torture.

"I'm sor…"

"You're not done making it up to me," she warned him, smiling against his lips.

"I'll give you anything you want," he vowed.

"I want your arms around me. Every single night."

"Can and will do."

"I also want…" she arched almost violently and covered her mouth to stifle a moan. "Damn, I'll make a list later, I can't think right."

He couldn't either, he just wanted to repeat her name and for this moment to stretch out beyond the nagging pain and into soft rapture. Her nails dug into his sides, Luna losing herself in the haze of pleasure, her voice low and shaky as bliss threatened to overwhelm her.

"Give into it," he asked, noticing how close she was.

"Please, I…"

She never wanted to be heard and Noctis was pretty certain this was his best chance to see her give up on modesty entirely.

"It would only be… fair, don't you think?"

Their eyes made contact, haggard and a little too wide, Luna managing a smile as she observed just how vulnerable he was.

"The first one to scream loses?"

He couldn't believe his ears, barely recognizing this bold Luna, and still he knew it was the real princess. His princess. His heart had swelled so much, he feared it would burst out of his chest and his words collapsed into a whimper. It was no surprise when he lost a few seconds later, limbs shaking and his back burning from the extended pressure.

"Luna, I…"

Did he manage to say her name right?

"I love you," she whispered, her body leaning a little more on his, her hands on his chest and her eyes blinking too slowly.

"I adore you."

Her following kiss was lazy, lingering to the point Noctis felt just as drunk as her.

"Can I sleep here?"

"Of…"

Her head lolled against his shoulder before he could finish his answer, Luna too spent to keep her eyes open. Her weight felt good, with how warm she was, how their skin stuck together as he gently rolled her to her side, pulling her closer and safe between his arms.

If that was how Luna turned when drunk, he certainly hoped it would never happen when he wasn't around.

To be continued…

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I made this chapter this long because I got really inspired with Gladio's trial and I also wanted to make up for the long time in between updates. The last weekend was rough, both physically and emotionally, but things turned out well regarding my summer job and after taking some rest and attacking my programming questionnaire job once more -I have too many jobs and too few that actually pay lol- I managed to finish this quicker than I had expected!

The Noct/Luna part is quite a step and while Luna might feel unlike herself in it, the pair has been unlike themselves for a while now.

Next chapter should conclude Gladio's trials and include Raviris this time. As always, reviews make me tremendously happy! 😊


	79. She did what!

This chapter is mostly fluff and teasing between friends. Noct/Luna, Ignea, Raviris and more Noct/Luna. I hope you enjoy.

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Unexpected

Chapter 79 – She did what?!

Luna woke up very slowly that morning, to a pounding headache and the very large smirk on Noctis's face as he watched over her sleeping form.

"Good morning to you, princess."

His voice seemed to boom into her ears and she snapped her eyes shut, curling upon herself as her head seemed about to split. She couldn't hold back a moan of pain before to try gathering why she was lying in such a state next to him. She couldn't remember that they had slept next to one another. As she pondered so, she realized she didn't remember much of last night.

"Noct? Why am I…?"

Her tongue was dry in her mouth and her body ached in places it shouldn't. Noctis ran one hand along her neck in light strokes that made her sigh in relief.

"You pretty much assaulted me last night," he told her, lowering his voice as she squinted her eyes open.

"What?!" she croaked.

His Luna was going through a rough hangover and he wasn't sure what would ease her pain more. Ignis had brought some water earlier, when Luna was still sleeping like a log.

"After you passed out, I thought we were done, but you woke me up for more an hour later."

He had decided not to mention how she was sick right after her second assault on him, since he was convinced she'd be embarrassed enough as it was just with her flirty behavior. Her flush was adorable as she clumsily tried to cover her chest, realizing she was wearing one of his shirts and… nothing else.

"I didn't…"

"Oh, you did," Noctis insisted. "I have marks all over my…"

"Too loud," she pleaded with him, hiding her face into her pillow.

"Oh Luna, if you keep blushing that much, I'll worry about your pressure."

She remembered just how much physical pressure she'd exerted on him as a few flashes of last night came to her. She was terribly sore and covered her face with both hands even though it was hidden by the pillow, letting out a low sigh of self-derision.

"I'm so sorry, Noct, I…"

He shook his head, rolling her on her back and gently pulling her hands off her face to look into her eyes.

"If anyone should apologize here, it's me."

"Noct, that's really sweet, but I feel like I was trampled on by anaks and I can still hear their hooves running around my skull."

"My poor princess," he sighed, leaning a light kiss on her forehead before sitting down next to her lying form. "All I can offer you is hugs and fresh water."

"All I've gotten so far is teasing and a few smiles."

"I can surely improve on that," Noctis offered.

Luna felt quite sheepish as he gently helped her into a sitting position, taken aback by the way he cradled her in his arms. For once, it didn't make her feel fragile or like she could fade away. She felt precious and safe and doubted she'd earned being treated in such a way with her most recent attitude.

"I shouldn't have been so demanding," she started, meaning to apologize again, but Noctis squeezed her hand, shifting so she could lean against his chest, his voice a whisper against her temple.

"I needed to be pushed around. And gods, did I miss you, Luna."

He knew deep inside taking the first step to reclaim intimacy between them would have been a feat for him. He felt so different from before, so unlike himself. And all it took was one Luna refusing to take no for an answer for him to realize how much of the old Noctis was still there. He could love her even in this state, even please her and most of his insecurities had been erased when she'd come back for more upon waking up.

"I'll need a repeat when you're less drunk, just to confirm you don't need to be intoxicated to handle the sight of me naked," he joked.

That effectively made her giggle, her hand covering her mouth, Noctis happy to laugh with her as his heart clicked into place.

"You mentioned water?"

He held the glass to her lips, holding back a comment on the fact she managed to swallow as much water as she dropped on herself, her body still groggy and not reacting quite well to the commands her brain was sending.

"I imagine I was just as ungracious last night," she sighed, rubbing at the wet spots on her too large shirt.

"You were an energetic minx, but you nearly fell out of bed a few times," he admitted.

She covered her face again with a self-depreciating groan and Noctis laughed despite his best intentions, holding her closer so she could feel how supportive he was beneath the teasing.

"It was quite adorable, you know? You kept asking me if I was okay and…"

His following words made her blush a deep shade of crimson and she shook her head a little too fast, Noctis biting back on a laugh, steadying her as dizziness rushed in.

"Easy Luna, you need to go slow today. And if you keep on being this cute, I might try taking advantage of your weakened state."

"Where do you keep all that energy?!"

He kissed her ear, nuzzling her neck and her tension melted away as she fought against the headache, wishing for time to stop. She wanted all the attention Noctis could give her and it shocked her that she could still want more.

"My head feels so heavy," she sighed.

"Wanna lie down?"

She hummed her approval as his hands snuck under her shirt, drawing shivers on her sides and up her spine and his lips barely left her skin as he laid her down, wrapping himself around her and stealing a brief kiss from her.

"I'm honestly starting to wonder if your back is still hurting at all," she confessed.

She tried embracing him back and noticed his brief wince at the brush of her hands on his lower back. His bones felt like they could snap but he didn't want to be limited anymore, not when she was concerned by these limitations.

"I can't let you do everything all the time, can I?"

"Noct…"

"Hold on to me, Luna. How's your head?"

"A little better."

"Good."

Noctis made sure to keep her in bed until the headache was forgotten, showering her in love like he'd meant to for a long time now. When he finally agreed to help her up and into clothes, they were both famished, and it was well past lunchtime as they reached the dining room.

Aranea was lying on the couch, her head in Ignis's lap, the advisor reading a book as he played with her hair, the massage helping soothe the dragoon's own headache. She had insisted on sharing a few drinks with her man when he joined her, and their night had been less fiery than the royals, to say the least.

"If it isn't the King and his princess," Ignis greeted them.

"Too loud, Ig," Aranea grumbled.

"Apologies, dragonfly."

She gave a light slap to his thigh, more of a pat than anything that could actually hurt and Luna bit her lips, wondering when they'd gotten so at ease with each other. To the point Ignis was fine with calling Aranea pet names in front of other people. Her friend noticed her light frown and managed a smirk.

"When I told him of the way you interpreted his flirting, Iggy felt obliged to outdo your nicknames."

"Aranea!"

"Owww," she protested, clamping one hand on her ear.

Noctis used the table as a support, Luna leaning heavily on him as she snickered. His back was starting to give him warning signs and his bad leg was acting up too. His next time in bed needed to imply actual rest it seemed. Ignis noticed the way the pair wavered ever so slightly and cleared his throat to gather the King's attention.

"You'll find food in the fridge, just microwave it. I made something lighter for the ladies."

"Thank you, Ignis."

"I'm certain Luna needs some meat instead of your gentle-not-upsetting porridge Iggy, aren't I right, Luna-girl?"

The princess couldn't refrain her blush and decided to give up modesty, pulling her tongue at the dragoon.

"Oh, you did not just…!"

Aranea motioned to jump to her feet, a full smile on her face, Ignis hastily putting his book down to make sure his arms were free to catch her should she fall. The dragoon was steadier than one would expect considering how she complained about loud sounds. She still raised one hand to her forehead as she waited for the new pulse to her headache to stabilize.

"You made me drink," Luna protested. "And you don't get to tease me if I can't tease you back."

"Wow. Are you certain she's sober, Noct?" Aranea asked.

Noctis brushed Luna's forehead, shrugging as he declared: "She doesn't have a fever. My Luna is still feisty it seems."

He mouthed the words _"you'd better do this again sometime"_ to Aranea, the former commodore raising one brow, soon flashing the pair a bright smirk. Luna wondered which silent joke had been exchanged on her or if she should simply take offense at being called "feisty".

"Hey!"

Both of the royals' stomachs growled then, effectively interrupting the discussion, Ignis pointing them to the kitchen before tugging on Aranea's waist to pull her back on the couch.

"I thought we'd said no harassing Lunafreya?" he started, keeping his voice low as their friends walked up to the kitchen.

"I couldn't help myself. You heard them. It was the first time we actually heard them!"

"And it was the first time you got sick over drinking. If I didn't know better, I'd worry we might have a tiny Aranea on the way."

"Oh, we don't, Ignis," she assured him. "What would we even do with a tiny Aranea?"

He paused, a crease appearing on his forehead as he pondered the question, which was half annoying, half amazing.

"Outside of melting at the cuteness and wondering what sleeping means, I imagine cuddling and tickling would be highly involved."

"Now, you're going to make me sick," she joked around, wondering why her heart was doing summersaults in her chest.

Ignis retorted by kissing her cheek, Aranea melting into his embrace instead of fighting back.

"It should be a crime to make someone this happy, you know."

"I'd rather not be arrested. Unless I can keep you with me."

…

Ravus was growing nervous as they neared Free Crown, at odds with the way they should present themselves. He was known as the prosthetic surgeon, Iris being his assisting nurse, but while people had talked behind their back, they had never been seen as an actual couple. He didn't fear judgement, but he feared the backlash of judgement on his white mage. She was so sweet and young and…

"Eos to Ravus?" Iris snapped him out of his thoughts.

"What?"

"You're brooding."

"Am not," he instantly retorted, fighting against his own smile as he saw her face lighting up.

She loved teasing him and he was ready to handle pretty much any kind of embarrassment if it meant she would smile.

"I'm being serious, Rave. What's wrong?"

He rolled his shoulders, trying to shrug off the various scenarios running in his mind.

"You're my girlfriend and I don't want to hide it, but…"

She was getting off her bird and grabbed his hand at that, flashing him a bright smile.

"Then it's settled, don't you think? For once, I can show you off and see faces dropping."

He chuckled, finding it not as hard as he'd believe to fight against his blush as he allowed her to take the lead. Iris was such an optimist at heart, he was still shocked by it sometimes. It made his heart too light in his chest and he only had the will to slow her down when they reached the entrance, promising to keep a hold of her hand and face the consequences, whatever they'd be.

There was more teasing than bad reactions and it didn't take long for Ravus to realize the age gap between them was not that uncommon in Free Crown. People from all spheres had mixed together after the fall of Insomnia and a lot of couples were mismatched at first glance. Their patients welcomed them with open arms, the men teasing about how he should have made his intentions clear far earlier to prevent broken hearts, the ladies giving a dozen recommendations to Iris that made her turn redder than a ripe tomato. And the kids… the kids couldn't care less, wanting to show their progress, to defy Ravus in a friendly race or tussle, asking Iris to play games with them.

Being welcomed in such a way was new for the Tenebraean prince and he needed time away from people after the first two hours, feeling overwhelmed in a matter of minutes and bearing with it for Iris's sake. Libertus chided them on taking too long to visit and by the time they could retire to their own room, Ravus dropped himself on the single bed with a relieved sigh.

"You okay?"

"I missed the quiet. I think my nerves are better suited to live in isolation."

"You're too on edge," Iris observed. "You nearly jumped to the ceiling when Nina snuck up on you."

"I almost took my sword out at that," he admitted, fumbling with his prosthetic.

"Good thing you didn't," the teenage girl told him, removing her clothes for pajamas, her modesty mostly gone since they'd gotten even closer. "People love you, Ravus. You must have faced similar welcoming committees in Tenebrae at the very least."

"Not in a long time. We still haven't gotten a sign of Umbra regarding the state of Tenebrae and no oversea news make it past Accordo."

Iris bit her tongue as she mentally chided herself for giving him dark thoughts again.

"Ravus, look at me. No use worrying about things you can't control."

He bit back on his protests, knowing any visit to Tenebrae was far, far away in his future. His thoughts shifted to the same worries for his people as every time he thought of his home country.

 _Verstael could be doing anything out there while I'm here, enjoying myself…_

But Verstael had always been able to do whatever he wanted, the prince around to keep an eye on him or not. Iris raised one eye at his state of clothing, reminding him how late it was and the long days they had ahead. They were supposed to check on everyone's prosthetic to make sure they were properly adjusted and run the installment operation on two new persons.

Right now, he was exhausted by all the social interactions. Being a lone wolf for months had made him even warier than his usual.

"Say Iris… Would it be weird if I sleep without the prosthetic on?"

Ever since he had the better version, he rarely ever removed it, except when he needed to make some light adjustments and Iris looks surprised by his inquiry.

"If you're more comfortable that way, why do you even need to ask me?"

He pulled a face and huffed, angry with himself for showing vulnerability and doubts about something that was so normal to her. Except lacking a limb wasn't normal yet for him. He was getting tired of complaining, tired of feeling insecure.

Instead of voicing it, he removed his arm and stored it at the foot of the bed, insisting it was better on the floor than being kicked off as they slept.

"You really are a worrier."

"If I was worried, I would keep the arm on," he countered.

"Or sleep with it under your pillow," she mocked him, pushing on his chest so he'd lie on his back and leaned down to kiss the scarred skin right above the metal that would always cling to his skin.

His breath caught, and he rolled them around, in the hopes regaining a semblance of control would ease the mad beating of his heart. Holding her without squashing her with only one available arm was complicated, but he managed somehow.

"Where do you keep all that energy? I'm not that old."

"Maybe you've pushed yourself too hard. Even princes need sleep," she shot back.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Ravus warned her, her playfulness rubbing off on him.

Iris was galvanized by all the laughs and positivity they had been welcomed with and her enthusiasm was contagious. They fell asleep a good two hours later, snuggled close after alternating between talks on their patients and making out like lovesick teenagers. The brunette was almost worried about the fact she could wake up from this little dream Ravus was giving her, since she'd never expected him to be this sweet even behind closed doors. But he was adamant on spoiling her and took an immense satisfaction in every smile he was able to create.

Like on every morning, Iris started by checking her phone for a message or a sign from her brother. Gladiolus was still silent, having been gone on his trials for over 5 days now. The last she'd heard of him, he was preparing to make his proposal to Crowe and then Crowe herself had sent her one message saying _We're sisters now, Ris!_

Her phone was blank of news and Iris pushed it back under her pillow, feeling Ravus's breath on her neck as he inched closer. The sudden realization that he was still sleeping had her almost jump out of bed and she carefully turned around, raising herself on one arm very slowly to verify if he was faking sleep or…

It was hard to remember a moment when Ravus had looked so peaceful. There was no worry lines on his forehead, no frown to his brow and his lips were slightly parted, Iris remembering a light snoring throughout the night. The detail made her smile and she gently replaced a few stranded locks to the sides of his face, her fingers following his strong jawline even though she was afraid of waking him.

He didn't pull away as he would have a few months back. If anything, when her hand moved back, he followed, a needy sigh escaping his lips, effectively making her gasp. His eyes blinked open, tension reclaiming his features for the briefest moment, Ravus relaxing when he recognized her next to him, his arm wounding closer around her.

"Is it morning already?" he asked, yawning against her neck.

She felt the muscles in his back moving beneath her hand, pulling as he stretched his shoulders and turned his head enough to remove some soreness. His arm was heavy around her frame and she wanted to hide closer to him, to bask in this lazy embrace for longer. He coughed once, her name rough on his sleepy voice.

"Morning or not?"

Iris almost felt the need to check her phone, even though she'd seen the clock minutes ago.

"I think it's… 5? You should definitely sleep some more."

"You're so damn warm," he whispered.

"I think it's the first time I wake up with you still in bed with me."

Ravus struggled against his haze, wondering why she sounded hopeful and sad at the same time. He had to be hearing wrong.

"That a bad thing?"

"No, on the contrary, I mean… It's… it's lonely waking up alone."

Alarmed, Ravus did his best to shift backward so he could gaze into her eyes. He cupped her face in his hand, offering her an apologetic smile.

"Maybe I was nervous about you seeing my bed hair," he teased. "Being with someone is still new. But I'll brave ridicule if it means my flower can feel less lonely."

She batted her eyes at him, before scraping at his few days stubble as though he were a cat.

"You look kinda hot actually," Iris said without thinking.

"Only kinda?" he chuckled, enjoying the blush on her face.

"Well…"

"If you have arguments for me lingering in bed every morning, now's your chance, Iris."

She wanted to protest, self-conscious of her morning breath, but his cocky smirk was getting to her and she knew no better way to wipe it off than with a kiss. He huffed at her weight on him and hummed his approval when her hands brushed against his bare chest, pressing on the small of her back to have her lying just close enough. Her phone chimed from beneath the pillow, Iris sitting up almost instantly, lips swollen and red, her hair wild.

"Convinced?"

"Not quite yet," he teased her.

Hard to believe how far the guy was ready to push his luck after being so insecure, but she was glad to feel him more comfortable around her. The giddy feeling inside her at the idea he couldn't get enough, that she had such an effect on him was better than what she'd pictured when love was a mere fantasy to her. So she followed the press of his hand on her back and leaned down, feeling adventurous and bold as she claimed his mouth again.

At the next chime, she gasped in annoyance and rolled to her side, pleading for a minute to check what was going on.

"You had me at your first smile," Ravus told her, his girlfriend beaming at him, nestling herself closer after digging up her phone. The words on her screen had her tensing.

 _Hey sis. Can we have skewers when I get back? Anak and trouts would be nice._

Her fingers flew over the digital keys.

 _Are you okay?!_

 _G: I think so. Call you soon._

She waited for something more, a smiley face, anything, but Gladio was gone and she still had no idea whether he'd finished his trial or not.

"How can he be more elusive than you?" she asked Ravus.

"If he writes, he's alive. And if he has the energy to talk about food, I bet he's done with the trials, don't you think?"

"I guess. I wish he'd straight out said he's okay. And what about Crowe?"

"Ask him?"

Iris tapped away on her phone, erasing her message a few times before sending at three of the questions on her mind. When no answer came after five minutes of staring at the screen, she heaved a disgruntled sigh.

"I'm sure they'll both be back before you know it. And you will be the first he'll call. He could be out of reception or battery."

Iris relaxed a bit between his arms.

"You're right. But I'm still worried."

"Well, you'd better wipe that dark look from your face, at least until all of our appointments are done."

It wouldn't do to greet their patients with a sad look on her face.

"I'll need cheering up."

"This gruffy bear will do what he can," he promised her, glad to see a fragile smile gracing her features.

…

Luna offered to make dinner, Noctis instantly seconding her, while Aranea decided Ignis needed a break from the kitchen.

"Lie down for a bit, it will do you some good," she said, giving him a playful pat on the butt when he finally agreed and started getting up.

"Very mature," he rolled his eyes at her, ears scarlet red.

Luna held her tongue, knowing any teasing for her friend would backfire. Aranea's splitting headache had left her after one cup of black tea and she had been on a roll ever since.

"What do you want to prepare?" Noctis asked his fiancée, following her in the kitchen. Luna had spent the entire day wearing one of his shirts and a simple pair of boxers, especially since Aranea was equally relaxed in her outfit.

It had been a lazy day for everyone, even Ignis foregoing his usual hairstyle to spend more time looking after Aranea. Noctis was looking forward to taking the warmest bath he could before the end of the day, since his back and legs hated him for being hyperactive in comparison to his usual training, but he managed to keep up with his friends, wincing only when he thought none of them were looking.

Ignis had given him painkillers to make it through the last stretch of the afternoon, understanding the young King wanted to shelter Luna at least for the day.

"What would you like to eat?" the princess asked back, snapping Noctis back to the current question.

He was already quite hungry and leaned his head over her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her to look at the recipe book she was browsing through.

"Anything with meat?"

"Think of Iggy and add veggies in there," Aranea reminded them.

"Chiffon cake for dessert?" Noctis offered.

"You actually know his favorite. Good boy. We'll make a decent friend out of you."

The dragoon patted him on the head, Luna pushing her hand off with a disapproving shake of the head.

"No patronizing my man."

"No need to be _that_ possessive, I can see the marks you made on him quite well."

Luna almost dropped the book on the floor and raised her head quickly enough to hit Noctis chin with her head, both of them wincing as they took a step back from each other.

"Marks?!" she repeated.

"Well, now there's one. Were you that far gone you'd believe anything I'd suggest?" Aranea laughed. "It's a shame you don't remember it better, because… damn!"

Noctis cleared his throat, as red in the face as Luna, who stomped her foot down, trying to hold on to her dignity.

"I don't think we were quite as intense as you the other night. No broken furniture on our part."

"That bedpost was ancient!" Aranea protested vehemently.

Footsteps grabbed their attention, Ignis peeking inside the crowded kitchen.

"Guys, if no cooking will get done in my absence, I assure you I'm fine without a break…"

"Absolutely not. I offered to cook and I'm going to keep my word," Luna interrupted him. "Shoo, you too Aranea, distract him instead of distracting us."

"Fine, fine. But no wounds when we check back on you two."

Ignis had to be bullied out of the kitchen, Aranea poking him in the ribs until he gave up on his protests and followed her outside for a walk around Cape Caem. Luna heaved a relived sigh.

"I'm not ever living this down, am I?"

Noctis chuckled, brushing her shoulder through the fabric of her shirt.

"Do it more often and Aranea will let you off the hook by the third time."

"You'd love that, wouldn't you?"

"Well, it was quite the ego booster," he admitted, raising her hand to his lips.

"Noctis, please, I meant it, I want to cook us dinner."

"I think your skin was magnetized to my hands," he defended himself, a boyish grin on his face.

Luna hung her head in defeat and shrugged his hands off, although she smiled when he purposefully bumped his hip into her.

"Dork."

They laughed together, agreeing on a recipe after only one kiss. Luna was the one to bend over to gather the ingredients while Noctis collected the kitchen tools they would need, asking for her advice on a few things.

"Batter?"

"You got to know what that means," Luna whispered, disbelief clear in her voice.

"I think I do, more or less, but I'm no chef and you of all people should know that."

"Good thing you have other redeeming qualities," she told him.

"Now I'm curious."

"No praise until you've put actual work in this recipe. And no kissing or pawing at me either!"

"Don't tell me you got tired of me already," he kidded around.

"That would be a lie. But don't get cocky, otherwise, your head won't fit the crown anymore."

Noctis laughed with her, thankful for how carefree she made him feel and the lightness to her words. He didn't want this day to stop. And from the way her eyes held his, Luna didn't want either.

…

Iris's garden was slowly infested by weeds, but the air was cooler and Ignis knew the plants wouldn't give them many more vegetables. He didn't want to bend down and pull out weeds for even half a minute. If he was honest, he didn't want to work today. And it unnerved him.

"I might be running a fever," he declared. "Or all the laziness in the air is contagious."

"You just offered to cook dinner!" Aranea protested.

"And I have nothing left to do. Cleaning's done, and _I'm not_ cleaning their sheets, there's not a single book left unread on my phone, the car's been checked and double checked…"

"Am I not fun to hang out with?"

"You most certainly are, my dear. I just feel restless. And somehow tired at the same time."

"Sounds like you need to relieve some tension."

Her voice turned sultry and Ignis couldn't deny it affected him. Deeply

"Very tempting, but… Haven't we taken too much of an over-extended break already?"

"Oh. My. Gods. I look _that_ bad?"

His eyes widened in alarm, but Aranea was waving her arms exaggeratedly to keep him away from her, her voice rising as she went on.

"Was it seeing me sick? I know I must have looked awful, but the very sound of Luna retching…"

"Aranea, this isn't funny."

"Neither are you. We all needed time off, not only Noctis."

"I know that, but it's been too long. I'm not eager to be back on the road and sleeping in campsites, but this… We're still so many steps away from being rid of the empire for good."

And he wanted to be done with it all so their lives could move on. It felt wrong to say it that way, because he didn't want to be done with Noctis. He couldn't see himself working for anyone else, he couldn't see himself not working to be honest, but as Noctis had finally gone past another wall with Luna and was growing happier with every passing hour… Ignis was reminded about the fact he needed to find his own place. A place where he didn't look only after Noctis every day.

"We'll get there," she told him, having no doubt how it resonated with his current thoughts. "Try enjoying the present for a bit longer, will you?"

He caught her fist mid-way to his chest and complied with a smile, enjoying the way her hand unfurled against his palm, her fingers intertwining with his. She convinced him to resume their walk, pulling him away from the garden invaded by weeds, not forcing him into a discussion, just wanting him to enjoy some peace and quiet. She couldn't remember how many times she'd find him hunching over a laptop, a phone screen or worrying about Noctis's rehab during the past few weeks. They followed their feet without any precise goal, either of them pulling the other this way or another, their hands holding on tightly, doing a talking all their own. Until his shoes slipped on a rock as she was tugging him down a slope, and the pair went falling in a heap, Ignis finding a way to cushion her fall, his instincts instantly kicking in to protect her. They both grunted, Aranea rubbing the spot on his ribs where her elbow had dug, Ignis raising himself up with a moan.

"Did you just trip on your feet? That never…"

"I did." He cut her off a bit too sharply, his embarrassment getting the better of him. "Are you unharmed?"

"I hit you," Aranea reminded him, "you're not that rough, even if you're a bony toothpick."

He blinked at that, reassured by the playful look on her face.

"Oww, have you… no pity? My pride is in shambles now," Ignis said as sternly as he could manage with a hacked breath.

"Good. Maybe if you remember you're human, you won't feel so bad about enjoying just a little more time off."

"Aranea, your knees are…"

He could handle her weight on him in many circumstances, but the pressure was a bit much after the sudden fall, not to mention the roots digging into his back. She shuffled to sit by his side, a sheepish sorry making it out of her mouth as Ignis leaned back on the grass with a sigh.

"What's wrong?"

There were a lot of answers he could give her, but none of them were close to the truth, especially since he had trouble pinpointing the uneasy feeling lurking behind in his mind. He could pretend it was the chancellor's shadow looming over them with every ache of pain Noctis was still going through. He could argue he was worried sick about Gladio, which was perfectly true. He needed to see all of his friends gathered around him, safe and sound and… sane mostly. Was it the isolation from the outside world, the fact living here made him feel as though the four of them were the last people on the surface of the planet with how quiet and peaceful the scenery was?

"I need to do something more. It feels like I'm always forgetting one thing and I can't say what…"

Aranea frowned, chewing on her lower lip.

"How long has this been on your mind?"

"I don't even know what this is," he groaned, running one hand through his hair in exasperation.

"Can't you accept that what you're doing right now is enough? You're a pillar to the pair of royals who will save the godsdamn world, Ig."

"This world doesn't need saving, Aria. It needs to be rebuilding. Our society runs on one and a half cities. If anything was to happen to production, if daemons grew any stronger and attacked the few fields we have…"

She paled, understanding a little better why it was so hard lately to snap him out of his thoughts when he was silent early in the morning, simply holding on to her too tightly to still be sleeping.

"This kind of worrying is too much for one single person."

"But this is what Noctis has to carry. So it's only normal I take a bit of the load off him. I mean… What kind of friend would I be if I didn't?"

Aranea leaned down next to him, running her fingers along his side until she found the ticklish spot that would always make him react no matter how serious he wanted to remain.

"Hey!"

"Just a reminder that you're of the human kind of friends. And boyfriend. If you want me to confide in you whenever I'm down, don't you think I deserve the same?"

His face fell a little.

"I'm not down. Just restless," he tried defending himself as he cupped her face with one hand. "And you do make a great job at reminding me why this world is worth fixing. Somehow, I feel like something bad is coming. I've never been this happy for such a long time before."

His words scared her more than she wanted to let him see and she gave a teasing slap to his chest in the hopes it would push away the dread slowly quenching her heart. She was scared of the same things, but spelling it out might jinx them and she didn't want anything bad. There had been enough suffering in both their lives already.

"A gut feeling you mean? You, Ignis Scientia?"

"Oh, please!"

She laughed at his outburst and ruffled his hair, unable to hold back a yelp when Ignis pulled her into his arms suddenly enough to have them rolling down the hill twice before coming to a stop with him on top of her.

"Iggy!"

"I didn't mean to send us spinning, I just…" he started apologizing.

She felt his hands nestling her head and the way he carefully held her and decided to forgive him this little tumble.

"Okay, clumsy man, come over here and lean on me some of that here and now."

She couldn't help the feeling she'd done a lousy job at cheering him up, but Ignis didn't let her linger on it, showering her in all the loving they couldn't share during the years apart.

…

Umbra whined softly, sniffling cautiously as the old maid changed his bandages. He had barely reached Tenebrae when the pain struck him, and a few children had been traumatized at the sight of wounds slashing open his dark fur out of nowhere.

"What do we have here?" A man asked on a sing-song voice.

"Why, this is… Chancellor!"

"Just Ardyn would do," he told her, removing his fedora to have a better view of the messenger dog.

Umbra's fur had rose on his back and he groaned at him, which only made the chancellor's smile wider.

"As foolishly brave as his counterpart. I'm more of a cat person…"

The maid looked confused. The country was in a state of chaos and she hadn't expected someone to show up to the nurse wing of the manor this late into the night, let alone the imperial chancellor himself. The Nifhleim officer looking after Tenebrae since Caligo's leave had been busy raiding villages and towns, forcing the people into camps to make place for imperial refugees. The resources were quickly depleting, and it was doubtful either the province of Tenebrae or the imperial city of Gralea could make it through winter without any help.

"Can I… help you?" the old woman asked politely.

"I was looking for this dog actually. And I wanted to check if you had anyone in need of healing."

The beds were all empty, but a few had still to be cleaned and the maid's face darkened.

"They were all too far gone. And only the Oracle can…"

Umbra showed his teeth as a flicker ran through Ardyn's eyes. The very mention to the Oracle had him tensing up, gritting his teeth despite his best effort to remain unaffected.

"True, true, but as I take it, no supplies will be needed?" he went on, glaring at Umbra while keeping his voice sweeter than honey.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm not the right person to ask about these details."

Ardyn's eyes finally moved to her, softening as he took in her many wrinkles and the dark spots that came with her age. Decay would look good on her.

"Very well. I'll kick things up a notch. Be sure to rest up well, doggy," the chancellor told Umbra.

…

Miles away, Noctis felt a sudden shiver and winced from the violent headache that followed.

"Are you okay?" Luna asked him.

"I…"

The ghost of the crystal voice woke up in his mind.

 _ **It's almost time.**_

 _For what?_

 _ **The reunion.**_

The voice refused to say anything more. Luna's hand was wrapped around his, her magic ready to be called and Noctis forced a smile, hoping she wouldn't see right through him.

"Light headache, I must just be hungry," he tried reassuring her.

"Or lacking sleep," Aranea quipped, effectively distracting Luna from worrying about Noctis.

He tried to tune out the new worry growing inside so he could focus on his friends and fiancée, but Noctis couldn't help wondering. Was the voice referring to him meeting the rest of the crystal? Or would they be reunited with someone else?

To be continued…

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Action will be back and once Gladio is back with the rest of the team, we should move on to Altissia. I don't want to delay it much more lol I'm impatient for the angst. And poor Umbra.

As always, reviews make me happy. 😊


	80. I may kneel, but I'll never yield

I need to mention that Umbra will be fine. As cruel and evil and horrible as Ardyn is, I won't let him harm the poor dog further. He technically harmed him already by hurting Noctis so badly. I'm grateful for the reviews and for everyone's patience. This chapter is the 80th of this story and as such I wanted to make it good. I rewrote its action a lot, the chapter ended up very Crowdio-centric, but my goal was to finally wrap up Gladio (and technically Crowe)'s trials. Believe it or not, we're almost done with that trial. Almost. This story is not going on hiatus ever, no need to worry about it, I'm just slow at writing because of school, work, RL and such. Oh yeah, writing on multiple stories at once too. That never helps lol

Noctis will come back to take center stage soon, but everyone gets his turn in the spotlight and I have been falling in love with every of these characters over and over again.

As of a light warning, this chapter contains a lot more swearing than most of this fic.

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Unexpected

Chapter 80 – I may kneel, but I'll never yield

Gladiolus had fought a giant snake, ghosts of ancient Shields, a bendersnatch, a burning griffin phoenix _thing_ and a freaking Red Giant already. Dousing himself in potions and elixirs wasn't enough, but somehow he still stood on his own two feet, his arms still managed to raise his heavy sword and he hated himself for picking such a weapon. Damage without finesse. Brute force sapping his stamina better than a horde of goblins. And now the wall was trying to kill him. It was a skeleton growing out of the wall, a stone clawing its way forward on bony arms, slashing and curling and cutting through flesh and bone alike with ease. Its red eyes burned within the empty sockets of its skull, the bones drawing a peacock-like dress after its spine. A daemon wall. The black dots in his vision were growing in number and the monster hissed at him, Gladio fighting against his urge to turn back and run in a corner where that thing couldn't reach any part of him.

 _This stuff was supposed to belong in those boogie man stories mom used to tell me…_

But daemon walls were real, as were the voices in his head and the fact Crowe was gone. It had been hours since he'd first stepped onto the Tempering Grounds. Cor was hanging back as he promised, not intervening in his trial, but Gladio wasn't sure if he hadn't touched the altar already. He felt his back hitting a pillar of stone and wondered where the cracking sound that followed was coming from.

 _Parry, block, move your godsdamn feet, keep your head in the game_ , he admonished himself.

His sword felt heavy and his body had slowed down to the point where being tossed around and breaking another potion against his thick skull felt normal. His muscles burned, and his lungs begged for a reprieve.

 _Maybe Crowe's on the other side of that wall._

 _ **Maybe you're losing your shit?**_ The voices suggested.

Their comment was followed by a strong ringing that ricocheted around his skull and his vision blanked out for an instant. He raised his sword in self-defense and felt something shove him to the side. The subsequent cry of pain came from someone else and he blinked furiously to understand who…

"Shiva's tits! Gladio, snap… out of it!" Cor grunted.

It took a couple more blinks for the Shield to regain his bearings, the ringing still strong beneath his skull and his head aching. The daemon wall struggled to shift its skeletal limbs forward, but Cor had severed one of its arms and Gladio's blade was holding the other one still. The beast's head was right between both men, its fangs were deeply planted into Cor's shoulder, the jaw almost encasing his full torso.

Gladio's heart jumped in his chest at the idea he could have gotten his father's best friend killed and his arms pushed against his sword hard enough for the second limb of the daemon wall to break.

"Oh shit! Shit, shit, shit."

"Kill that damn thing, Shield!" the Immortal snapped.

There was little blood coming out of the bites at first, but after three hits and the daemon falling down in fumes, the extent of the wounds sustained by Leonis became clear. He dropped to his knees, followed suit by a frantic Gladio. He couldn't even think of giving a look at what was beyond the daemon wall in case a monster was waiting in his haste to look after his mentor.

"We need to stop the bleeding."

"You need to get yourself together, Gladio," Cor objected, giving him a hard shove. "I know you're confused and in a lot of pain, but I didn't drag you here to see you fail like I did."

"So what, you decided you were going to pass on your title?!"

"Things are different from my time. You'll be the last Shield to do these trials, whether you like it or not. Noctis is the chosen King and as such, he needs someone strong enough to cover for him. Things have been different for you, much more different than when I tried myself at this challenge and that's because you're the last chance those monsters and spirits get at doing their job."

"You're bleeding like crazy…"

"But _I'm_ the Immortal, not you."

Cor looked too pale to sustain his comeback, but he had cracked a mega-elixir for them both and the magic drink did wonders for their nerves, halting the bleeding and clearing Gladio's daze if only for an instant. Cor's jacket, shirt and skin, were deeply torn and Gladio hoped that the white-yellowy spot he saw in between the shredded fabric wasn't a rib, but just some material wedged in somehow. He wanted to stay until one more elixir was used on Cor, but the older man was firm.

"You're almost there and I know you can do this if you only try, Gladio. I don't know if you've lost too much blood or if it's Crowe's…"

"I am _trying_! If you had just hung back, you wouldn't have gotten this hurt and I'd be…"

"Don't give me excuses, young man," Cor cut him off. "I want you to succeed. And if taking a hit for you will get your mind back in the game, then it was what I had to do. This is also what being a shield means. Knowing which sacrifices you _can_ and _can't_ make while you try to protect your charge."

Was it that selfish to want to save everyone he could?

"I failed because I couldn't bring myself to care enough," Leonis went on. "Don't go failing because you care too much to look at what is right in front of you. You overcame fighting your own father. You destroyed many creatures that a single man shouldn't be able to fight alone. There's only one thing left on your path."

Gladio wanted to talk some sense into Cor, because he didn't think he should be left on his own, but the voices hammered their protests against his skull, drumming and chanting that if he couldn't move on, he had better stop wasting their time. Souls from past warriors were burning in his veins, giving him some strength to move forward and it was all he could do. Moving on. Leaving people behind.

" _Walk tall"_ was what Regis told Noctis and he was starting to understand the weight those words might have taken on his friend.

"You'd better survive this," he told Cor. "If you don't, I'll find you and..."

"I know, I taught you that one. Go break some ancient spirit's ass and get back to the entrance with your head held high. I'll be waiting for you. Maybe I'll find your girlfriend on the way there."

Gladiolus swallowed at that, realizing his old mentor was also hoping that Crowe would resurface. Maybe all he needed to do was win and he could have her back, safe and sound. The rush of hope in his heart must have been shining in his eyes, because Cor's wince had nothing to do with his wounds.

"Wipe that stupid look from your face, Gladiolus Amicitia," he spat at him. "Help me up and get going already."

The Shield obeyed and held out his arm, pulling Cor to his feet with a grunt. The Immortal was no lightweight and didn't look quite steady on his feet.

"Are you certain…?"

"Just go!"

Gladiolus didn't insist, his sword tossed over his shoulder and his first few steps a little too hesitant to his taste.

 _Stand tall, stand strong, you told everyone you could do this._

Doing this wasn't only about proving himself, despite what he'd been telling everyone. He could get more strength from this to top the confidence he wanted. And with the monsters they were going to face, he knew he would need more power than what he had at the moment. Noctis needed him to be more than simply resourceful.

On his way down the path of stone and beyond arcs and bridges, he'd lost track of how many drops of blood had fallen from his bleeding heart. He was deeply wounded by this war he'd prepared for all his life. He'd trained himself to sustain blows and pain. He knew just how to move to use his weight as an advantage, and also how to handle himself against smaller opponents. To be honest, among humans, there wasn't many who could stand just as tall as him. And with a few more steps, just around a corner, was waiting a man bigger than any man he'd ever faced.

Gilgamesh.

The path leading to his inner sanctum was a graveyard for abandoned swords. All types of weapons had been brought here, but all the fallen had left one thing behind. Their swords. He collected them like a maniac collected bodies, leaving them to rot and rust with dry blood caking the handles and chains running between them. They tingled and clanked together, a bone-chilling melody of rusted metal that left Gladio wondering if the Swordmaster was as sick as his sanctuary looked.

 _Ursus_ , he thought, wondering why he'd slipped into such a vision for an instant. He didn't remember the guy's name being said at any point, but he still knew it.

"So… you have come," Gilgamesh said, voice altered by the mask he was wearing. Or by the fact he wasn't exactly human?

He stood two heads taller than Gladio, larger too, his armor made out of violet and dark plates of metal. His eyes shone red under the mask, his gauntlets cracking on the hilt of his favored weapon.

"I'm here to face you," Gladio stated, his sword at the ready.

The Swordmaster simply took a step forward, cocking his head to the side.

"What is your goal for taking these trials? What are you trying to prove?"

"That I'm strong enough to stand here and claim whatever prize you're hiding."

"You are strong to have come all the way here," Ursus commented. "Yet so long as fear binds your heart, you are nothing but the chain that burdens you."

"Maybe I know fear too well by now. But this fear makes me a better shield."

Mist rose from the ground and Gladiolus blinked, holding back on a gasp as beneath his eyelids, he saw a reality quite different from the bridge of stone where he was standing, if only for an instant. He blinked once more, seeing a human form different from Gilgamesh's rippling strength and otherworldly aura. It had the purest white hair and exuded a presence he knew far too well. It wasn't a spirit nor a human, and the Swordmaster sensed it too.

"You brought something strange with you, young Shield. It's almost like… a memory," he mused.

"More like a nightmare… Are we going to fight or what?"

The taller man rolled his shoulders, the metal joints of his armor cracking at the movement.

"Don't tell me you're as rusty as those old blades," Gladio smirked despite how wound up his nerves were.

"Don't get cocky now. I can pluck whatever that memory is from your corpse."

Gilgamesh took his stance and when he next moved, Gladiolus could barely follow his movements. At least with his eyes. He dodged the first attack on pure instinct, as the man had jumped off in the air. A few parries later, he'd nicked his armor and was seriously starting to wonder why he didn't wear any protective gear when he was going out on such a difficult adventure. How presumptuous could he be?

"You'll never be worthy of…"

Gilgamesh's words faded out as Gladio sensed invisible tendrils tugging on his consciousness.

 _Not her again!_

Every blink showed him Etro and he wasn't sure why. If Etro was close, that had to mean Crowe would be there too. At least he needed to believe that, otherwise…

 _She needs you to focus, man._

He was supposed to be doing this for Noctis, but proving himself was a means to surpass every situation where he'd been lacking in strength and planning. The times he hadn't looked after Iris right. That moment when he could have been fighting by his father's side and maybe prevent him from being cut down. Everytime he hadn't been able to protect Crowe… Noctis's kidnapping…

 _I need to stop weighing me down like this._

Another blink and he saw her again. Divine, deadly. Why did she have to ruin everything in his life? He kicked at the planted swords to his left, sending rusty pieces of metal flying and Gilgamesh was actually thrown out of focus as the chains' links broke, a few scrapping against his calves.

"Is this how you want to fight?"

"I thought your friends said I had been too coddled in my war-less city," Gladio grumbled. "And you keep hiding behind that stupid Etro."

The magic-riddled air changed, the Swordmaster halting in his movements, his grip on his sword shifting. And it was then that Gladio realized he had two arms instead of one, unlike the stories Cor had told him. There was a shiver beneath the armor, like a shudder and Gilgamesh's spirit pulsed, an after-image growing too large for its shell before getting back into his body.

"What the…?"

"It wasn't a memory you brought. It was _her_ …"

Gladio's heartbeat turned too quick as he noted a mix of horror and reluctant reverence to the Swordmaster's tone. His teeth were clenched so hard, his jaw was starting to hurt

The silver mane falling around his mask from beneath his hood was switching color. Turning pure white, pure black. Hinting to brown and curling a bit. Gladiolus wondered if he was imagining things by then, because that couldn't be…

 _Crowe?_

When would her body have been taken all this way into the armor of an ancient, slightly psychotic Shield?

"This is beyond trespassing, my providence."

 _His what?_ Gladio thought, keeping his stance as the Swordmaster's head whipped around so violently, his neck almost hurt in sympathy.

" _ **You make me wait centuries before achieving your promise and that's the welcome I get when I knock on your doorstep, Ursus?**_ "

"Wait a minute, Ursus?" Gladio couldn't help asking.

The armor shifted again, and Gilgamesh grunted as he struggled against his own joints, a familiar voice grunting within him.

"What did you do to me, dark light?" he demanded an answer this time.

The hair sticking out was fully brown now and when Gladio blinked, what he saw wasn't Etro. Gilgamesh also knew something was wrong, for he fought against the straps holding the armor together, his knuckles jerking almost uncontrollably and missing their goals on every try. His legs were shaking and there was a scent like burned straw in the air that made the younger Shield wary.

The magic around them was growing wild and it disrupted the Swordmaster's composure even further, his mask cracking open as his arms shook by his sides, not holding his swords anymore. Beneath the mask, her eyes were closed, and Gladio could only see half of her face, but he recognized his Crowe instantly and phased forward, all thoughts of self-preservation forgotten. His feet moved on their own, his sword slipping from his hands.

" _ **I simply thought you could keep her safe for me**_ ," Etro explained, her voice coming from everywhere in the room but Crowe's body.

Gladio phased right through the armor, his arms wrapping around the former Glaive tightly, pulling her in an embrace that freed her from the metal plates. Her limbs were lax at her sides, her chest barely raising at all, and he hurriedly checked if she was breathing. The plates and various pieces making up the Swordmaster's suit of armor collapsed to the ground, each and every last one of them crumbling to dust. Gladio had already carried Crowe a good ten feet away from the Swordmaster, just in case his spirit could try possessing her. He could see a purple form taking shape, the silhouette of a ghost growing tangible.

"This isn't how this trial is supposed to happen. Etro!" Gilgamesh finally snapped. "You ruined my armor, you mess with my challenger…"

" _ **I kept you alive!**_ " she protested.

Gladiolus wondered when he'd become a simple spectator to this altercation. Not that he would complain with his nearly comatose fiancée in his arms. He used the spiritual beings's lack of focus to his advantage, rushing down the tunnel of stones leading up to the bridge until he was out of sight, thus able to focus on Crowe alone. His body was electrified by the fact she was back, but his fatigue and stress were still making his movements slower and his brain sluggish.

"Babe, wake up," he begged her, his voice so rough he was afraid she'd pull away. "I know you're breathing, but I need some answers before I turn mad."

He held her close, her head in the crook of his shoulder, half sorry to put blood on her as she ended up pressed up against his chest, but he needed the closeness, the feel of her supported by nothing but him. Her boots were missing, and she was cold under his touch. It was impossible for him to tell she was actually battling her own fight against Etro, back in the realm of the dead.

…

With the knowledge Prompto was arriving at some point during the day, Noctis realized he had forgotten an important subject in every one of his conversations with Ignis. Having his friend to himself wasn't quite hard with how close Aranea and Luna had grown. They were actually browsing wedding gowns for the royals' wedding, Aranea making snarky comments while Luna was excited like a little girl.

"What's the matter?" Ignis asked Noctis as he took in how straight he was sitting, despite how hard it was for him without any support for his back.

He had a few suspicions as to what might be worrying his King, but somehow, this meeting felt like the first step towards the dark thoughts he'd had lately. Last time Noctis had looked at him with such haunted eyes, he'd just been cleaned up by Prompto and Gladio and was too broken to stand Luna's presence.

"I have something I need to ask you," the dark-haired man started. "And I don't think you'll like it, Ig, but I can't ask this of anyone else."

The advisor nodded, taking a seat across from him, squaring his shoulders without even realizing it.

"I haven't worn the ring since I got back," Noctis told him. "I… I need all the life-force I can have right now and…"

"Why do you feel like you need to apologize for this? Did your father wear the ring of the Lucii all the time?"

"No, but…"

"There you have it."

"But…"

Noctis wringing his hands nervously, Ignis frowning.

"No need to beat around the bush, Noct."

He hung his head, embarrassed to be reprimanded like a child.

"I… I used to carry it with me on a necklace. I've tried for the past few days, but… It made my back worse. My legs could barely hold me up. I tried wearing it and all at once, the voices were shouting at me, I thought I was having a heart attack."

Ignis took it in stride, wondering if Noctis might have had a panic attack. He wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, since the ring was a burden and his King certainly didn't need any burdens right now.

"Does Luna know?"

Noctis shook his head.

"She's been so happy lately, I don't want to ruin it. It's really selfish, but until I'm fully back on my feet… Until I absolutely need it for a battle… Would you keep the ring for me, Ignis?"

Ignis was reminded of the time when Noctis had pushed his father's crown into his hands. How it had clanked on the marbled floor. How he'd chided him for running away from his responsibilities.

 _You pushed him to be King. To lead his people. And what did he get for it?_

Trapped in a dark room for days, beaten and broken and fixed only to be broken again. Drove to near madness by ancestors who didn't care for his life or his sanity. Forced to eat decaying flesh filled with… Ignis mentally shuddered, fighting against the urge to pull Noctis into a protective hug. The advisor still had difficulties getting the King to eat enough. He would let him get away with it only because he took nutrient supplements, saddened by how he would turn queasy in front of some of his favorite fish. Pastas were an absolute no and while Noctis had never eaten so many vegetables before in his life…

 _What else are they going to do to him? What else is he supposed to give to complete their prophecy?_

"I can certainly carry it in your stead." Ignis declared, his voice even and calm, his eyes steady in that way that always reassured Noctis.

The young King sighed, only half comforted. He got up with a wince, managing the steps towards his night table and picking up a small box of cards where he'd stored the actual ring, with the small chain he'd once put it on.

"If it hurts you in anyway, you'll tell me? I know it killed Nyx Ulric and…"

"I'm certain I'll be fine, but I'll let you know if anything out of the ordinary happens."

Noctis still bit his lower lip, ashamed of asking such a thing from his best friend. His eyes had darkened and Ignis noted a light shaking sneaking up the arm holding the ring. Just touching the thing was affecting Noctis far more than it should.

"You've already been a better friend to me than I could ever be," the King sighed. "If I could, I'd throw this thing in the ocean and…"

"We're not done yet saving the world, Noct. And you need more time to heal. I'll keep it safe for you."

He extended his hand, already standing in front of his friend and brother, solemn but ready to snatch the nefarious thing from his hold if he hesitated for too long. He didn't want Noctis to suffer if he could help him.

"How fitting is it to have my Hand keep my ring?" Noctis tried to joke.

Ignis rolled his eyes at him, slightly dismayed he'd been beaten to that pun.

"Pass it here and we'll see how bad of an idea it is," the advisor declared.

The ring felt strangely cold when it landed in his palm. A brief whisper tuned out outside noises in his ears for an instant, Ignis sensing the hairs on the back of his neck raising at the foreign sensation. He'd dealt with magic before, but this was a different case.

"How do you feel?" Noctis asked him. "Iggy?"

"I'm fine," his advisor answered, storing the ring in an inner pocket of his jacket, not realizing he'd just had an absence.

"You sure?"

Ignis nodded.

"I wouldn't lie about this Noct. I'm just keeping it safe for you until the time's right."

Deep down, Ignis wanted to make sure that ring never came close enough to Noctis to cause him pain again. His baby brother was standing on his own once more and that had taken a lot of effort and suffering.

"Thank you. I know I don't need to tell you this, but don't try wearing it, under any circumstances."

Ignis nodded again, somewhat absentmindedly. That whisper was back, and he wondered what it was trying to tell him. Something was lurking in the dark, something he could almost sense and that impression had been with him for weeks now.

"Ignis, you really are fine?" Noctis insisted.

The advisor focused his eyes on him this time, cracking an encouraging smile.

"I'm fine, Noct. What would any of your ancestors even want to do with a simple advisor? You should relax and worry about your rehab. You have exercises to do."

Noctis accepted to leave it at that, promising himself to keep an eye on Ignis just in case he was trying to be his overprotective self.

…

" _Babe, wake up. I know you're breathing, but I need some answers before I turn mad."_

" _ **Well, it sounds like someone has been missing us**_ ," Etro chuckled.

"There's no _us_ ," Crowe shot back, stomping her foot on the ground which wasn't ground but space. She would never accustom herself to this place, but at least she felt somehow in control and that was enough to hold her ground against the goddess. "He misses me and if I'm going back, it's on my own this time!" she added with conviction.

Etro's towering presence was faltering and for once she appeared distracted by something, even though she had made it clear she could exist at multiple places and times without batting an eye. Both of them could hear echoes from the Tempering grounds. The sounds were faded for Crowe, but the goddess seemed struck by every new name the Swordmaster called her.

"What's up with that guy?" Crowe couldn't help herself. "Did you take such an interest in my man because he reminded you of Gilgamesh?!"

"That's Ursus and no, while both men share a title and a rather large and bulky frame, I couldn't care less about…"

"I heard some of the things you told him _that time_ ," Crowe started, clearly referring to their late afternoon time in Ravus's labs. "You were cruel but also arrogant about it. You wanted Gladio to look at you and only you. To have him revere you."

Etro's sparkling features dimmed to a flickering light, her dark eyes even colder than before, silver lips twisting in an angry pout.

"I _used_ him. Sex is nothing like the intimacy I can grant a soul by wearing it like I wear you."

The words would have made the former Glaive shiver not so long ago, but the world she stood in was neither cold nor warm and she was starting to realize she wasn't entirely there. Her words came out in a cascade of colors, violent reds and burgundies spiraling toward the goddess.

"So you wanted to "wear" Ursus and boo-hoo, he said no?" Crowe mocked her.

Anger flared in her onyx-like eyes, but after blowing out an imagined breath of annoyance, Etro regained her composure.

"You know nothing about me, Crowe."

"Oh, but I believe I know you, dark light. You're all-powerful but you've been trapped for your entire existence in your own little land of boundless dread and screaming people… and it drives you mad. You can toy with these souls, but what's the point of keeping at it when it's been an eternity already? You miss having worshippers so badly, you're ready to bask in the love a man has for someone else."

"Zip it, wannabe therapist, or I'll have to remind you how careless you've been and how many times I had to save your little worm of a baby."

Crowe couldn't stop herself, it was as if every word spit out was one more punch she was giving Etro for making her life such a hellish place during the past few months.

"Why would you even do that? You don't need my baby alive."

Silence was her only answer, Etro abruptly vanishing from her sight to reappear behind her in a violent flash of light. Her hands tried to grab at Crowe's waist and the Glaive was shocked to realize she'd reduced in size to stand just as tall, or more aptly put, just as small as her. She moved out of the way, turning on herself to face her.

"Maybe I just want to see the look on your face when the baby's born with my eyes instead of yours."

The fire burning in her stomach ran up to her hands and flames burst at her fingertips, Etro's cocky smile falling upside down.

"You can't have magic."

"The time when you could tell me what I could and couldn't do is over, you damn bitch!"

…

Gladio could hear Etro arguing with Gilgamesh which should have been surreal in itself, but Crowe suddenly gasped for air, her eyeballs rolling in their sockets as she blinked madly before settling down to look up at him with squinted eyes.

"Crowe?"

She was met with a very pale version of her fiancé and so much soreness in her body, she wanted to curl up in a ball and stop feeling anything for an instant.

"I'm back?" she croaked, surprised to hear her own voice instead of drawing colors in the air.

"Shit, baby, you scared me so much," he whispered to her, fighting against his urge to bring her into a bear hug.

"Gladio… I…" Her eyes widened, and she lifted one hand to her mouth, a shiver running up her back as her stomach lurched. "Oh no."

She had no strength to move around, but Gladio understood and helped her to her knees, holding her hair to the side as her body bent over violently, Crowe dry-heaving and spitting bile, her stomach burning so badly, tears spilled from her eyes.

"I think I have a remedy somewhere…"

"It won't help. I'm sorry, I'll be fine, I think so at least. What's going on?"

"For some reason, it sounds as though Etro is fighting Gilgamesh for me."

"She's the reason he's alive. And in exchange, he vowed to open a path for her to Eos."

She could see Gladiolus processing the news as he pulled her closer, offering her his torn sleeve to dry her mouth, clearly not caring about how she smelled. Crowe tried to distinguish his own scent, to separate it from the metallic scent of blood all over him and the grime she felt under her hands as she held on his tattered shirt.

"You mean… You mean he led her to you?"

"I don't know. I was… Etro took me to the world of the dead. I couldn't breathe, I screamed in colors, there was…"

More tears came off her eyes and Gladiolus held her tightly, stroking her hair despite the tangles in which his fingers got stuck.

"You scared me so much, vanishing like that. I can't do any of this shit without you."

"Of course you can, look where you got!"

Her fingers brushed against his chest and he whined, Crowe tensing as she felt dried and not so dried blood beneath her fingertips.

"Babe, you're…"

"I'm fine, Crowe. We need to get you out of here."

" _ **You believe physical distance will be enough to keep her away from me?**_ "

The former Glaive couldn't help a gasp of terror as she sensed Etro getting closer.

Both the goddess and Swordmaster had turned to otherworldly forms, Gilgamesh more of an afterimage of himself, the edges of his ghostly body outlined in white sparks of energy. Etro was a dark, purple mist, wrapping itself around the first Shield to move with every of his steps. Their argument was done with apparently and Gladiolus's anger flared.

"Don't tell me you're going to help that bitch!"

"Careful, Shield," Gilgamesh warned. "If it wasn't for her, there would be no blessing waiting for you. And the woman would be long gone."

Crowe desperately held on to Gladio as he got to his feet, the brunette shaking like a leaf. Her body was so sore, she hated how weak she felt and was ready to pray any god to be freed from Etro. Her fiancé pulled her away from the Swordmaster, lifting her with a single arm as he kicked his sword back into his hand. His stance was almost instantly broken, the smoke at his feet reaching up, heating the handle under his palm, his weapon dropping back to the ground.

" _ **Get away from my vessel, big boy.**_ "

"I didn't sign up for this. I'm not supposed to defeat a goddess, Swordmaster."

Gilgamesh heaved a sigh, pushing the smoke further from his body. It was so thick, it reminded Gladio of the tendrils holding him down on that day Etro had shown her full power.

"For centuries I worked on bridging worlds."

"How did that serve your King?" Gladio pointed out.

"I'm a Shield without a King," Gilgamesh snapped, his ghost swords raising in the air like an armiger, chains cracking back on the bridge. "Try not to leave your King without a Shield fighting me, Amicitia."

The tendrils of smoke had slithered up Gladio's legs, his chest rising too quickly as he remembered the last time he'd seen them. What would be worse? Crowe falling out of reach again or going back to looking in her eyes and knowing it was Etro instead of her?

"I'll pick my own fights!" Gladiolus shot back, swapping at the smoke to disperse it.

Etro hissed and Ursus shook his head, his ghostly hair moving from an invisible wind, maybe the very wind helping Etro's ethereal form to slither higher, pulling Gladio away from Crowe. She barely stood on her own, coughing and blurting out a shuddering plea.

"Not again… I can't go through it again, I…"

Gilgamesh grabbed her shoulder roughly enough to tear her sleeve open, grumbling about how fragile humans were. He might look like a ghost, but he was tangible, and his touch was so cold, Crowe couldn't hold back a scream.

"Let her go!" Gladio asked, even as his knees hit the ground, the smoke filling his lungs. The darkness seized his brain, his muscles twitching at first, his whole frame frozen by the time Ursus turned around.

He wasn't looking at the young Shield, but at the goddess he served.

"How does it work, Etro?" the Swordmaster asked impatiently, his voice not even strained from keeping Crowe's struggling under control. "How do you cleanse daemons with her?"

" _ **Hold her for me, Ursus.**_ "

The smoke gathered in a dark bolt of lightning, passing through the specter Shield and into Crowe. The transformation was slow, her eyes remaining closed as she screamed and finally pushed away Gilgamesh, flames bursting from her hands.

"I don't…" she started. "Go back to where you should be!"

Gladio tried getting back to his feet as the smoke was off of him, but the Swordmaster kicked him to the side and that was the last Crowe remembered of him before to feel Etro everywhere.

"I need to see the result first," Ursus stated.

The brown hair on Crowe's head shifted to white, Etro's voice ringing in her ears.

 _ **Home sweet…**_

"Get out!"

Crowe blinked, Gilgamesh's hands turning her around roughly as he spoke in a tongue she couldn't understand. Etro pulsed in answer. The connection wasn't fully there, it fell in and out of touch, leaving the Glaive jumping from her body to the prison of her mind too quickly. Her head hit the wall, her arms instinctively protecting her abdomen, for her baby was there, no matter how small and if no part of her could remain herself, Crowe would hold on to that little speck of life. Her jacket was torn open, her brand exposed as the skin flashed from white to silver. Her lungs felt sore, her face scraping against the stone, her shoulders trembling.

"I'll give you daemons. Now show me how you save the world."

Crowe shook and shivered, her nails growing harder, her teeth chattering together, Etro snuffing her voice and all the warmth Gladio's touch had left on her.

 _He's here, he's here, I need to snap out of it before he breaks from all of this. And before I end up too far._

 _ **Quiet, girl.**_

She was walking, but it was someone else moving her feet and she blinked, terrified of falling behind the veil Etro drew whenever she took over. Her confidence was crushed by the fact Gilgamesh was really working for the goddess, she tried to call on the magic she'd felt in the realm of the dead, but it barely answered.

A snarl in front of her and her hands were pure light, that shadow light Etro loved so much. The blight seeped into her, the daemons shifting back to their human body, the burn running up her back and her insides churned in protest, bile raising up her throat.

"Your brand changed…" Ursus observed, his voice too close, his cold hand clasped around her arm.

Another blink and Crowe could see the pale bodies lined up on the floor, she tried counting them, tried feeling how far the burn went, shrieking when her shirt was nearly ripped off. Gilgamesh wanted a better view and was drawing his own conclusions as Etro claimed her voice once more.

" _ **If I was in full control all the time…**_ "

"You blight her while you slowly work at destroying that illness? How many daemons can you even clean at once before you break her?"

His anger transpired, and Crowe felt her control coming back. Etro couldn't handle criticism from that man. It might be wrong to call the Swordmaster a mere man, but that's what he used to be once.

"The chosen King will wipe all blight from this world," Gladiolus reminded Ursus, his voice dripping with pure wrath. "So whatever use Cranky could have on Eos, she's a couple decades too late."

 _Let me see him, turn around, damn body, turn around,_ Crowe pleaded with herself.

 _ **Enough!**_ Etro protested.

"You've been dealing with my dark light," Gilgamesh understood. "…while protecting your King and that woman holding Etro together?"

"YES, thanks for noticing. Now get your hands off my woman!"

"Gladi…" Crowe tried calming him down but was cut off by the goddess wearing her soul.

 _ **I'm not letting you out again.**_

Gilgamesh let go of Crowe, her knees buckling and her hands hitting the floor, the Swordmaster's eyes twitching, a strange reflection of lights making Gladio blink too quickly.

"I need to confirm something with you, oh Etro. I abided by our pact. You crossed over now, to reach my descendant and right the scales."

Crowe coughed, wondering if her ears had heard him right, Gladiolus almost losing the grip he had on his sword.

" _ **That is correct,**_ " Etro answered.

"So, you're saying the last of my line was reduced to be your slave just in time for you to see the chosen King erase the blight from this world anyway?"

" _ **If you hadn't taken so much time…**_ "

"What was that about your line?!" Gladio asked.

Crowe's body was shifting so much in colors, it looked painful. The Swordmaster reached out to the strand on her back, drawing a line of dark blood along the white mark. His touch reversed the transformation almost instantly, the brown hair coming back, Crowe shivering, holding herself as she shuffled away from the ghostly Shield, Gladio noticing how she kept one arm tightly pressed against her stomach.

"How long has Etro been here?" Ursus asked them.

"Too many months," Crowe found herself answering, her voice white. "I heard you wrong, earlier… didn't I?"

"No, you heard me right. I cut myself from the world, but to pursue the mission given to me by Etro, I had to find a proper vessel. My original body couldn't handle dying," he explained, a brief chuckle escaping him.

"She must have been heartbroken about it," Crowe mocked him without thinking.

Having her mind to herself for a good minute had helped her regain some of her confidence, but she did blush at the puzzled look Ursus gave her. It sounded like Etro's interest in him was entirely one-sided.

"I brought changes to her church and made sure my line remained faithful to her cult. The more time passed, the harder it was to move from here, so I couldn't follow your development. But we set rules. If she took your body, she was supposed to lay your spirit to rest first."

"Thank you very much for deciding I had no right to live," Crowe spat at him.

Gladiolus helped her to a sitting position, having walked up to his fiancée, listening closely, but more worried about Etro surfacing again.

"You died, didn't you? But she kept your spirit around for some reason," Ursus mused. "Might be because a body without a soul is more fragile to the blight…"

The purple mist started growing again around the Swordmaster, Gladio growling in frustration.

"I'll defeat anything you throw my way," Gladiolus started, holding Crowe closer to him. "…but if you can, get that mad goddess off her."

"You didn't come here for this."

"I don't care about your stupid blessing. I thought I was lacking, that coming here would make me stronger, but I was wrong. I was raised so I could protect people. My King comes first and always will, but that doesn't mean I have to stop at him."

"Gladio, you don't need to…" Crowe tried calming him down, even though she was shivering so badly her teeth were nearly chattering together.

Ursus remained silent, staring at the Shield and the woman he held, his resolution genuine.

"You would rather free this woman than complete my trials? You would risk your life, thus your very King's protection for her sake?"

"I'm not dying here. And I made sure my King had other people protecting him outside of just me."

That last part seemed to shook Gilgamesh, his ethereal form squaring its shoulders.

"What are you insinuating?"

"It's preposterous to leave my King's well-being to a single person, no matter how strong that person is," Gladio argued. "It's why we have the Crownsguard and the Glaives. Crowe here, your I-don't-know-how-many-great granddaughter was a Glaive. She's been defending the chosen King and his cause. We've been saving people. Actual people and not those things!" he finished, pointing at the former daemons.

The fumes around Gilgamesh hissed and he hissed right back to it, his edges growing paler.

"From what the other Shields told me, your King was captured, tortured, broken and miraculously saved himself."

For an instant, it was Crowe supporting Gladio instead of otherwise, but as their hands instinctively looked for each other, he found his backbone and retorted to Ursus's fire with a fire all his own.

"Well, _my_ King is still alive at least."

The purple mist vanished almost entirely at that, Ursus's anger effectively pushing away Etro.

"I believe you and me have a score to settle, Shield. My descendant will stay out of it and my providence will also wait until I judge whether she should be allowed on this side of the realms or not."

Crowe wanted to protest, because she hadn't come here to see Gladio for her. Her thoughts might have been too loud, for her fiancé turned to her, whispering in her ears, "I'm not doing this only for you. I'm doing it for me. For us."

To be continued.

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I'm going to bring the trials to a close in next chapter, which means a lot of hurt/comfort is coming for Crowe and Gladio. They certainly need it. A big reunion for the team and hopefully some bro times, and siblings hurt/comfort or family feels.

I'm in the process of healing from a small surgery and I still have a lot of work ahead, but I'll keep the chapters coming. Thank you to everyone who leaves a review, a fave or just take the time to read this story. Writing it brings me a lot of joy despite all the time it consumes in my life. I can't wait to bring up the next chapter and get closer to everything I still have in store for the whole team! :D


	81. You've been weighted and measured

Last time I checked this chapter, it was 10k words long, so about 29 pages, and it was only on Gladio and his family -and not even done yet-. So I decided to cut it in two shorter chapters and sneak some chocobro time in the following chapter. I also decided to post both chapters very close to one another so we can call Gladiolus's dlc over. We have the final battle here, plus lots of hurt comfort for Crowe and Gladio, and a bit of Cornica too. I hope you'll enjoy it!

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Unexpected

Chapter 81 – You were weighted, you were measured…

Gilgamesh charged Gladiolus in a flurry of weapons, a purple armiger-like wave of translucent steel swirling around him. All the Shield could use to oppose him was his bastard sword, but he still found the energy to phase through the attacks, blood flowing through the air.

Crowe knew she wasn't supposed to interfere and it wasn't like she could. The dark purple smoke that was Etro was rising from the ground beneath her feet, snaking up around her legs and waist. She held her breath, trying to find the will to keep her mind grounded against the following assault. Invisible hands were clawing at her head, peeking inside her head. Throwing words at her to the point she was deaf to outside noises.

 _ **You are mine!**_

" _Not anymore!_ "

Her protest manifested in a crackling sound, a gust of wind surging from her hands, pushing the smoke away. Etro's presence receded to a dozen pinpricks against her skull.

"How can you?"

Lightning bolts ran at Crowe's fingertips and the fire in her stomach was stronger than before, roiling and boiling. She blinked, not sure how the magic could be hers after all this time, but it seemed to respond and her eyes spotted Gladio parrying and evading Gilgamesh's blades. She could tell how heavily he was breathing, how taxing every movement was. There was no precision to him, only brutal, hacked-through blurs of action and reactions that held off Gilgamesh. How could he hurt something already dead? He'd chopped off ethereal limbs and they were still there, reattaching themselves to the body. The electricity ran up her forearms, crackling wildly.

 _ **You can't have magic without me.**_

"I'm done letting people take everything away from me," Crowe stated, her voice filled with as much static as her hair.

Thunder growled somewhere above their heads, but the sound rolled through her. The fire within made her skin itch from the inside.

 _ **Away from you? Like you even have a right to call any of this yours!**_

Etro was too far gone to realize gloating and bullying Crowe wouldn't get her anywhere. The Glaive focused on her fiancé, on the life she felt burning in her veins. Thunder roared as two blades screeched against one another, their respective owners screaming from the sheer exertion behind every shock.

The smoke rose once more, but the wind hurling around Crowe kept it at bay. Her eyes were still brown, tearing up from the dust gathering in the air, but she remained herself even as the temperature lowered. The bridge was growing colder. Darker. The ground trembled beneath her feet and chains broke in a concert of protesting metal as Gladiolus effectively pushed Gilgamesh into his own cemetery. Dents on the spiritual armor, swords breaking with every new impact, Gladio screaming as more cuts and bruises added themselves to his aching body.

Etro roared, her voice almost drawing colors from thin air. Silvery light rolling off the patch of smoke.

 _ **You're mine, Crowe!**_

 _This thunder is mine,_ Crowe thought back. _This lightning is mine. The wind answers me. And you aren't welcome in my skin anymore. You never were._

She let the lightning go. Willed the wind to turn, spinning into a whirlwind which trapped the smoke, slowly consuming Etro's meek form. Debris flew everywhere, rocks and crystal shards drawn off the walls of the cave, hitting both Gladio and the Swordmaster. And still, the Swordmaster fought and the King's Shield being tested stood strong, finding his steps on a stone, through a rusted pile of swords, shifting, phasing, warping and moving almost as fast as Noctis could when he channeled the powers of gods.

Etro growled.

Her smoke tried stretching out of its prison to no avail. The thunder surrounded them, lightning and fire riding the wind.

Crowe shrieked.

She could feel bile in her throat, there was something wet in her ears and the claws of the goddess were on her back, her sharp teeth in her neck while the magic rushed out, stronger, stronger, sapping away at everything it could use as more fuel. The fire inside was too strong, she'd fall apart.

Ursus howled.

His mask was gone, his features deformed by age, countless battles and all the spiritual energy he was pouring into this fight. His last fight. If he still had blood and veins, he would feel the exhilaration, the thumping of his heart. He almost felt alive for the first time in centuries. With the elements swarming around him, with the weight of a hundred Shields watching over this final test, he raised his blade and found momentum.

Gladiolus bellowed, a raging beast of pain and pure wrath.

He wasn't sure which was up or down. Or why there was blood in his eyes, not feeling the cut on his forehead. His world had reduced to any space where he had footing and where Gilgamesh stood. His feet ran on the walls. Every breath made his lungs burn. Voices spoke inside his head, ancient, foreign, unwanted but he'd found a way to tune them out. To hear mere whispers while his senses focused on the here and now. Here, bleeding, now, breathing, here, parrying, now, jabbing. Kick him off his stance, forget making this pretty, just hit wherever it will hurt.

The Sacred Grounds hissed with the final blow, purple smoke dying down right as the curtain of violet steel collapsed on itself. A deafening silence took over their world, Gladio standing above Gilgamesh, the spirit holding on a battered sword.

"You've done it, Shield. I am defeated. And as for my… my flesh and blood, I believe you've proved you can serve the chosen King better with your own wits and magic."

Crowe blinked, but her eyes were rolled back, her legs buckling under her own weight. The magic she used had clearly taken one heavy toll on her, but he had little time to worry about her state and it wasn't really his place with how he had handled things so far. The Swordmaster turned his attention back to Gladiolus.

"Etro led me astray once. But there's always a path that can be followed. Shield Amicitia… I believe our chosen King's in good hands."

 _And so is my line…_

He gestured to a space behind him and a sword materialized in front of Gladio, a long katana, in its sheath.

"You broke all my favorite blades, so you might as well take the one I kept from a young man who came here a long time ago. Put it to good use."

He faded with his actual blessing.

"Next time you have to face such a fight, try to keep more blood inside before reaching your final opponent, Shield."

The Swordmaster gone, the left-over magic died down with him, the smoke vanishing in a silent whisper.

 _ **With more time, I could have…**_

Time was over. The trials were over.

…

"Gladio?" she called out, her voice sounding high-pitched from the ringing still in her ears. She'd lost track of time, track of him and now her eyes were seeing her own hands stretched out in front of her. Her knees hurt against the hard ground, but she barely had the energy to shuffle forward as his answer to his own name was a grunt of pain.

She blinked harder, her vision coming back into focus, discovering him laying on his side, blood seeping from three different wounds. Broken potions and elixir bottles were around him, his deep brown eyes shifting to her, hazy from the exhaustion. There was a sword lying next to him and she remembered the clattering of the sheath against the ground.

"That your prize for winning?" she asked him when she finally got close enough to lay one hand on his shoulder.

"What happened to you, babe? I heard you screaming."

"Etro fought me. And I pushed her away. I think… I think she's gone for good this time, Gladio."

He swallowed, clearly not expecting such a news.

"So we both won?"

Crowe felt her throat tightening at the thought he could still doubt himself after everything he'd just been through. He looked like he'd just fought an army. He tried raising himself up on one arm, his upper body straining to answer the order his brain was sending. He still managed to sit up next to her, not even trying to hide how desperate he was to hold her.

"Come here."

"Gladio, you're…"

"Just come here and don't vanish this time."

His voice broke and her heart did too. There were so many things she needed to tell him, so many words mixing together and all she could do was reach for his hands, gasping as he gripped her waist and found the strength to pull her into his lap. He nearly toppled backward, his breathing too quick, Crowe whimpering at the feel of his blood on her hands.

"How are you still conscious?" she asked him.

"How do we know she's really gone?" he shot back, his arms shivering around her frame.

Her back tensed, Crowe wondering if that thought would always haunt her.

"I…"

He moved his hands faster than she would have expected him to given how tired he looked, pushing the jacket off her shoulders and literally tearing off what was left of her shirt.

"Gladio! Don't…!"

His eyes were scanning her, his hands following her ribs all the way to her back. He didn't answer her reprimanding tone, pulling her closer and moving her hair aside to inspect her back.

"Gladiolus, please."

"I just need to make sure," he explained himself. His hands were untying her pants now, which was crossing a line, the former Glaive pushing him back as best as she could.

"I swear she's gone, I wouldn't make it up if I wasn't…!"

"I'll make this quick, Crowe, bear with me, okay?"

"Can't this wait until we're out of here?" she pleaded.

He held her waist, noticing how his blood had gotten on her skin with a wince, his breathing uneven, even raspy.

"You can't believe me?" Crowe asked him.

"I can't believe them! It's your eyes, your skin, your hair, but how do I know it's over?"

She could understand his need for absolute certainty but pointed out why this wasn't the place or time, "there's broken glass and blood everywhere and I'm…"

She wanted to tell him why she'd been protecting her stomach so much, but he was so close to shattering already.

"I'm so sorry, I… It really seems to be gone," he added, giving one last quick look to her back, rubbing her skin as he realized she was covered in goosebumps.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that to have me, Gladio. I'm not worth…"

"We're _not_ going there again! I just… How do I make us safe again?"

His tears spilled out, his arms closing around her and she held on to him, her fingers finding a way up to his hair and his fallen face.

"We only need time. If my arms can be your castle…"

"Damn, that's a good line," he tried joking around, but his mocked bravado didn't fool her. His shaking was getting worse.

"My big man," she whispered in his ear, gasping as he held her even closer.

"I should be carrying you out of this place, I should…"

His first sob rippled through her, Crowe fighting against her urge to remind him how much he needed first care.

"I love you," she told him despite the shivers in her voice.

Those words made sense and while they didn't mend everything, they gave him the permission to finally break down. For what he'd let happen to Noctis. For his father. For his mentor battered and bloodied since he couldn't hold his own against a stupid wall. He felt weak, weak, so stupidly weak and yet she still cared.

"You won, Gladio," she managed through her own tears.

"I know. I know, but I'm not sure why I came here anymore."

 _Was it for you?_

"You think you need to be stronger when you're so strong already, babe."

"Am not," he objected, raising his head a little to meet her eyes, Crowe laughing a little as she realized he was only half serious. "You'd think I would gain some confidence from this, but…"

"I'm going to need you, Gladio."

He tried calming down for her sake, since she sounded just as exhausted as him.

"We really should get out of here…"

Crowe nodded, shocked to realize that her legs barely worked when she tried to get to her feet. Gladio offered her some energy drink potion to help, having gulped down one himself, but she refused.

"If I could refrain from throwing up again," she tried explaining.

He brushed her back in a comforting way, happy to feel her leaning against him for support. He needed to keep her close.

"You still feel sick?"

"A little. But I'll be fine, don't worry."

"Love you too much for that."

He planted a kiss on her temple, helping her into his jacket and apologizing for destroying her shirt in his earlier panic.

"I guess I should feel lucky my clothes were still in one piece after being teleported between realms."

There were a thousand questions in his mind, but Gladio refrained from asking even one, knowing he wouldn't be able to get back to the entrance if he stayed in his dark thoughts.

"Are your feet okay?"

"Don't try carrying me," Crowe warned him. "If we fall down or sit, I don't think I can get up again."

"What trust," he sighed, half mocking half serious.

They tried to encourage each other for the whole trek back to the entrance, Crowe growing a little more worried about him as she realized just how far and deep within the sacred Grounds Gilgamesh's sanctuary was.

"We're not taking those _stairs_. It's a falling hazard!"

"You'll be fine, it held Cor's and my weight all the way down. All you should fear is getting splinters."

He was carrying the Genji blade like a crutch despite how disrespectful it was to the blade, and their ascension up the shifty wooden planks connecting the tunnels of the Tempering Grounds to its crevices started, slower than the rest of their progression.

"Are we half-way there yet?"

"I don't think so," he sighed against her hair.

"And you walked all this?"

The daemons corpses were gone, but she could see the few Bullettes and other creatures he'd defeated on the way. Gladiolus was shocked that they couldn't find Cor when they reached the stream and the pair struggled to climb past the rocks and not to tumble back down. The climb was so steep, he wondered if going up Ravatogh's rock would feel as hard.

Crowe tried drinking water, her throat parched and her limbs shaking from sheer exhaustion, but she felt sick once more, coughing and dry-heaving as he held her steady.

"We're almost there," he tried cheering her up, even though he was shaking just as much as her.

"I've lost track of time. How long have you been here?"

His phone was cracked on the edges, but it had been over 20 hours since they'd walked in and faced the giant snake.

"Much too long," came his answer. "I think I can carry you the rest of the way."

Her feet were sore, covered with splinters and blisters, but she knew it was nothing a potion couldn't mend. Moreover, the fact the wounds remained on her was one more sign that Etro was truly gone. Her hands were crusted with Gladio's dried blood when they finally saw the light of the day once more, Crowe's ears perceiving voices that were familiar. Said voices were arguing.

"Going along just to watch over the kids, you said, since when does watching from the sidelines means jumping between the jaws of a daemon wall?!"

"Mon…"

"You could have been ripped to pieces."

"I swore I wouldn't let him die."

"Maybe you should have trained in pushing people out of the way instead of taking yourself for a human shield."

Gladio exchanged a brief wince with Crowe, his fiancée smiling at him, understanding Monica's anger quite well.

"It's a good thing no one else ever has to take that trial after you," the Glaive observed.

He felt her fingertips brushing against his ribs as her hand moved to cover her stomach once more. Every time she felt like she was about to slip, to fall or to miss a step, she would do that. And if his mind could have worked just a tiny bit faster, he might have understood it was a sign that had nothing to do with an upset stomach. Instead they came out into the light, instantly breaking the very one-sided fight between the Immortal and Monica Elshett, the Crownsguard administrator rushing to their side with worry etched all over her face.

"You found her! And you're both in one piece! The gods be praised," she sighed, her mention to gods making them grimace, but they were already pulled in one awkward hug that left Gladio surprised and Crowe shocked. "I've had so many calls from the rest of your team wanting to know how you were doing!"

"Why? It's only been a few days…"

"Apparently," Cor started slowly from the long chair he was lying on, his chest and arms covered with bandages. He seemed to shrink a bit under the heavy glare of Monica. "The Tempering Grounds work separately from the rest of Eos when it comes to time. So while it's been a few hours for whoever stepped inside, it was three full weeks for the rest of the world."

"Are you serious?!"

"Dead serious," he coughed up an apology for his bad choice of words, Monica glaring at him even more before heaving a sigh.

"I was pretty worried since 30 years ago, when mister gave the trials a go, he spent far more than one day inside the Grounds and didn't have a watch or a working phone by the time he came back out. It had lasted over a month."

"Does this mean you've been waiting for us to get out for a couple of days?"

Monica nodded, pointing to the tent she had mounted a few feet further.

"How come you're still hitting him on the head for being hurt then?" Gladiolus couldn't help but inquire.

"Cor regained his coherency and notion of guilt this morning, so there wasn't really a point before."

The Immortal mumbled something about being perfectly coherent before, a light blush on his cheeks at Gladio's double-take on his current state.

"I was feverish and anemic, even I can't do miracles," Cor defended himself.

Crowe might have covered her mouth to hide her smirk in different circumstances. She was such a bundle of aching, shivering and raw nerves right now, she would have fallen in a heap without Gladio's arm around her.

"Enough talk, I'm glad you're alive, but we need to get you to bed."

Gladiolus felt obligated to give the Genji blade back to Cor before following Monica to the tent, but the older man refused his kind offer.

"I have all the katanas I can want. Not to mention lady Elshett wouldn't let me raise anything that heavy for the next six months. You keep it and put it to good use."

" _Lady_ Elshett?" Gladio repeated.

"Sounds to me like he's trying to egg her on'" Crowe observed.

"Like he could get under my skin that easily," Monica smiled, her arms crossed over her chest as she waited for them to take a move on.

The following hour was painful and almost degrading, since the pair needed help for every little gesture that brought them closer to sleeping. Crowe insisted that Gladio be the first to receive treatment, his wounds more physical than hers.

"I should have kept those doctors around for you. You could use a blood transfusion."

"Why, cause there's more elixir than blood in my veins?"

"Precisely."

Crowe sat quietly in a corner, wishing they could sleep in the back of Monica's trunk to the nearest city. She needed a few confirmations to what she already knew. She needed to erase the lies of Etro and find the truths within them to start off on a new leaf now that she was gone. And the silence in her mind was so deafening, it scared her. Had it always sounded like that before?

Gladio succumbed to sleep as soon as she lied down next to him, the only words they exchanged were their names, but she was happy to bask in his warmth, fighting against sleep in fear of the nightmares that could come. They might have slept for 16 hours straight, but Monica stirred them up after the first 10 hours in order to make them drink and eat just a little. She was afraid they might become dehydrated. Another four hours of rest and Gladio had too much of an appetite to stay in bed.

"You two can handle eating in the car?"

Monica was clearly eager to get Cor back to civilization and a proper hospital and while Gladio doubted Crowe's stomach was fit for traveling while eating, his fiancée insisted on it. The ride was uneventful, the former Glaive fighting against car-sickness for most of it but refusing that they stop to ease her discomfort. Gladio was the only witness to her discomfort, since they were sitting in the truck bed with enough camping equipment around them to prevent them from shifting around too much. Monica had taken tents and a load of extra packages with her to look after Cor.

"Be sure to stay hydrated, dear," Monica asked through the cabin's window.

"My gods… She really turned into full-mom mode thanks to Cor," Gladiolus sighed.

"Her Immortal boyfriend called her to help since he was half dead with a bite the same size as him on his body, I would freak out in her shoes."

Crowe's head was lying against his shoulder, both of them wanting nothing more than to snuggle with each other -outside of sleeping for a good week at least- and he held her a little bit closer.

"My goal is that you don't freak out because of me for at least one month. You think I can do it?"

"Are we resting for a full month? Because that sounds very feasible that way."

"Hopefully, we can. I'm taking you to the doctor tomorrow and then we have a practice honeymoon," he suggested.

He sounded excited by the latter, but Crowe picked up on the first part, forcing her fuzzed out heart to calm down.

"I'll take myself to the doctor, big guy, don't start patronizing me just yet."

He seemed to crumble on himself at that, his arm around her motioning to pull away.

"I'm sorry. That came off as overbearing, huh? You've been looking… kinda frail lately," he admitted, genuine care laced into every word.

There was nothing she could do to stop her heart from swelling and she held his arm closer to her.

"I know you just want me to be safe and happy. But you should realize that simply being alive right now and knowing I have you to help through whatever comes next… It's everything I need."

The smooth road shifted into bumpy terrain, tussling them against each other, but Gladio held her safely in his arms. He felt grounded and so much more solid than when she'd rushed to him on that bridge.

"I also know you have a protector complex and I don't want to fuel it if I can help it."

"You look too gorgeous to manage that," he teased her.

It wasn't too long later that they reached their destination, which was Meldacio. The Hunters' headquarters had a medical facility where both Gladio and Cor were kept for examinations while Crowe remained under Monica's care. It started with feeding her some light food and a very warm shower and a set of clean clothes.

Crowe had to admit, getting the grime, blood and dirt off of her body was vivifying. It was hard to retrieve a mirror and inspect her own back with it, but with a little contorting and snapping many more photos than needed, she could piece together a satisfying picture of her brand-less back. Etro was gone. Which meant she had only one thing left to verify.

And it had nothing to do with her potentially noble lineage.

…

Gladio took his leave of the doctor's office with the recommendation to sleep and eat as much as he could, while evading stress and physical strains for a good month or two. He was getting off easy in comparison with Cor.

"I can ask Iris to swing by Meldacio and come with us to Cape Caem, she can try and fix you a little," Gladio offered his mentor.

"And those ribs of yours. That's not a bad idea, although I'm not looking forward to hearing Clarus's daughter call me an irresponsible old man."

The mention of his father made the King's Shield lose focus for an instant, his thoughts wandering about the fact he needed to mention what he'd seen and heard to his sister once he finally saw her.

"She wouldn't say anything like that to her favorite uncle."

"Oh, shut it and just go," Cor grumbled.

Gladio had hoped to see Crowe as soon as he walked back onto the street, but his fiancée was waiting for him in the local RV. She'd prepared him half a dozen cup'a noodles with all of his favorite types of meat.

"I know it's going to clog your arteries, but I needed something that would be ready quickly and…"

She was cut off by his lips on hers, greedy and demanding while he held her with a softness that was growing almost too familiar.

"You're going to help me eat all that?"

"You bet!"

Eating instant ramen was his guilty pleasure, and despite how much salt she was ingesting, Crowe found herself perfectly capable of taking a second helping and even a third. He was happy to generously share the meat with her, hopping she wouldn't make herself sick again.

"Just watching you eat is making me hungry," he laughed.

"I can't remember the last time food settled with my stomach this well," she admitted, blushing a little.

"Say, that wasn't a stomach bug, was it?"

They had both put their chopsticks down by then, Crowe holding his serious gaze, toying with her braided hair.

"I think your genes are to blame if I end up craving ramen more than I used to."

Gladiolus blinked, eyeing her up and down as he muttered something unintelligible. She'd been sick for days. Always reaching out to protect her stomach. As his eyes lowered to her abdomen, her hands followed, and he felt his throat tightening.

"Are you…? You're kidding me, aren't you?"

"No. Gladio, I'm pregnant." She gave him some time to answer, but he simply stared at her, too shocked to voice a reaction. So she did the only thing she would do when he left her hanging. She started rambling. "Etro told me so in her own ways at first, and I did a test, but it came out negative, so I believed she was messing with me," she gestured wildly as she went on. "I wanted to come with you and you'd never let me if I really was with child. But in the Tempering Grounds and the plane of the dead… I felt it. I took another test, three to be honest, because I wanted to be sure. They all came out positive."

"A baby…" he repeated, his voice lower than his usual. "How… Is it…? I mean, is _the baby_ okay despite everything we just went through?"

Crowe had to bite down on her lower lip to refrain the contented sound rushing up her throat as she realized he didn't want to call their child an "it".

"I have more tests scheduled tomorrow, but everything seemed fine if I'm to believe the doctor I saw. Etro kept protecting us."

She wanted to smile fully, because at any other time, this should have been a good news. He wanted to marry her, there was no reason starting a family could feel wrong. And yet… Gladio sensed her tension and was clearly affected by it as much as the news.

"What does Etro have to do with this?"

Her face fell a little more.

"I think…" the following words were harder to get out, Crowe forcing herself. "I think we conceived it on your birthday. She said…" she covered her mouth, closing her eyes and shook her head as a shiver threatened to run up her spine. "She said she wanted to see the look on my face when it was born with her eyes."

"That sick bitch! No matter when it was conceived, that baby is _ours_."

She gasped, realizing his voice was much closer than before, letting out a yelp as he lifted her in his arms without a warning. Her resolve faltered from being held, tears welling up.

"This isn't how I wanted to give you a family," she tried to apologize.

Gladio shook his head.

"Who cares?"

"I do! I don't want our child to have been conceived when she was possessing me."

"Crowe, baby, we haven't been very careful since that point. You wouldn't let me take my hands off you even to grab protection on that night."

"I know that! I'm sorry."

Gladio carried her to the bed, sitting with her in his lap, stroking her hair as she fought against a violent sob.

"Why should you be sorry?"

"The baby made her weaker, you know? She said there wasn't much place left for her and I think that with Aranea's intervention in Insomnia and what happened earlier…"

"I don't get how that makes you guilty of anything," Gladio told her, trying to piece all the information she was dumping on him together.

"It feels like I used you," Crowe explained.

"Oh, but you should use me thoroughly if that's the only way you do it."

She slapped his chest, the clap sound resounding a bit more than she'd expected, both of them wincing.

"Oww. Okay, okay, I take it back. I just love the idea you can't get enough of me."

"Gladio!"

"You need to help me with my self-esteem, Crowe." That earned him a new slap, one that he caught mid-way so he could kiss her fingertips and hold her hand, effectively making her blush. "You're pregnant with my child. And that helped chasing Cranky away?"

"I think it did."

"So I did help?"

Looking up at him, she saw how tentative his smile was, his nervous fidgeting giving her the urge to fidget too, but instead she shook her head yes. His smile grew, boyish and pure, and she spotted tears in his eyes.

"Not only by making me pregnant, you…" she tried to tell him, but her voice was shivering in and out.

Raising her hands to her cheeks, she found them wet and warm.

"It's okay, Crowe."

"What are we going to do now?"

He grabbed her hand, not sure how to answer, but she wouldn't give him any time, her voice raising a little too high as emotion caught the better of her, "Keep the baby?" she started, shivering as though the thought of giving it up made her sick and Gladiolus swallowed, at a loss for words. "What if I'm only alive as long as the pregnancy lasts and when the birth happens, I…?"

Her voice broke and his hold on her grew too strong, to the point she yelped in pain.

"I'm sorry, babe," he started, easing his embrace and gently rubbing her back. "Don't say stuff like that. I want time with you."

His lips found her temple, her eyelids, his beard tickling and prickling and she wanted to hide against him, but her heart was beating too quickly and she had to ask.

"How much time?"

"As much as you can handle with me around," he answered matter-of-factly. Her eyes widened with more questions in them and he insisted, "I mean it, Crowe. I want years. And when I asked you to be my family I didn't mean you had to kick up the baby production just yet…"

She did laugh through her tears, her heart calming if only a little.

"Hold me. I don't think I can stop right now."

"I got you."

His lips brushed against her forehead and it was so, so comforting, she relinquished the last hold she had on her accumulated pain and fear. She broke down in his arms, allowing herself to sob against his chest until she was a shivering mess of sniffling and tangled hair.

"I must look so awful," she sighed when the worst of it had passed.

"I love you," came Gladio's reply.

"Which me?"

"What kind of question is that?"

He knew, but it still hurt and he needed to get over it if they had so many new challenges waiting for them.

"It feels like I haven't been myself around you. I've been so weak and broken."

His hands cupped her face, drying her tears with his thumbs.

"We've both seen each other at our worst and at our best. You're a badass, Crowe. I don't want to leave your side, even now that you don't need me around to repel some parasitic goddess."

She held his large hands, trying to sit still instead of trembling like a leaf.

"You're pretty badass yourself. And somehow you rock that ridiculous hairstyle. I don't want anyone else by my side."

"That's sweet. Would make some nice vows, don't you think?"

"Aww. I think I need to wipe my nose and freshen up before you turn me to absolute mush, Gladio."

"You, mush?!" he repeated.

To be continued…

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Poor Gladio and Crowe will both need more comfort in the nearest future, but the story is over with another arc, finally! Next chapter will be up very soon, since I only need to fix one last part in it before I'm happy with the end result. You know I work on feedback and it really helps.

My wound from the surgery is healing well, I just had a really busy week last week and the next one will be equally busy (my life is pretty hectic with how many projects I work on), so I need to get school work done in the meantime, if I can find the will and the energy for it. Wish me luck and I hope everything is going well for each of you. 😊


	82. Auntie Iris

This chapter is hurt/comfort all the way, with lots of sibling times, for the Amicitia and also the Fleuret. Some chocobros time, but there will be more. I hope you enjoy. I'll go sleep before my big week of work.

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Unexpected

Chapter 82 – Auntie Iris

Ravus wasn't sure how many times he'd tried comforting Iris on their way to Meldacio. She'd talked with her brother and she knew he was still hurt. She also knew he had big news for her, because he had suggested that she extended her stay in the hunters's headquarters. The prince suspected he wouldn't be greeted with the same welcome, but he wanted to stick around if only to offer his support to the younger Amicitia.

"He said Cor needed to receive treatment."

"I know, Ris. You told me so over ten times already."

"I'm sorry."

"I didn't mean it like that. I just… They're going to be fine in the long run and that's what matters."

But if her brother wanted her to fix the Immortal, if the Immortal himself needed to be fixed, it had to mean things had gone pretty bad in her mind.

"I bet Cor would rather you don't heal him," Ravus added.

"Which is why Gladio wants me to help him. You didn't hear him on the phone."

They both sighed. This talk was getting old and repetitive and he missed her smiles. Every time she thought of her brother and what could be happening to him, she would burry back in herself, refusing to come back unless it was because of a kid in Free Crown or Ravus pushing her around with tickling or one of her favorite songs playing on his phone. But when travelling, it was hard to find a good way to snap her back to joyful thoughts.

"Iris, how can I support you?"

She looked up at him with wide eyes, shocked to hear him asking her such a thing.

"Having you here with me is plenty," Iris told him.

"Well, I wish we were riding the same bird."

"So you can bump into me for hours and be extra uncomfortable when we walk up to my brother?"

He chuckled, wondering if she'd have the nerves to ask him such a question in public.

"At least I would be distracted with hiding my _discomfort_ ," Ravus quipped back.

She rolled her eyes at him, the smirk not leaving her face entirely. That brief exchange was enough to remind her prince of how far along they'd come. To think they could actually joke about his hard-ons…

"We're almost there," she observed, adding with a brief look at him from over her shoulder. "You'd better behave, polar bear."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

He might have pointed out how eager she'd been during their whole stay in Free Crown if their chocobos hadn't passed right over the bridge leading to Meldacio's outpost, which meant stepping back into civilization. The improbable pair had gone out on an actual date one time and Ravus wasn't against the idea of trying it again. He might actually surpass his fear of what people might think about their match. He always made it his task to jump off his bird first so he could catch her in his arms and wouldn't let go of her right away, getting a hug and one light kiss for the attention.

Their welcoming committee was composed of Gladiolus, Crowe, Cor and Monica, and it was clear from the shocked look on Cor's face that he hadn't expected that development. He elbowed Gladio's waist, not reaching much higher as he sat in a wheel chair.

"When were you going to tell me your sister was the victim of statutory rape?"

"Shit, Leonis, I've had enough of a hard time swallowing down that pill, no need to call it that!"

"Does Iris look like a victim to you or am I the only one seeing her smile?!" Crowe intervened.

"Quiet," Monica ordered the three of them, "this is a family reunion, not a jury trial."

Iris and Ravus were well within hearing distance by then and Cor was the only one who forced his smile, focusing his attention on the brunette. The pair had stationed their birds by the entrance, spotting their friends quickly enough. Iris broke into a run as soon as she saw her brother standing by the RV, the former Nif commander not far behind, but walking instead of rushing forward.

"What happened to you?" Iris asked them, almost tumbling in Gladio's arms in her haste, which made him wince, but neither of them cared, not after the anxious wait he'd subjected her to.

He couldn't find his voice right away, his eyes taking her in, the fact no foot was missing, all her fingers were on her hands, there was no scar on her face, she sounded glad to see him instead of… He swallowed the knot in his throat, struggling to push away the bad memories.

"Slow down, sis, we're all here and in one piece."

"Barely!" she protested, pushing against his shoulders only to see how strong he stood, her brother huffing in protest.

"I'm bruised black and blue, Ris… But in one piece still."

"I asked you a thousand questions and all you did was ask for food, Gladio!"

"In my defense, I was hungry and very exhausted when I wrote that text. The three weeks we were away was only 20 hours for Crowe and I."

She blinked, trying to look up at Crowe, since she had been worried about her too, but Gladio pulled her into an actual hug, his breathing shifting as he trembled. Iris hugged him back, a ball the size of her fist forming in her throat as held back pain and fear gathered up inside of her. He was alive. He was alive and it was the first time someone made it out of the trials in 30 years. She hadn't lost her entire family, yet somehow, it felt as though he was still lost.

"What's wrong, brother?"

A shudder rang through him, his shoulders heaving, and she gasped as realization hit. He was crying.

"I missed you," he confessed.

"You idiot! I missed you too, but I was so scared you wouldn't come back!"

"I'd promised I'd be back. I can't fail you through every…stupid crisis."

"What are you…?"

"Oh, Gladio…" Crowe sighed, her voice just as shaken as his.

Iris felt her arm on her back and held the Glaive right back, not sure she'd get any answers before her brother had calmed down.

"I'll be fine," he whispered. "I have the blessing, I just… I saw things in there, Iris. I fought them, and I won somehow, but…"

His voice broke and it hurt so bad, Iris wasn't sure why her tears weren't falling. What had he done to himself to be in such a state?

"You kids should take this inside," Cor offered.

His intervention seemed to ground Gladiolus, reminding him that he was standing in the middle of the street.

"That question earlier applied to you too," Iris commented, turning her attention to Cor while not letting go of her brother.

"We might have fought a daemon wall among other things. And I would be up and about if it wasn't for my caretaker."

"One of us needs to be realistic, Cor. His veins are so filled with elixir, I swear his urine has turned green."

Smiles cracked on their faces while the Immortal nearly jumped out of his chair, glaring at Monica.

"Sounds like someone needs some healing ASAP to regain his freedom," the youngest of the group stated.

Gladio squeezed her waist in approval, his grin growing larger at the confidence in her voice. His younger sister had grown so quickly… Iris threw a look over her shoulder, spotting Ravus on the other side of the street. He was starting to fit in well with the Lucians, dressed in black and brown, arguing with Sania about some science facts. A simple nod was exchanged between the pair, Gladiolus not feeling quite as overprotective at the familiarity he saw between them. It would be pretty hypocritical after all this time.

The King's Shield focused on his mentor, taking over the wheelchair pushing, even though Cor usually made a point of rolling his own chair from place to place. Monica and Crowe walked on either side of Iris as they followed the men to the motel where the Immortal and his unofficial nurse were staying.

"How was your visit to Free Crown?" Monica inquired.

"It was great! Lots of follow-ups on patients and a few surgeries here and there, but it helped keep my mind busy."

"We really worried you, didn't we?" Crowe sighed. "If my phone hadn't broke, I would have tried writing, but travelling through space isn't quite…"

"Travelling through space?!" Iris repeated.

Crowe bit her lower lip, while Monica hurried forward to open the door to the motel room for Cor's wheelchair.

"It's a tough one to explain. To make a long story short, I had a weird experience with Etro. And now she's gone."

To prove her point, Crowe raised her shirt high enough to show Iris her back, the young girl hastily pushing the shirt back even though the gesture wasn't quite indecent, while congratulating her.

"But that's… that's some amazing news! Gladio, why didn't you tell me about this first?!"

"We thought we'd better keep some good news to make up for how tired we both look," her brother shot from over his shoulder.

Cor grunted as they passed the threshold, clearly not eager for what was coming next. Iris understood when Gladiolus lifted the Immortal in his arms to lay him on the bed. She had to wonder who was exaggerating, the caregivers or the wounded man who insisted he could walk. She turned white when he was stripped of his shirt. Blood had seeped through his bandages, which barely covered the entirety of the main wound worrying Monica.

"I think Crowe and Gladio could still use some rest while we work here," the administrator offered, exchanging a brief look with Iris, who nodded her ascent.

"I'll meet up with you two when I'm sure he's fine," the younger Amicitia promised.

"Okay then. Don't overdo it, sis."

While she wanted to keep some strength to comfort her brother, Iris asked herself how little she could hold back to patch up Cor. The bruises all over him had paled to yellow and green, but he still had broken ribs and thinning muscles if her memory wasn't playing tricks on her. And the metallic smell invading her nose, fresh blood on top of disinfectant made her wonder just how deep the cut went.

"How big is a daemon wall?" Iris asked.

"Bigger than in the stories," Cor declared. "Fix what you can, Iris, but don't waste too much magic on my old bones."

From the look on his face, he knew some of the damage was irreversible. He'd seen Gladio through his trials and while he still wanted to protect Lucis and do everything he could to support his new King, Cor was too pragmatic to ignore his own state.

"I'll assert what I can first. Where are his charts?"

It didn't take long for Iris to chide him on refusing to stay in the hospital. When she understood he'd insisted on staying by the entrance of the Sacred grounds instead of going back to the civilization to receive immediate care and made himself worse that way… Well, she had a good idea why Gladio had been so keen on her healing the Immortal.

Cor's patience was thin, but when he started dismissing her comments, Iris proved her own patience was even thinner.

"You've got nerve damage, broken bones, a lot of your wounds are still open and bleeding and your kidneys are failing to top it off, so you're damn lucky not to be dead! You're not ancient yet and we're going to need people with your knowledge when it's time to actually rebuild our political system."

Cor took it in strides.

"I've got all my wits, all I ask is that you get me on my feet."

"Like I can do that in one session of healing. Waiting for so long before to even get treatment could have lead you to all kinds of medical complications. Not to mention those infections I can see peeking out. But I can sense _it_ from here."

Her fingers had lit up and her hair stood up on her neck as she finished her assessment with her magic instead of the charts.

"Sense what?" Cor groaned.

"A daemon wall bit you all over the chest, Leonis, what did you expect? The blight has to be hiding in there and I feel it."

Cor cursed under his breath while Monica paled a few shades.

"I knew this dark spot on your shoulder wasn't just the skin healing badly! We could have called Lunafreya…!"

"And worry the King when he's still getting back on his feet? I might still have some life in me, but I'm not worth that much to…!"

Iris stepped up to his bedside, unable to hold back her arm, the slap she gave him ringing across the room.

"I'm sick of people thinking they're expandable! That's what got our father killed, that's what drove Gladio to even roll with those trials! I can fix a lot of things, but the older the wounds, the harder it is."

"I wasn't going to call you when your brother still had to come out, Iris. Guys like me were fine without the help of white mages back in the day."

A cough escaped as his voice rose and the tension in the room broke, Iris shaking her head at him and focused on the light at her fingertips.

"Calm down and let me see what I can fix," she asked.

The older man obeyed, hissing as Iris undid the bandages to see the damage with her own eyes. His waist had narrowed, some muscles acting up on his right arm, and the blight growing on his shoulder was a nasty shade of dark purple. The start of an infection had settled on his left side, purulence showing along the raw and bleeding skin, but it was superficial. After healing it, she tried herself on the blight only to realize her magic faded when directed to the illness.

"We'll have to disturb Luna after all to fix that. I can't believe no one from that hospital realized what this was. Keeping it to yourself could lead to eventual contamination and more trouble for the Oracle than going to her in the first place. So please, see her as soon as you can. No trying to hold on just to let the royals relax. From what I heard, Noctis is doing a lot better than he used to."

"You're right. That last bit about the king is good to hear," Cor sighed, leaning back against the headboard.

"Cor…" Monica started.

He grunted, clearly knowing what the woman was expecting from him. He turned his attention to the young girl who was changing his bandages.

"I'm grateful for your help, Iris. I know I've been lacking when it came to look after you ever since Insomnia went down…"

"I hope you realize I don't need people looking after me. Not if they look after themselves like that," she added, poking his tender ribs.

"Point taken," he winced, offering her half a smile. Iris couldn't remember the last time she'd seen his face lighten up. "Go look after your brother before I ask you to fix my back pain."

"Try to heal up so Monica can act like your girlfriend and not your nurse-slash-mom."

"A word of advice, Iris, you shouldn't change the way you treat someone because of how wounded they are."

Iris saw the heavy look he shot to Monica and offered a brief nod. The Lion still had its claws and that was comforting in its own way.

"I think he needs a hug," she whispered to the administrator on her way out.

"Don't worry, I'll be good to him."

…

Gladiolus had gone directly to the RV he shared with Crowe, even though she'd suggested greeting Ravus.

"I know he's good to Iris, but I'm so nervous right now, I might punch him without even meaning to."

"I don't want you in any fight right now," Crowe confessed, her hand reaching for his.

He squeezed her palm, heaving a sigh, "I'll be in fights before you know it, babe."

"As long as you always make it out alive. I know you're big and strong, but our baby will be so small."

Her nerves were still fragile and Gladio understood where she was coming from. They were both still wrapping their heads around the idea of the pregnancy. He pulled her in his arms, his hand covering her abdomen protectively.

"We'll be fine. You defeated a goddess and I got rid of the oldest ghost of history."

She relaxed a little more in his embrace, her tension returning with the knock on the door and the way she jumped next to him.

"You're so on edge, we need to get you to really relax, sunshine."

"Please, tell me that nickname won't stick," she laughed despite herself, stepping away to open the door to Iris.

"How'd it go with Cor?"

"He'll need to see Luna, only the Oracle can cure the blight," her brother tensed at that, his mouth opening but she quickly added, "I promise you, he'll live." That seemed to calm him, and Iris could settle for the question she'd been burning to ask ever since they'd left. "How about you two fill me in on what we all missed while you were off on those trials?"

They started with the giant snake, sparing her the worst details. Iris sat on the other side of the room, Gladio leaning forward as he sat on the bed with Crowe, both of them encouraging each other with small touches throughout the recounting of their experience. But by the time it got the point Gladio had to mention Clarus, he fell silent.

"Maybe it would be better if I let you two talk between siblings for this, what do you say big guy?" Crowe offered.

Iris frowned.

"That's… If you're okay with it…" the Shield sighed.

"I need to stretch my legs a little. I'll be right around the corner," the former glaive said, patting his knee and giving his hand a brief squeeze before getting up.

Iris stared in silence, not used to seeing Crowe being so careful with her brother. She remembered his tears from earlier and wasn't sure what news was waiting for her. Even after Crowe had closed the door behind her with one last worried look for Gladiolus, the silence remained. Her brother sat there, glaring at his hands, face pale. A light shiver ran up her spine as she realized his left leg was tilting, like he did every time he had bad news for her.

"Gladio…"

He looked up at her, forcing a self-derisive smile.

"I'm making you nervous just gathering my nerves, huh? I'm sorry." He shook his head, almost biting his tongue and ran a shaky hand through his hair, repeating his apology. "I saw a lot of bad stuff on those Grounds. A daemon wall, a griffin or a phoenix, a Bendersnatch, Iron Giants…"

"That explains those wounds you have," Iris observed. "More scars for your collection I imagine…"

The one crossing his forehead bothered her, but his chest was marred with a few more she could barely make out due to his bruises.

"Maybe that's a good angle for me. I got that one from the Swordmaster himself," he explained, pointing at his forehead.

"I hope you repaid him in kind."

"He's gone, so I guess I did," he said, slowly parting his jacket to outline the horizontal scar following his abs.

"That one was… There were ghosts in there, sis. Every King's Shields before me. _Every_ single one of them."

From the shiver in his voice to the way he could barely hold her eyes, Iris knew what he meant and fought against the new knot in her throat.

"You mean our dad…?"

"He was more defined than the others, corporeal and… angrier too. He had his sword, his armor, his... He must have thought I needed a souvenir right at the start of the trials."

Iris held herself, listening intently as her brother went on. She couldn't even imagine what it must have been like. Seeing Clarus again. Seeing him and being forced to clash steel with him when it had to be the last thing Gladio wanted…

"He asked about you," her brother explained, his voice hoarse. "He was mad at me as usual, but… he was still worried about you, sister."

"Why do you say it like that?!" her voice came out higher than intended. "You know he would be worried for you too, the fact you were risking your life was certainly why he was mad," Iris shot back, hastily drying the tears welling up, but more came back.

"I didn't mean to compare things. My point is… Dad loves you enough to keep worrying when he's a ghost, Iris. Meanwhile, I ended up… killing him a second time. And I want… I _need_ to apologize for that, it's not fair that I got to see him, or that…! I'm sorry, Ris… I wanted to get him to talk more, to have an actual message…"

She jumped to her feet at that, Gladio sniffling as he tried to keep his head together. He was tired of breaking down, tired of letting his sister down and fed up with all of his failures.

"There's nothing to apologize about!"

"I cut him to pieces, Ris! Dad fell into dust, but not before chiding me for taking the trials and leaving Noctis on his own and… After failing Noctis like I did, why did I even think it would be a good idea to just leave him behind?"

Something clicked in her mind as she picked up on a word he'd used.

"You're calling him dad. You almost never…"

He would call him Clarus or father, because their father expected Gladiolus to be responsible and a professional and not to let their connection as family impact on his work.

Gladiolus swallowed, his chest heaving with every harsh breath he took as he tried to stay calm and failed miserably. The tears were back, and his hands shook despite being pressed against his thighs. His sister got across the room, covering his hands with her own.

"Gladdy…"

A shuddered gasp escaped his lips and the valves must have opened, for a dam broke, letting out a wave of words.

"I disappointed him once more, Iris. He saw every failure since Insomnia, he knew Noctis was hurt, he knew I barely kept you safe, he knew of Crowe and the danger I put the team under by falling for her. I tried to reason him, but he's never listened, and his ghost wasn't different."

Iris remembered how worked up Gladio would get after arguing with their father. How he'd trained himself until he'd throw up and his hands were covered with blisters and blood under his gloves. How he'd fall asleep while playing with her because of how exhausted he was. And through it all, he'd never cried, he'd never complained, muscling through everything like it was nothing.

The more she thought of Clarus, the less she remembered of the actual man. He'd been so busy with work, so busy with Regis and protecting him and making sure Gladio was a perfect Shield. She was more worried about her brother and Cor Leonis than for her own father's ghost.

 _Is something wrong with me?_

"Dad loved you, Gladio. I know he was proud of you."

Her arms wrapped around his head, which was shaking left and right.

"I killed him, Iris! Cor would say it was self-defense but… Even if dad was alive, I know he wouldn't have come with me in there. He'd never throw himself into the daemon wall's jaw for me. And I don't know if I can do that for Noct, even if it's all I'm good for."

Iris wanted to slap him, but his arms held her as sobs took over his voice and it broke her. His pain was primal, old and as far as she looked in her memories, it was hard to spot one where Clarus had shown he cared about Gladio more than as a simple bodyguard to the chosen King.

"You're good for a lot more than that, brother, you know better."

Her hands shook as she stroked his hair. She couldn't remember a time when she'd had to comfort him, it was always him looking after her, pushing her back up when she was down, lifting her from the ground and throwing her on his shoulder even when she turned 14-years-old.

"He asked me to be stronger, but I'm at my limit. They tested me and I almost failed. Voices in my head, Crowe vanishing into thin air, I kept bleeding and hallucinating. You were so angry with me…"

"What?! Gladio, I'm angry at a lot of things, but not you."

"I know. I know I need to go forward, but I'm not sure…" His violent hiccup almost made her jump and she couldn't help trembling with him.

"You're strong enough, Gladio," she started despite her shivering voice, "…and if our dad was too shitty to realize it, at least we have Cor to see you for what you really are."

"What the hell, Iris?"

He looked up to her, Iris shaking her head at him.

"How wrong is it that I feel more worried about Cor than that ghost you saw?" she tried explained herself. "Dad's cold in the ground and you were there for me far more than he ever was. I know he was on your back all the time, but you turned out great. He knew it too. He only pushed because…"

Her voice faltered and Gladio tried swallowing the knot in his throat.

"Cause he didn't know what else to do," he finished her sentence, realizing she was crying too now.

"I'm not mad at you for winning against his ghost, brother. I would have been mad if you didn't come back to me. We're a small family, but a family still."

"Yeah," he croaked back. "I'm sorry I made you cry, sis."

"No, it's… I don't really miss dad anymore, you know? I just hadn't realized you were still…"

"There were times when I hated him. For being such a pain. For missing out on you growing up. For dying like that. And now I've actually killed him in some messed-up way and it's like I've acted out on all the bad thoughts I ever had in the back of my head…"

"No, no, you did what you had to."

The sobs won over him and she gave him time, crying with him because this trial had tested him in such a twisted way. No one should bear such a burden. When the worst of the storm had passed, his head settled against her chest and the shaking gone, she stroked his shoulders encouragingly.

"I'm very proud of you, Gladdy."

He sniffed, biting back on a self-derisive laugh, wishing his eyes didn't sting so much and he didn't feel too ashamed to look up. Instead, his voice came out hoarse with emotion.

"You're too kind, Ris. Much too kind."

"That's what you taught me. When you're not stressed out and at your wits' ends, you're the kindest man I know."

This time, he snickered, shaking his head and he sit up straight, Iris shaking her head at him.

"You need to blow that nose, big baby."

He wiped it on his sleeve instead, feeling himself more grounded now that he knew she didn't resent him for their father.

"I'm sorry for being such a mess. It's been a lot… But I've covered all the bad news. And you don't get to call me "big baby" anymore."

She frowned at him and as if Crowe knew what was being said, she knocked at the door right then.

"Shit, she's got better timing than I ever had. Come in, babe."

"How are you two doing?"

It was clear both siblings had been crying and Crowe gave them each a hug, Gladio not letting go of her despite her protest, pulling her in his lap so his arms remained securely around her. Iris dried what remained of her own tears, taking a step back and realizing she was more shaken then she'd first thought.

"I want to tell her our good news," Gladio said. "We've had enough clouds already, sunshine."

"Okay," Crowe whispered back, a tentative smile on her face as she turned her attention to Iris.

"Should I sit down for this? What are you two conspiring about now?" Iris asked, not sure her legs would hold her through one more surprise.

"Come here, sis," Gladio gestured to the small spot next to him on the bed, "you're pretty pale." He waited until she had sat down, ruffling her hair and giving her shoulder a squeeze after she'd batted his hand away with a grin. "Crowe and I agreed we'd better tell you first about it. Since you're going to become an aunt!"

She blinked, once and twice, looking at Crowe for confirmation and finding herself smiling as her brain slowly processed the idea.

"You're pregnant? When did… I mean how far along can you even be?!"

"8 to 10 weeks. At least, I think it's about right."

Iris knew she should congratulate them, but it was hard to accept the idea and instinct took over, the magic at her fingertips awaking of its own accord, the question barely getting out of her mouth, but Crowe understood and nodded. The merest touch was enough to confirm what they'd told her. Life was growing in the former Glaive's stomach, a small, tiny life that would change her family in only a few months.

"Can you sense it?" Gladio asked.

"I can. I've never sensed a pregnant woman before, but I have a second heartbeat and… This is incredible, Crowe!"

Her sister-in-law to be couldn't help a nervous giggle, holding her hands to her, her arms shaking a little. She was overwhelmed, but Iris continued, "it feels so healthy. I think, I think it's a boy!"

"What? Isn't it too soon?"

"It's magic, Gladio, I've learned to sense stuff. Lots of testosterone in there."

She blinked as she took her hands off Crowe, realizing that saying out loud what she'd sensed might not have been the best choice.

"I'm sorry, maybe you wanted a surprise… It's not an exact science."

Crowe shook her head, while Gladio looked dumbfounded.

"Shit. Yesterday it was baby and now it's a boy?"

"Our baby boy," Crowe whispered, just as shocked.

He held her closer, kissing her hair, covering the hand with which she was stroking her stomach.

"Congratulations," Iris managed, her throat tightening as she saw the many emotions crossing her brother's face.

Doubt, joy, excitement, pride and a hint of fear.

"It really sounds crazy, doesn't it?"

"You know, this might be what we all need. A reminder that life goes on," Iris observed. "You always need to do things big, don't you? I would have been find with having a sister, but you top it with a nephew."

They laughed together, Gladiolus pulling her into another hug and the three of them stayed in that family embrace for a long, long time.

…

Ravus hadn't expected Iris to jump into his arms when she'd come back, or that she would start crying right as he held her, but then again, he had no idea what was going on even if he'd tried snooping around for information.

"Hey. Tell me who I need to beat up first, would you?"

She laughed and shook her head, hiding against his chest as best as she could.

"I'm not sad, Rave, just… overwhelmed."

He sat down with her in his lap after closing the door of their room, which was situated on the other side of the motel where Cor was staying.

"No bad news then?" the prince asked.

"No, on the contrary. Crowe's pregnant."

"What?! He drags her through the trials of hell while pregnant?"

"They didn't know then!"

"Well, I'm still keeping this in mind if your brother ever says I'm not careful enough with you."

"Ravus!"

The light punch she gave him was almost a caress and he chuckled as she groaned in frustration for being this shaken up by what she'd learned.

"Don't cry, my flower," he asked her, cupping her face with both hands after drying her tears. "Unless those are tears of joy, you've been driving yourself nuts over him long enough."

Iris kissed his metal palm first, earning herself a raised brow.

"You know I don't feel it?"

"You need to make better prosthetics. Not fair I can only tickle one arm."

The playfulness showing on her face gave him pause and it was a mistake, for she reached for his ribs. She knew all of his weak spots now and he caught both of her wrists, shaking his head at her.

"I only have one hand to retaliate properly, don't you think that's unfair?"

"I need all the advantages I can find against someone as big as you."

Ravus retorted with a kiss, drawing it out lazily so that she'd melt against him.

"What was that for?"

"While you were having your reunion, I was lonely," he stated simply.

"I was gone for a few hours," she protested.

"I don't see why I need an excuse for kissing you."

Foolish words wanted to follow but he swallowed them back, enjoying her blush and the way she toyed with the clasps of his coat.

"Why does everything you wear look like a uniform?"

"I guess I need some sort of structure. And I look good in a uniform, don't I?"

"More than good," Iris whispered in his ears. "And all this black…"

She shifted until she was straddling him, her hands slipping under his shirt as his coat hit the floor. He gasped at the coldness of her fingers, carefully tracing shivers along her back.

"That reminds me, I've never seen you in white."

"I'll wear any dress you buy me."

"Crafty girl."

"I have my ways," she admitted, smiling into the following kiss.

…

The sun felt good against his skin and Noctis had decided he wouldn't get up until Ignis called him in for dinner. Luna was reading a book in the shade, her eyes moving up whenever she sensed his staring at her for too long. He would offer her a wink or one of his most disarming smiles and she rolled her eyes at his antics, hiding her grin behind her novel. Aranea and Cindy were playing some boardgame with Prompto, and Ignis had insisted their King needed some fresh air, busying himself with intensive reading in the meantime. Noctis had kept up his regular training, but it was hard to hit the gym when he could spend time with Luna again. He would have stayed in bed with her all day if it wasn't for the other people in the house who would eventually complain about it.

"What are you doing sitting in a chair under the sun? I've been busy defeating monsters and getting songs written about me."

Pryna, who had been resting at his feet, raised her head with a yelp, while Noctis sat up too quickly, recognizing his Shield's voice.

"Gladio! You're out? You're…"

Noctis spotted his new scars. Thanks to Iris's care, Gladio was more healed than the previous day, but was still quite battered despite the cocky smile on his face.

"Back and ready to be of service again. Where's your guard?" the tall man teased him, faking concern. "What has Ignis been up to?"

"Cleaning after me and keeping me fed," the King bit back with a self-derisive smile.

Luna had jumped to her feet and made her way up to them, reaching for Noctis's hand by pure reflex as she greeted his Shield.

"Are you alright? Where are…?"

"Wait, wait," he cut her off. "Did you two make up while we were gone? My boy's finally wisened up?"

"Indeed he has," Luna joined in the teasing.

"She also gave your _boy_ a chance, but less talking about me as though I wasn't right here. Dude, why didn't you call?! GUYS, Gladio's here!" Noctis called out, warping to his feet much to his Shield's shock.

"Should you do that?"

"I don't know, should you chant your praise when you look like you stepped out of hell? I can see the bruises through your shirt."

"I still look better than your puny ass."

Luna crossed her arms while the King had a retort ready for the tall man, but Prompto's voice covered whatever he was going to say.

"Wow, would you look at that, up and already pushing Noct around. You've been missing it so bad, big guy?"

Prompto was jumping off the stairs with Ignis following at a more tempered pace.

"Naah, I missed pushing you around, birdhead."

"It is good to see you, Gladio," Ignis noted, "but where are the others?"

The Shield rubbed the back of his neck, because as much as he wanted to act like nothing had happened, he couldn't. Not with everything new in his life.

"I had to argue with her, but I convinced Crowe not to mount a bike for the ride up. She's in a car with Ravus and Iris."

Prompto frowned, Ignis raising one brow while Noctis crossed his arms.

"Why would you ask that? Did she break something?"

"No, no, she's fine. Heck, she's not possessed anymore."

"Wow! Congrats man!"

"Hold it, Prom, I've got more." He marked a pause, wondering if he should wait for Crowe to be here, but with his friends all around him once more, he couldn't keep it inside. He needed to hear their thoughts on the matter, to know Noctis wouldn't cast him or Crowe aside for the time being in fear of what could happen to the baby. "Since it's clear I passed the trials, my real news for you guys is… that Crowe's pregnant."

"Are you for real?!" Noctis exclaimed.

"How long were you gone? Who are you?" Ignis asked.

"I'm going to hug him and then I'll know he's real," Prompto stated.

"What did I just hear?" Aranea called out as she stepped out of the house with Cindy in toe.

"Our giant here decided to reproduce out of the blue," Prompto answered. "Was it during that light show you made for Luna and I?"

"What?!" Noctis asked, startled, while Gladiolus had the decency to blush, pushing Prompto hard enough to make him fall on his ass.

"Prompto, we'd said we wouldn't use it against them!" Luna reminded the gunman.

"Don't tell me the look on his face wasn't worth it. And Crowe's not here yet, so it's fine, right?"

"Crowe's pregnant?" Aranea repeated.

"It's very new," Gladio argued, sensing the woman felt betrayed for not learning it sooner. "She doesn't need everyone ganging up on her when she arrives, I just thought I'd…"

"I don't think you need us ganging up on you either," Luna observed. "I'm glad to see you're doing well. And congratulations."

The word echoed on each of his friends' voices and Gladio realized he could still be quite overwhelmed even when not faced with angry goddesses or ancient ghosts.

Prompto gave him the promised hug, immediately imitated by Noctis, the Shield huffing at their enthusiast.

"The man is clearly bruised all over, guys," the advisor cautioned them.

Gladiolus couldn't help himself at that.

"Oh yeah, show 'em how to be gentle with me, Ig."

Cindy snorted, Luna exchanging a brief look with Noctis who simply shook his head, Prompto pretending to be scandalized while Aranea gave Ignis a playful pat on the hip.

"You're far too popular for your own good, Scientia."

The concerned man mumbled something to himself, but he didn't seem quite embarrassed, mostly unamused but willing to bare the joke if it helped his friend feeling better. He could tell their friend was still on edge.

A car honking from down the hill where the lighthouse stood grabbed their attention off the Shield, Crowe, Iris and Ravus slowly making their way up to them. The full team regrouped mid-way, under the trees and clouds, all hugs and excited greetings. The ladies gathered around Crowe with questions, the guys grilling Gladio about his trials.

Ravus quickly retreated from the gathering to sit with Pryna on the stairs leading to the house. It was jarring to remember just how little he belonged with this group, even if he could almost be considered like the uncle of the baby growing in Crowe's belly.

"You're not sulking, are you?" Luna asked him.

"When did you…?!" Ravus almost jumped in shock, too lost in thoughts to see her walking up to him.

"Well that answers my question. How was your trip with Iris?"

"It was fine. I told you earlier."

"In as many words. I don't like seeing you standing on the sidelines, brother."

"I've already asked Crowe a few questions on our way here and I know I'm neither Gladio's or her favorite person. But you can tell me how you've been doing, Luna. You look happier than when we left."

"Things have been good. More than good lately. Aranea made me drink till I was drunk and I… I must say it's a good thing you weren't here to see it. You would have been ashamed of my conduct."

"What? Luna!"

"Oh, worry not, I did nothing wrong."

From the mischievous twinkle in her eyes, Ravus judged it better not to press her.

"So then, I take it Noct is well enough for me to break his face like I promised?"

"You will do no such thing!"

"I promise not to use the metal hand," Ravus joked around, Pryna looking between him and Luna curiously.

"I do believe you could get your ass kicked if you tried attacking Noctis right now. He's faring a lot better and…"

"…and his anointed Shield would be too happy to take his anxiety out on me."

"Can you blame the guy for being on edge? We don't know half the things he went through and he's going to be a father."

"I know. Iris has started wondering about how we could keep a baby with us while camping and hunting daemons. She suggested I make blueprints for a bullet proof stroller, Luna!"

The Oracle covered her mouth but couldn't help the laugh that escaped from her.

"Would you decorate it too? With flowers or tiny planes?"

"For the love of Shiva, no. I don't decorate… stuff."

"Oh, brother, at least, won't you help when Noctis and I have kids? I'm certain you'd be able to make some crazy robot toys."

"What happened to my sister while I was gone?!"

But he smiled through it and Luna mentally thanked Iris. Ravus was slowly coming out of his shell. And looking back at all the friends she'd made since the start of this adventure, she could tell how far along they'd come. She was eager to see how far they'd be when the newest member of their team would be born.

To be continued…

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In next chapter, full on chocobro time, so bromance and hurt/comfort teasing, plus girls-only time… and Ravus will definitely be teased some more by his sister. And the team will have to wonder about what to do with the pregnancy, since they can't very well have a baby on the road with them. They have a few months to prepare at least.

I intend for a lot of fluff as the team gets back to their feet, and a wedding, not Noctis and Luna, but rest assured, they are the very next on my list. As always, reviews are very welcomed!

Next chapter will take more time to come because there's not a line written yet and I don't have enough time lol. If you want more Lunoct, you can check out an AU fic I made called "Us". The title is much longer and cheesier, but I'm already giving myself a shameless plug lol See you in next chapter!


	83. Break time

Hey! I've been through some very crazy weeks. And guess what, it's not stopping anytime soon. That's just my life! But on another note, I managed to write a new chapter. And it was quite some fun to write it. We have a lot of chocobros shenanigans. We have Crowdio. Short girls-only time, because Ravus needed his angst -let's be honest, I need angst to sustain my brain- and well… This chapter contains crowdio, Fleurets siblings time, drunk chocobros, swearing, lots of teasing betweens the bros, a game of truth or dare. It's like the after-party chapter this fic didn't have yet. With heavy angst smacked into it. Enjoy!

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Unexpected

Chapter 83 – Break time

After staying standing beneath the trees for over half an hour, Crowe started paling and it was clear most of the team was too excited by the return of their Shield and the rest of the team to pile up in the house and sit down to talk some more.

"I think we should celebrate all of this properly," Noctis declared. "I mean, a blessing, a baby."

"I wouldn't be against a vacation," Gladio joked.

"How about drinks for starters?" Prompto suggested.

"We have a very depleted selection of alcohol here," Ignis observed.

It didn't take much longer for the guys to agree they would go out. The women wanted to spoil Crowe with attention and food, since the poor thing had been sick for a while already. Ravus was invited to follow the men but declined, insisting he'd rather stay back and look after the ladies.

"Not from too close," Gladiolus joked, his eyes staring at the hand Iris had put on her boyfriend's arm.

"Only as close as she'll let me," Ravus bit back, sounding serious enough for the Shield to flash him a worried look.

"Don't listen to my polar bear, brother," Iris interfered, hoping the Tenebraen prince would blush at the use of that nickname since she was a deep shade of red herself. "We'll behave," she added.

Ignis had already turned on the Regalia's engine, the various couples exchanging goodbyes, Luna unable to refrain from asking the three other men to look after Noctis in her stead. But the hardest goodbye was the one between Gladio and Crowe. The rest of the team made sure to give them some space, gathered around the car. Gladiolus took Crowe to the side, holding her face in one hand, the other one on her waist.

"You'll be alright?"

"I can get by just fine and it's not like I'm going to be left on my own," Crowe tried reassuring him.

"I know that, I just… Don't up and vanish while I'm away, okay?"

"Should I tie myself up to Aranea to reassure you I'll still be here when you get back all drunk and stupid?"

"As kinky as that sounds, I'd rather you were tied up to Luna or Iris. Or maybe both."

"How am I supposed to move?"

"The caveman inside me wants to tell you to just stay put without moving or hurting until I get back."

"Silly caveman. I'm going to sit on a couch and maybe fall asleep in a matter of hours. I'm way too tired to run off somewhere."

Crowe knew he was afraid of Etro resurfacing. The brand was gone, but it would take a lot more time for the fear to be erased too. She tugged on his collar with both hands, giving him a greedy kiss that was a little longer than what either of them would do in public.

"Now," she started, barely catching her breath, "don't do anything like that with anyone else while you're out partying your nerves away," she warned him, tracing his lower lip with one finger.

He grabbed her hand, kissing her palm and chuckling at her surprised gasp.

"I won't," he promised. "I'm engaged now."

His thumb brushed against the ring on her finger, his pride showing in every twinkle of his eyes, making her heart burst a little more. His doubts seemed gone compared to the first time she'd interpreted his words as a proposal.

"Not only engaged in a future honeymoon, mister. I am a walking-puking disaster."

"And I'm taking responsibility," he said seriously, before letting his expression shift to mischievousness. "Should I find you a proper pet name? Vomit factory?"

She punched him at the very suggestion, Gladio twirling her around to dodge and only halting the motion has she turned a little green, biting on his own tongue with a pang of guilt.

"Babe, if you feel sick, you tell me, I thought that was clear."

"I'd like to stay appealing, as crazy as that might sound."

A horn blaring had them realizing people were waiting on them.

"You guys were away together for weeks, all we ask is one afternoon," Noctis called out.

"And that poor girl needs to sit down!" Aranea added to make sure Gladiolus would see reason.

"Sounds like we should really part before they come with pitchforks," the Shield joked around.

"Leave now, we'll be even happier to see each other in a few hours."

"From the way the guys were talking, we might not be back until the nightfall."

"Then be sure to eat plenty of food. No drinking on an empty stomach."

"Yes, Ma'am."

He pleaded for one more kiss, not caring for the whistles from the other women of their group. He was still very shaken, and Crowe had to say, her eyes teared up a little as he turned his back on her to get down the hill and into the car. She had yet to find a way to feel grounded when she was on her own. As soon as the thought came, she stroked her stomach, mumbling to herself.

"Not that I'm alone anymore. Your daddy will be fine. We're all going to be fine."

Aranea teased her for blushing like a schoolgirl, Iris scolding her while Luna offered a second row of congratulations to the future mother. Cindy was still wrapping her head around it.

"Ya gal really knows how to keep yourself busy, huh?"

…

The ride towards the closest pitstop with a bar felt like a travel back in time at first. Prompto was in the front row, snapping pictures after sending his latest photos to his friends. Gladio was a bit shocked to see Noctis had picked up his favorite series of historic novels for the ride, insisting he wanted an update about the King's health instead of reading. But reality caught up with them when Gladio's explanation on why he was a better player in King's knights was cut off by a cough on his part.

"You look paler then you're usual," Ignis observed.

"I did lose a shit-ton of blood," the Shield explained, his expression darkening as he went on, "Nothing like what Cor did."

"Is he okay?" Noctis asked instantly.

"Iris insisted he'll recover. She doubts he'll be able to fight at his full-strength again. A daemon wall almost snapped him in half."

"Shit…" Prompto whispered.

"Yeah, sums up most of the trial. But I'm out. Heck, it's good to feel the sun again."

"The time really was shorter for you, wasn't it?"

"Mere hours, but it felt like days. I don't know where Cor kept all the elixirs I took. But I'm sick of talking about those trials over and over. What were you guys up to while I was not dying?"

It took them all a certain time to accept how close he'd come to dying in his trials, Noctis looking very uncomfortable with the idea of his Shield being so weakened by a series of challenges he'd never wanted him to go through with.

"Must I call for a volunteer?" Gladio teased, before to give a light punch in Prompto's shoulders, seeing as they were all keeping to themselves.

"I helped Cindy with the garage. We ran errands together. Went hunting for parts. Snapped that crazy picture of the sunset."

"I bet you kept a few personal pics, didn't you, bird head?"

"For the nth time, Cindy likes her privacy. Is it that crazy to believe?"

"No, I just like seeing you blushing and getting all riled up."

"Don't tease the poor man like that," Ignis asked.

"It's not like you give me an easy target, Ig. Noct, I do hope our irreproachable advisor saw some action while I was gone. He looks way too tense."

"Oh, Luna and I certainly heard him and Aranea getting busy a few times."

"Noct!"

"Are you for real?! Iggy soul of discretion getting loud in the bedroom?" Gladio snickered.

"Less people around the house must have made him feel more at ease," Noctis offered as an explanation.

"Did that give you a nudge with the princess?"

"I think she did get worked up from it. She jumped me one night, after getting pretty drunk with Aranea and…"

The smug grin on his face was enough to have the three other men nodding in silence.

"Bold Lunafreya sounds pretty impossible from what you've told us. But it was about time your luck turned around."

Ignis cleared his throat, seeing as they were entering the small outpost where a few civilians looked around at the roaring car.

"You think I will be less inappropriate drunk, Iggy?"

They all knew he wouldn't be.

"I only hope we don't make the first page of local newspapers," the advisor admitted.

They stepped out of the car, Noctis insisting he didn't need help from either of his friends despite having left his cane in Cape Caem. He wanted to stand tall, at least while sober. A couple of people seemed to recognize them, but there was a quiet understanding towards the King and his retinue. If he'd strolled down with his crown and full king garb, things would be different, but with everything he'd given up protecting them, Noctis was certainly owed some respect and the right to live normally every now and then. A few persons still waved at him, Noctis nodding or waving back, glad for the fact no one was asking where the hell he'd been hiding.

Ignis noticed how hard he worked to keep his steps steady, while Prompto cleared the way in his excitement of enjoying time with his friends like in the good old days. Except a few things had changed.

"Here come the uncles!" Prompto announced after pushing the door of the 24 hours bar opened.

Ignis wondered why he felt older at that notion while Noctis gave Gladiolus a sharp look, noticing the way the tall man swallowed back a knot of tension.

"Sounds weird, doesn't it?" Prompto asked, scratching at the back of his head sheepishly.

"Don't sound so apologetic!" Gladio chided him. "One of us had to start this, might as well be me."

He was a little paler than earlier despite his bravado and Noctis clapped him in the back.

"If you keep this up, the bartender won't even let you order."

"That's why we have Iggy with us, don't we? We need shots."

"And beer!" Prompto exclaimed.

"It's the middle of the afternoon, what you need is food!" Ignis protested.

The guys didn't let Gladio off the hook, asking him more questions as soon as they'd sat down and given their orders. They took a booth in the back, even if they currently were the only patrons of the place.

"Future daddy looks very nervous to me, what do you say, Noct?"

"Could be the aftermath of that crazy trial…" Ignis suggested.

"Or maybe you could think with your head and realize I'm screwed," Gladio shot back. "It's barely been six months and I have a pregnant fiancée."

"For a playboy, that's quite the commitment," Noctis teased him.

"That's not what I meant. Let's say things are all settled by the time the boy's out."

"We have one more bro on the team!" Prompto exclaimed with a wide smile.

"And I'll mess up before you know it. A daughter, I could surely handle. But a son…"

"Noctis didn't turn out so bad," Ignis kidded around, dodging the kick Noctis aimed at him from beneath the table, coughing as Gladio patted his back without holding back on his strength.

"A brother is different," the Shield opposed. "I don't want to be the father who's never home. But just the idea of being a father feels…"

His shoulders hunched forward, and he ran one nervous hand through his hair.

"You love kids, Gladio," Noctis reminded him.

"I know. This clearly wasn't planned and… I know _I_ was planned, but it's not like my father ever really sounded proud once I took on my job. Heck, his ghost wasn't…"

"His what?!" both Prompto and Noctis asked with wide eyes.

"You did say Shields from the past were haunting the Sacred Grounds," Ignis remembered.

"Yeah. Let's not dwell on it."

"I think the first step to cheering you up is to…"

"…get him drunk!" Prompto chanted.

"I was thinking going over his current worries," Ignis objected.

"The drunk option is nice," Gladiolus smiled.

Noctis let out a small chuckle, even though he was agreed with his advisor.

"We'll have to decide what we'll do with that baby eventually," he said.

"You want to park my woman in some wet-nursing home?"

"Does such a thing even exist?" Prompto wondered, covering his head with both hands and leaning down at the large hand swatting at him.

"Seeing how protective you are, I can't help believing that things are looking good for you," Ignis remarked. "You're not defensive with just anyone."

Their orders arrived then, first the drinks, followed closely by the food, and Gladio asked them to keep the conversation topics light at least for a few hours. He was quite the happy drunk usually, and since he had yet to recover fully from his blood loss, the man was much weaker to alcohol than his usual.

"Should we even let you drink?"

"Pretty sure the three of you can pick me up if I keel over!" Gladio joked around, pulling his mug close to make sure Ignis wouldn't take it away.

"You know what that mean, Noct," Prompto said, his fist hitting the table hard enough to make Noctis jump. "This is our chance to finally drink him under the table!"

"Oh, you're right!"

"Noct, you shouldn't drink too much either…"

"Iggy is the designated driver, so it's safe as long as he's sober."

"We have a dozen things to celebrate after all," Prompto insisted. "A historical blessing!"

"And the incredible make-up sex that went along with it!" Gladio nearly barked, a few heads turning around with round eyes.

"Dude!"

…

Crowe made it into the house before feeling the first sign of nausea. Then it was a race to the closest bucket and since the other ladies were all over her, she had an audience for the following bout of heaving, dry-heaving and retching.

Ravus took his leave then, having enough of the car ride and the multiple stops they had to do on their way. He was also haunted by the idea of Lunafreya retching in the same way if her mention of future children with Noctis was followed up on.

"You poor girl, have you eaten anything?" Aranea asked her.

"I have. I keep getting hungry, believe it or not. So I eat. Throw it up and eat again."

She almost wanted to add as a joke that at least, now she was throwing up actual food, unlike what Etro had done to her in the beginning, but it sounded gross even to her and neither Luna nor Iris needed to hear it.

"I know a few recipes that can help an unsettled stomach," Luna offered as encouragement.

Crowe accepted their help as they pulled her to her feet and offered her a glass of water.

"I swear to the gods, if this is the next 7 months of my life…"

"That always depends," Iris chimed in, lowering her head as the attention turned on her. "At least, that's what I heard."

"I will take all the cheering I can have. Hopefully, having his auntie around could calm down that little bud."

"Hard to believe Iris can even tell the sex of your baby this early!" Cindy commented.

"I did make accurate predictions with my light at earlier stages in other pregnancies," Luna observed. "Not that I told the parents to be unless they begged to know. Having adequate medical follow-up in Tenebrae was something else."

"Girls, girls, I've only known for a few days," Crowe reminded them. "I'm still getting used to the idea."

They agreed to gather at the dining table, grabbing iced tea, sodas and some more water for the mother to be. Playing boardgames was their first goal, but they ended up talking the whole time, Crowe asking about an update status from every woman on the team. She was particularly curious to hear more about Luna's reconciliation with the King.

"Is Ignis still terrified whenever you're in the same room as him?" she kidded around.

Aranea barked a laugh as Luna blushed profusely.

"He was jumpy for a while, but it's gotten a lot better."

Crowe wanted to hear about Libertus and Iris was happy to share news about Free Crown, extending it to the people Cindy knew there and the many patients Luna had helped treat. It wasn't easy catching up on everything, but they were all talking fast, laughing, making sure each and every of them had a chance to speak. It wasn't long until they started wondering about the planning that needed to be done for what was coming next.

"We're all turning into robots," Aranea warned them. "When was the last time we had any sort of pastime that wasn't our respective boyfriends? Or a book in your case, Luna."

"That sounds even crazier coming from you," Crowe laughed. "What would you do to pass the time in Nifelheim?"

"Booze," Aranea explained. "And stargaze."

"Well, option one is a no-go for me. And seriously, nothing other than that? I needed my books back in Galhad."

"I know I miss sewing," Iris admitted. "I would do plushies and give them all to Gladio until my skills got good enough to offer some to my friends."

"That's so adorable! You'll have to make a few more!"

Crowe's hands went to her stomach again and she seemed ready to chide herself for how much she did it.

"It's way too early to be like that, I know…"

"Did we say anything?" Cindy opposed. "Ya need to calm down, just roll with it. That baby and yourself have already been through hell in the past few days."

"The father better make it up to me."

The way in which Crowe expected repayment made Iris blush, because it was all too clear what she wanted, but the former Glaive didn't push it. It was Aranea who suggested a few ideas from her latest sexy times with Ignis.

"Outdoor sex?" Luna repeated, sounding scandalized. "Noctis and I were right in the house!"

"You're one to talk," Iris interfered. "I remember how livid Ravus was when we almost walked in on you and Noct back in Hammerhead."

"You saw us!? We stopped at kissing," Luna tried defending herself, her cheeks a deep shade of crimson now.

"Wow, sounds like we missed out on good stuff," Aranea teased her.

"I'd recommend trying it out at least once. It can be quite exciting," Cindy approved.

"Does it count as outdoor if we're inside a tent?" Iris started, paling when she realized the way the other women looked at her.

"Wait, did Ravus and you…?"

"No, no, at least… Not all the way?"

Luna looked even more embarrassed than her while Cindy hid a snicker. Aranea and Crowe were on the same wavelength.

"He's not pushing you into anything you don't want, is he?"

Iris shook her head.

"If anything, it's me who's being pushy. And I don't regret it. He's so sweet under all the gruffness."

"Damn. Are we still talking about the commander?" Aranea couldn't help herself.

"And why do you blush so much?"

"Well…"

Luna excused herself before hearing any more details. Iris sounded happy and it was certainly the first chance she had to speak up about this recent development. She didn't want to hinder that because it was embarrassing to expose her brother's sex life in front of her. The very light tension with which the news had been received also reminded Luna of how young Iris was.

…

A knock on the door had Ravus looking up from his books. He welcomed his sister with a smile.

"Already sick of the girls-only talk?"

Luna had no idea how to even explain why she was compelled to check on him. It wasn't like she would want him poking around her bedroom activities. And it wasn't what she aimed to do either, she just knew her brother. If things had changed between him and Iris, no matter how small the change, it would affect him. She decided to follow his example and be direct.

"Well, when Iris mentioned something about having not-all-the-way sex inside a tent, I…"

He gaped at her, trying to hide his shock by crossing his arms and squaring his shoulders, staying rooted to his chair as Luna stepped into the room.

"I don't see how that's any of your business. I don't want to hear about your sex life and you'd rather not hear about mine, I'm certain we can work something out here."

"I know this looks like I'm prying, but… I couldn't help worrying about you," Luna sat down on the bed by his desk, crossing her own arms as she struggled to express herself in a way that wouldn't feel offensive to him. "Every time you opened up about your relationship with her, it was to tell me how many doubts you carried."

He frowned, instinctively attempting to massage his right arm where the bite mark from that day would have been.

"I know she's still too young, but how am I supposed to deny her all the time?"

"It's not…"

"If it's not about the age difference, then tell me what you're doing here, sister. Making sure I won't get her pregnant? I have more sense than that. We haven't even…"

He gripped on his metal arm even more, his knuckles white from the pressure, his thoughts shifting to that awful, awful night he could never fully forget. His eyes were drifting, his mind far away and Luna saw the pain settling in, the fear no one else might detect in his deep frown.

"Brother?" She leaned forward, her elbows resting on her knees as she reached out to him, Ravus mentally cursing at the fact he couldn't roll his chair away due to the desk right behind him. She seemed so concerned and his defenses were cracking.

"Is it wrong that I want her? Sometimes I'm over it, and…"

"Why would it be wrong?"

"Why are you here asking me?! Why do I still feel like the bad guy?"

Luna hadn't expected more questions and raised her hands in a peace offering, Ravus simply slumping over himself a little more. His shoulders were drawn inward.

"Ravus, I'm not here to doubt you, I just…"

But he'd fallen too easily, he'd followed Iris's caresses and gone back on his word, while he should have waited longer and…

"Maybe someone _should_ doubt me. I know I would."

"Don't say that. Rave, Iris sounded flustered and happy earlier."

He remembered moving against that girl's will. He remembered her teeth and her tears and…

 _You're just broken, get over it, get over yourself and…_

"I'll hurt her. You keep saying I'm good deep down," his voice shivered in and out as he went on, "but you know I'll hurt her, even without all the variables, you know it and I know…"

"Why do you keep saying that?"

"Because the last time… the only time… I've been meaning to tell you about it, but if you were to hate me, I don't think I could handle it, Luna."

She gestured for his hands, wishing to offer him some support since the aching was clearer than ever in his eyes. He wanted to push her attention away, to will all the bad thoughts deep inside, but there was no point. He knew he'd never had a better occasion to fess up about this, the timing would always feel wrong.

"Tell me what happened, Rave. You should know it won't change how I see you."

"It's…" He paused, took a deep breath. Let the first shake run its course and looked into her eyes. "I was about seventeen. Verstael wanted a spare Oracle just in case, so they thought…"

Luna winced, nodding as he halted himself, encouraging him to go on. She remembered the words whispered in her ears. The threats. The unwanted touches. All those needles under her skin, those hands under her clothes…

"They wanted me to breed some spares."

Luna swallowed, her back tensing as she realized what was coming next.

"Tried hooking me up with maids and even some recruits following a crazy selection process, but I refused."

She remembered how stubborn he was even back then. How he would smile only for her, play with her even when he was tired because he insisted that a 13-year-old girl should enjoy her life even if she was some Oracle-to-be.

"So they turned to drugs that would… I was like a beast in heat. It felt like watching my own body move on its own. They trapped me in a room with that girl, I didn't know her name, I just…"

Luna kept listening, her heart in her throat. His voice was breaking, he looked so young, so ashamed and she knew he had kept this to himself all this time. Hating himself for it even if all he'd been was another lab rat for Verstael to use.

"She begged me to stop, Luna," he managed on a shuddering breath. "I'd promised our mother I'd be… But my body moved and…"

His metal fingers clenched so hard, their joints creaked, making them both wince; but Luna's eyes didn't change. No judgement. Only pain and compassion.

"Ravus, I know you."

He pulled his hands away at that, barely holding back the trembling in each of his limbs.

"I raped that girl, Luna. I did the one thing I'd..."

She wondered if that one "crime" had been enough for him to decide nothing else compared. To justify killing people. To justify hurting himself like he did. Pushing himself until he would break. Accepting to have one limb torn off instead of running, because he wanted to be punished if he couldn't atone…

"You were intoxicated with drugs and under duress, Rave."

He remembered their threats. How Luna should be the next girl trapped with him. More chance to have an actual oracle if they kept the bloodline pure. How he'd evaded her for months.

"But does it really change what I did? How do I tell Iris? I'm a mess and… I keep finding excuses for it, but whenever her nails dig into me, I go back to that night. I ruined that girl and I couldn't protect you either…"

"Ravus, please! You really believe they didn't suggest breeding me? They went as far as saying they'd use you to do it."

She couldn't hold back her tears then, because hearing that even her brother could be used against her, losing even the safety of family to their sick lies… It had nearly broken her back then.

"No, no, no-no-no-no, not you too, Luna."

"Me too?" she repeated.

"That very threat is the reason why I stayed away for so long. Missed your birthday that year. I couldn't let them tarnish that too. Not after…"

They'd taken away his control. She could imagine he'd been trapped, maybe drugged in his sleep, even progressively over the weeks. A true puppet, his body obeying even when his mind screamed.

"I'm sorry they used me against you," she apologized. "I know it was naïve to think they'd never do that to you… Caligo had me doing so many things just by suggesting sending you on the frontlines without the proper equipment."

"Oh sister. You never told me."

He extended his human hand to her, unsure she even wanted one of his hugs right now, but Luna gasped over her tears, opening her arms for him and as soon as he felt her embrace, his own tears welled up, warm on his cheeks. He stepped out of his chair, sitting beside her on the edge of the bed, crying with her like he'd never allowed himself before.

"I couldn't…" she tried explaining. "Like you couldn't. No one wants to be seen like this by the people they love. A thing used and reused."

Luna hid her face against his chest, her tears staining his dark shirt, his metal hand finding its way to her hair even though he knew the danger of getting strands stuck between the joints.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I've reopened some nasty wounds for you."

"Don't. Ravus, from what you've told me, you never let your own wounds heal. If you'd come to me..."

"You were a child, Luna."

A child without magic, which meant he was supposed to hurt in silence. To steel his heart and be lonely and miserable like always. If only her magic had come sooner, maybe he'd never have to go through that. To face such fears. To picture their relationship tainted by this messed-up suggestion.

"And you've never allowed yourself to be loved after that? Not even once?"

He shook his head, heaving a sob that threatened to send her over the edge.

"I'm terrified of being like that again. I know nothing else, Lunafreya."

"You're wrong. You're so wrong, Ravus," she objected, crying a little harder as she tried punching his chest, but so weakly, it was more cute than threatening.

"You still believe there's good in there?"

He sounded genuinely worried about her verdict.

"Oh, dear brother. Why are you so blind when it comes to yourself?"

"I hate everything I see in the mirror."

"Do you look in Iris's eyes when she looks at you? That's the only reflection you need."

Ravus had so many more questions to ask, so many objections to make, but the tears had made his vision blur and his throat close on itself. Luna tried ruffling his hair as their ears brushed, humming for him as he hid his face against her shoulder. She held him close through it, both siblings jumping as the door was pushed open, Iris waltzing in, her eyes widening at the sight of the pair.

"I'm sorry, I…"

Ravus had never wanted to hide so badly before, but Luna held him in place.

"It's okay, Iris. My brother and I were just… trying to get over some bad memories from our time with the empire."

The brunette looked perplexed and apologized once more, her exhilaration from talking with the others dying down as she saw how Ravus couldn't hold her eyes. It had to be because of her, hadn't it?

Luna dried her tears hastily and jumped back to her feet, gently but firmly keeping one hand on Ravus's shoulder to make sure he wouldn't follow.

"Look after him for me?" she asked the younger Amicitia.

The prince couldn't help the impression he was a puppy tossed into another pair of hands, but Iris was already kneeling next to him on the mattress and while his breath quickened, he knew the panic would recede.

"Ravus?" Iris called him.

She waited until the door had been closed behind Luna to reach for his face, cupping his chin with one hand to have him looking at her.

"What's wrong?"

"Just a very large chunk of my past," he offered.

It wasn't a lie or an omission, it was the best he could muster with the knot in his throat.

"Talk to me. I want to help you."

His chest heaved in a succession of quick breaths and it was all he could do to hold himself back from hurling that they might be a little part of the problem. She was his solution and his sanity, and he _needed_ her smiles, not her worried eyes.

"Luna helped me realize that… the empire used each of us against the other. Like two willing hostages… And I know she doesn't see it that way, but I'm so sick of messing things up."

 _With her. With you. With my own head._

Iris nodded, finding his human hand and helping him unfurl his fist. Her fingers intertwined with his. She kissed the rough knuckles. Her free hand touched his hair.

"You got me to help and keep you whelmed," the young girl reminded him.

That gave him pause and it was the opening Iris had needed.

"Whelmed?" he repeated.

"Not over or underwhelmed. Just whelmed."

And her smile followed, mischievous and sweet. Ravus could have sworn, his heart fell back into place.

…

"I'm very sorry, sirs, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Ignis had left them on their own devices for only a few minutes, so he could use the restroom, and what should have been expected happened. Noctis, Prompto and Gladio were usually loud when they got drunk together and this time was no exception. Prompto and Noctis were doing silly competitions, making enough rounds of King's knight on their phone to drop the battery in less than an hour, while Gladio laughed, barked, and turned every familiar turn of phrase into a song.

"We only just got this party started!" the Shield objected.

"With a hole in the ceiling?!" Ignis interfered.

There was plaster all over their table and Gladiolus had the decency to blush, muttering his hand had slipped. Through the small hole, Ignis could make out a silver handle that resembled the forks they'd been using.

"Didn't mean to do that. I'll fetch it for…"

Gladio gestured to climb onto the table and Noctis had the sense to realize what would happen, bringing him to a stop with a light tug of the hand on his coat.

"Enough, Gladio."

Prompto was a good sport as they left half their fries on the plates, paying for the group and adding a few hundred gil to make up for the small reparations that would follow.

Ignis suggested hanging around the RV they usually borrowed for the night, Gladio securing a six-pack of beers with the help of Prompto and by the time they were half-way down the first bottle, they were knee-deep in a game of truth or dare.

One or two truths.

"Ever did it with heels on?"

"Am I not tall enough as it is!?" Ignis exclaimed.

"I had a much better question for Iggy," Noctis grumbled, unable to believe Gladio had wasted a truth like that.

"Well, I still lack an answer."

"Answer's no. Try asking what accessory I prioritize in the bedroom next time," the advisor shot back, cleaning his glasses with a corner of his shirt.

The suggestion didn't fall on deaf ears, Noctis actually finding the nerves to repeat the new question Gladio had whispered to him when Ignis's turn came again.

"You ever let Aranea peg you?"

"Don't you have anything else to ask?"

"Oh ho, no outright no means a yes!" Prompto determined. "But wait, doesn't that hurt?"

"Gods, why did I even agree to play with you guys?"

One dare.

"Call Crowe right now and tell her you want to call the baby Vomir!"

"Shit. You don't want me to have a good night after this, do you?"

Gladiolus couldn't help but smirk as he dialed Crowe's number and tried to sound serious when he suggested the name. "So, huh, how you doing? I was missing you already. I just had this idea for the baby's name, you know… What do you think of… Vomir?" The guys laughing out loud right then wasn't enough to cover Crowe's indignation.

"You think I don't get it? First puke factory and now this?"

"Babe, it's just a silly…"

"Next time you call me, don't expect an answer," Crowe declared.

He winced as she hung up, glaring at Prompto.

"You should see the look on your face, man!"

"Wait for your turn."

More truth.

"I bet you Luna is a total dom in bed. Noctis already does everything she asks, but dressed up in leather under her whip…"

"Shut up! The worst she's ever done is push me down on the bed and…" He paused, flushing as he remembered how Luna had been.

"Details, I want details," Gladio insisted with a laugh.

"You gave him all the details in your weird question," Prompto observed.

"Well, it was pretty hot to have her take control," Noctis confessed, scratching at the back of his head.

And more embarrassment.

"Gladiolus, that time when you broke 3 ribs, you told me you were protecting Noctis from an attempt on his life…"

"What?!" Noctis blurted out, knowing full well the only time Gladio had been hurt because of him has resulted in a twisted wrist and the scar on his face.

"No need to interrupt. How did you really break those ribs?"

Gladiolus sighed.

"I was trying to pick a girl for the night," he admitted. "Was still refining my technique back then," the guys snickered, and he retorted with the finger, going on with the truth. "She blew me off, like hard and I was kinda hammered. Stepped away, tripped onto a barstool, fell on it badly. Had to pay for the broken thing and… you clearly know the rest."

"No way. That's so LAME!"

Gladio laughed at that.

"Guess it was. My turn then? Prom?"

"Dare me anything. Truth is too ugly with you."

Gladiolus reflected over it a minute.

"Take a picture of you taking a body shot off Noctis and send it to Cindy."

"Wait, it's his dare, not mine!" Noctis objected.

"Can't take it?"

Ignis shook his head, failing to hide his amusement by then. The body shot took three tries, since Noctis had cold feet at first "I swear he looked ready to kiss me!" "just going in for the lime, dude!", then Ignis had them panicking by pretending a bystander was staring at them, and Gladiolus was the one to snap a series of pictures, making sure they were all sent to Cindy.

"If I don't die of embarrassment now, I don't know how it will end. And yuck, Noct, I think I have hair stuck between my teeth."

"At least I took out the lint."

When it came back to be Noctis's turn again and the King picked "dare", Ignis didn't thought for too long.

"Let us doll you up with some make-up and you have to woo Luna once we get back."

"Do you even have make-up with you?" Gladio instantly asked.

"I always carry some of Aranea's make-up with me."

"Why?" Noctis insisted.

"I'm always prepared for my lady!"

"Does she put it on herself or you though?" Prompto wondered out loud.

Ignis rolled his eyes, ignoring the pointed looks his friends were giving him.

"It's just a stupid dare. You in, Noct?"

"I won't say no to be an even prettier version of myself for Luna," Noctis laughed.

The make-over took them only a little bit of time, Prompto insisting that Noctis had better style his hair too and it was a good thing the hour was running late, because otherwise, the people of Lucis might have seen pictures of their King that didn't quite compare to the usual as the guys snuck to the only store still open outside from the bar they were forbidden from entering.

Ignis insisted on buying some coffee to make it through the ride, surprising Prompto by ordering three grand ebony covered with cream, chocolate chips, cinnamon flakes and all the added sugar one could imagine.

"I want one!"

"Those are mine," Ignis objected, keeping an eye on Gladiolus and Noctis who were patrolling the aisles of the store, tossing a few items around. They were both loud and acted more like teenagers than grown men.

"I found the one for you, Gladio! Your cuppa-wife!"

"I don't think I can look, my heart's not ready."

"Iggy," Prompto begged.

Ignis downed the first coffee in three sips, despite the violent rush that came with it.

"How can you drive us home if you're in a diabetic coma?"

"Watch me. And help me get them out of here before they start the…"

Gladio was humming the nuptial march, Noctis all done with making a pile of cuppa-noodles cups that vaguely looked like a lady. He'd added a plastic veil for good measures and the clerk was clearly too amused to interfere.

"Noct," Ignis warned.

"Shhh, I'm officiating Gladio's wedding."

"Noct, we're leaving."

"With all the coffee you just drank, you're going to have us stop by the road to tinkle in the woods!" Prompto protested.

"I know you, Prom, you'll call the first stop before I even start feeling uncomfortable. Gladiolus, be serious."

"It's my big day, Iggy!"

 _I might need more sugar than this_ , the advisor mentally sighed.

…

Luna gave herself some time to regain her composure as she walked out. Then she headed straight for the kitchen, grabbed what little booze was left from her drinking night with Aranea and tried hurrying back to her room. Her only excuse to the other ladies was to remove the offending beverage from the mother-to-be's sight.

"Wait, girl, you don't know what Prompto just sent me!" Cindy called after her.

"Maybe later?"

"Noctis is half naked." Cindy chanted.

The princess halted right there, looking over her shoulder with raised eyebrows.

"What?!"

"Wait, let me see," Aranea asked. "This is… oddly attractive."

Crowe mouthed the words "the guys are playing truth or dare" to Luna, who inched forward, even though she wasn't sure what to expect. Her eyes widened as she took in the many pictures, the corner of her mouth lifting as a few had caught the sheer nervousness exuding from Prompto and even Ignis hiding a laugh behind his hand in the background.

"What are they doing?"

"A body shot."

"What does that even…?"

"It's a sexy drink thing. Wanna try it on me?" Cindy offered. "I'm sure that would get them worked up. I'll keep my bra on and you can have a tequila shot to get started on your drinking night."

Luna couldn't help wondering what Caligo would have thought of this. How some of the things he'd asked her were…

"Lun, you okay?" Crowe asked her.

She shook her head no and quickly shifted to a nod, apologizing.

"I just zoned out a little. How about I take my shirt off too?"

"When did you get this wild?!"

The girls were all in to send a payback text to their boyfriends. Crowe wished she had a way to retaliate, because she was not over Gladio's small joke yet even thought she knew it was a silly thing and surely not his idea. Although the body shot had to be him.

"Wonder why Ignis hasn't called you yet."

"Guess he's very intimidating about how off-limits I am, even if it's teasing."

"Or the guys are just scared you'll punch them like you did me," Luna offered as she struggled with the buttons of her blouse.

She wanted to be casual about it, like Cindy who removed her yellow jacket and tank top without a second thought.

"There's no oil on you, right?" Crowe couldn't help but ask.

"I haven't touched a car in days. My hair is getting extra dry," the mechanic joked back.

"How do you pull off looking this good all the time?" Luna asked her.

"You kidding me, gal? I just show off skin to distract people from the bags under my eyes that my concealer can't hide."

"Luna, we don't have all day if we want them to see the pictures before getting here and catching you two in the act."

"Okay, I just…"

Getting her nerves under control was impossible, but Luna knew doing this would be liberating. She wanted to be over her fears. This was her rebellion. This was her being somewhat improper because she wanted to and it was safe with her friends around her. She pulled the blouse over her head, rubbing at her neck as she fought against her own blush.

"Let's make them extra hot and bothered, shall we?" she heard herself suggest.

It might have been bad timing or just the Tenebrean prince's usual bad luck that he walked down the stairs to whip up supper with Iris in tow… just in time to see Luna taking a gulp of tequila off Cindy's bellybutton, both ladies shirtless.

"What the…?!"

Luna almost choked on the alcohol, her throat burning as she shook her head at her brother.

"This isn't…" she tried explaining, hastily covering herself with both arms.

"Just look the other way, Ravus," Crowe took over, "…us girls were getting back at the guys for being morons."

"By being just as…?!"

Iris cut him off, pulling on his arm to have him walk back up the stairs, almost seeing the fume coming out of his ears.

"We'll be back in a few," she offered.

"Wait, Iris, is this…?"

"Oh gods," Luna sighed when Iris finally managed to drag a very red-faced Ravus to the upper floor.

"He does realize we're still dressed, doesn't he?" Cindy asked, muffling a laugh.

"He's an overprotective big brother confronted with the fact his sister finally has a "wild" side," Crowe said with a light smirk. "I can't wait to hear how we're a bad influence on you."

Luna did laugh at that, even though something ached in the back on her heart. This had been her decision and she might have rolled with it for bad reasons, but did that make it wrong? She held her blouse in front of her, not trying to hide herself, simply hoping her heart might calm down. She was embarrassed, but couldn't she have a life and declare the past over?

Shadows moving through the blinds on a window made her gasp in fear. Her past would surely follow her. It was tied to her, weaved into her blood.

"Luna, you okay? Are we still sending it?"

"You think I will bear Ravus's opinion on this without getting the end result out of it?"

…

Prompto screamed in a high-pitched voice when he looked at the new message on his phone. Ignis jumped and barely kept the car on the road, letting out a rough breath.

"What _was_ that?"

"Cindy replied. She counter-attacked, she… damn. Damn, Noct, Luna's so…"

"What? What about Luna? Why are you ogling your phone? What is it?!"

"They did a bodyshot," Prompto muttered, flicking through pictures.

"Who? Cindy and Luna?" Gladio looked more awake suddenly, leaning forward to around Prompto's headrest. "Let me see."

"No way! Prom, that…"

Noctis wasn't sure what to think, except that he wanted to see the pictures for himself and he pushed Gladio's head down, standing up in the car to get a peek. Prompto instantly closed his screen.

" _My_ dirty textmessage, Noct."

"Shit, Prompto, if my Luna is in there, I get to see it too!"

"Would you sit down?" Ignis interfered. "You're blocking my rearview entirely."

Gladio laughed at that, muttering "you said rear" and Prompto snorted. Noctis decided that warping around to snatch the phone from his hand might be a good idea, but there was a reason why he had never tried using any of his powers while drunk.

There were a dozen blurs that zipped in all the wrong directions, Ignis trying to slow the car as he realized what was going on, but Noctis ended up in front and there was a "tunk" sound, followed by an absence of blur. And of their King.

"Did I just run him over?" Ignis murmured, turning whiter than a sheet.

"Noct!" Prompto called out.

"Stop the car, stop the…!"

"Got ya!" Noctis retorted, phasing off from the side of the road, and right onto Prompto's lap.

Ignis stopped the car then, roughly enough to have Gladio hitting his head against Prompto's, both men grunting in pain. Noctis warped back into his seat with his prize, unlocking the screen to check the pictures.

"Are you okay?"

"What did we hit?"

"I might have lost a…" his eyes grew wider, his breath catching.

"Lost what?" Ignis asked.

"The blood in his brain?" Gladio shot back, getting a brief glimpse at the picture. "Why aren't Crowe and Aranea doing that?"

"Noct, give that back!"

"Not before sending me a copy and deleting this one."

"My girlfriend's on it!" Prompto protested.

"Mine too and…" Noctis frowned as he sensed warm air brushing against his face and realized his Shield had shuffled closer to him to get a full view. "Gladio!"

"Damn. That princess ain't as skinny as I thought. As for Cindy, it's not anything we haven't seen before, Prom."

"She doesn't even let _me_ snap sexy pics of her, okay?"

Ignis leaned his forehead against the wheel, wondering if he should just turn off the car and refuse to start it back up until they were all sober. It would only be when they'd get off that he'd realize the thing he'd hit was only Noctis's shoe. One thing was for sure at least. The King was faring better. As red in the face as he was.

To be continued…

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This chapter has set the table for a lot of fluff and hurt/comfort. So you can expect the next chapter to be a fluff-fest. Ignea, NoctLuna, Crowdio, Raviris and surely some silver/gold too. Will it fit in a single chapter? I can't say yet, but we needed a break from the heavy, heavy action. There's a wedding coming, hopefully in chapter 85. The number for these chapters are starting to drive me crazy. This story is longer than the longest series of novels I've written. -Unfinished novels, because I always end up writing on Noctis instead of original stories lol

Anyway, I hope you're doing alright and I'd love to hear what you'd like next for this story. Altissia is on the horizon and I'm really excited about it, just not sure I can get to it before December. Time goes by way too quickly and I have so much work to do. :S With all that said, I'm going to start writing the next chapter right away. Please review, you know it makes my day!


	84. On a moonless night

It was a struggle to get this chapter finished, but then again, it's not much a surprise considering all the stuff I had to get done recently. This is a fluff-fest, with Raviris, Ignea, Crowdio, a little more raviris and NoctLuna. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!

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Unexpected

Chapter 84 – On a moonless night…

Cooking a very late-night meal with her boyfriend was still very new to Iris and she loved it. Ravus might lack refinement when it came to cooking, but he praised her for everything she did. And he wasn't difficult about food. The gods knew that man could live off rations

"But seriously, Ravus, what was worse? Seeing Luna and Noctis making out behind Hammerhead, or this just now?"

"Shut up."

There was a terrible screeching sound and Iris turned to him fully.

"Were you grating your hand?!"

"That's ridiculous," he objected, although he had stopped grating the cheese. "Anyway, I thought you liked metal?"

His poor attempt at humor had her poking him in the ribs.

"Not in my food!" She marked a pause, biting her lower lip as she saw him studying the fingertips of his prosthetic. There were a few chips gone. "Are you really still that shocked?"

"Okay, let's imagine it was you doing this, and your brother walked in on that, how do you think he would react?"

Iris uttered a nervous laugh.

"Drag me out after throwing a potato bag on my head and lock me somewhere. But I am still underage when it comes to alcohol consumption! Luna isn't."

"The fact my sister drinks is…" Ravus looked like it pained him to add the following word "fine, but… Damn, I don't want to see her like that."

"What about seeing me like that?"

"You mean leaning on top of another woman? I'm way too possessive to permit it."

"Permit it?" she repeated, putting her hands on her hips.

Ravus looked up from his metal fingers, raising one brow at her as his only warning.

"Iris, I believe you should stay away from the other ladies of this team whenever there's alcohol around," he stated. "Clearly, you don't need to suffer their influence in an inebriated state."

"Rave, you're already been a very bad influence on me. I started swearing, running off on my own…"

"My flower doesn't swear," he protested with a smile.

"Come here, you," she pulled on his collar, raising herself on her tiptoe and their kiss only stopped because of his grumbling stomach. "I'd better feed you. I'm cute, but not quite nutritive."

"That sounds weird."

Words came to her mind, but she was afraid she'd appear ridiculous and swallowed them back. The way her tongue clicked as she did so had him staring at her and her face heated up a little as she realized he was studying her. Again. It was both exhilarating and nerve-wrecking.

"How's my non-nutritive flower?" Ravus asked, brushing her bare arm with two fingers, in a slow, tender motion.

It gave her goosebumps and while she liked it, it meant she couldn't focus on the dinner she was trying to prepare for him. She wanted to cheer him up from the earlier crisis and she knew he was still fragile. The way he'd grated his own hand… She was afraid he might have done it with his human hand too.

"Stop it. Make sure there's no metal flake in the cheese."

"Aye, aye, ma'am."

She bumped her hip into his to let him know she didn't approve of his teasing, but couldn't refrain the smile on her face. And once things were set in the oven to bake, Iris wondered if Ravus couldn't use more cuddling. She knew she never had enough of his arms around her and there might be some of that "bravery" the girls had displayed earlier left in the air.

She checked the hour and gathered her nerves before pulling her shirt off her head. Ravus had insisted on cleaning after her and didn't immediately notice the shuffling of fabric, although he audibly gasped as soon as his eyes fell on her back.

"It's pretty hot in here," Iris defended herself.

"Iris, this kitchen is open on the other rooms. There's no door to lock or…"

She stepped up to him, keeping her shoulders straight and drawn back, warming up a little more as his eyes drifted from her face. His iron-will always cracked when she pushed him. And she'd barely raised her hands to cup his face that he was holding her, stealing her lips and her breath.

"You know you just have to say you want a kiss, your prince will provide."

"I thought you'd better finish this day on a good note. And I really, really like how flustered you get."

"That's very unfair. What should I do to make us even?"

Her eyes were playful as she whispered, "try your worst."

Since she was small and light, and his neck was starting to hurt from bending forward, he lifted her up, leaning her weight against his waist and setting her on a counter of the kitchen.

"You're playing with fire."

"Would my prince burn me?" she asked him coyly.

At first, Ravus simply stood there, trying to process her words and the many, many answers he wanted to give her. Promises. Vows. Apologies. He'd burned her already, he'd trampled her heart and while she was over it, sometimes… His face was growing dark, creases growing on his forehead, his metal hand hanging by his side as he held her only with the human arm.

"I know you wouldn't, Rave."

He had to focus on the good, on the here and now and he mentally chided himself. His voice was a murmur against her ear. "Can you… call me your prince again?"

"My bear prince."

He chuckled at that, his heart swelling a little. And when she repeated the words, he heard amazement and such love in her voice. He traced her spine, shuffling forward even if the counter dug into him, even if it was way too improper to let her wrap her legs around his waist or to kiss her neck and actually taste her like he meant too. His tongue rolled on her skin, his teeth grazing, the nibbling growing insistent and Iris couldn't hold back a shuddery sigh.

"Rave…"

"Yeah?" His lips refused to leave her entirely and Iris simply leaned her head to the side with a small moan, granting him better access.

"There'll be a mark."

"You can give me all the marks you want in return."

Looking up at her to see her blush was so good and the kisses that followed were pure heat, stretching, longing, overlapping in a dance that their bodies wanted to mimic.

"Hold me with both arms."

"My fingers need to be polished," he sighed, cursing when she laughed at the very fact. "I don't want to hurt you with chipped metal, Iris!"

"I'm sorry, it's just… It sounds a bit like you're getting a manicure."

She seemed ready to tease him some more, so he cut her off with another kiss, growing a little more demanding. This felt right. Just right. She pressed herself closer to him, which was dangerously close at this rate, but just as his hand started playing with her bra's left strap, the door of the house opening had the pair momentarily freezing. Than Ravus was putting her on her feet, Iris actually holding on to him, because her legs were like mush.

"Hide," he asked her.

"Are you…?!"

"We're home!" Gladiolus called out.

It didn't take much more for Iris to be convinced and dive beneath the counter, knowing that as long as neither of the guys walked into the kitchen, she'd be out of sight. Ravus spotted her shirt and tossed it toward her in a matter of seconds, finding something to busy himself with before Ignis appeared in the dining room, rolling his shoulders and holding his glasses in one hand, massaging the bridge of his nose with the other.

"Still up?" the advisor realized.

"Maybe the question you should ask him is, do you even sleep?" Prompto joked around.

"Where's everyone?" Gladiolus asked.

"Retired for the night."

Ravus blinked, needing a double take on Noctis to confirm the man was indeed wearing make-up.

"Was there a parade or something?"

"No, I was dared to do something. Only halfway done on that front. Noctis Lucis Caelum, off to complete his duty, officer Scientia," the King declared, aiming for the stairs while leaning a little too much to the left in his walk.

"Don't be too loud," Ignis cautioned.

Ravus bit his own tongue, seeing Iris covering her mouth to muffle her laugh at his clear exasperation from the corner of his eye. Oh, he was tempted to pull her to her feet to see how she'd react to her brother's anger, but angering a drunk Amicitia sounded dangerous.

"Let's get you tucked in bed, Prom-prom," Gladio offered, seeing as Prompto's head was nodding off quicker and quicker between his sudden return of consciousness.

The gunman might as well have been sleepwalking.

"You guys are so wasted."

"Next time, you should come too. Drink your share," the Shield said.

It sounded like a threat, but Ravus shrugged, simply wishing for them to get a move-on. It was Ignis who walked up the stairs last. And as he put on his glasses, he took in the look on the Tenebraen prince's face.

"Nice lip-gloss," Ignis commented.

This time, Iris couldn't contain her laughter.

…

Ignis slipped into the room he shared with Aranea, finding her sprawled upside down on their bed, her legs leaning against the wall. It wasn't a shock to see her reading a book, she was a big fan of fantasy novels.

"Tell me you're in a boring chapter," he pleaded as he closed the door.

Aranea smiled at that, rolling on her side to ascertain his state.

"Were you more reasonable than the last time?"

He rolled his eyes at her, running one hand through his hair and halting in his motion as an idea struck. Next thing she knew, he was shuffling his brown locks with both hands until his usual hairstyle was a tousled mess and heaved a brief sigh, his lips pinching.

"Indeed. There was no competition involved and… I set out with a plan."

A plan that clearly involved her participation from the way he was looking her up and down. She knew that playful grin by heart and fought against the regrets she felt about her decision of only wearing a camo tank top and shorts as she waited for him. She was excepting a wasted, puking boyfriend, not this… version of Iggy. Not that she would complain. He was walking up to her, undoing the first three buttons of his shirt, before worrying about his cufflinks while keeping his eyes on her.

"The first step," he stretched out the words, "…involves you stripping."

He sounded so serious that Aranea blinked at him, although she regained her countenance quickly.

"Does it now?"

"You can receive some assistance if needed," he offered.

She shuffled to her knees, raising herself and reaching for him, but Ignis grabbed her wrists and held both of her arms on either side of her, stealing her lips for a rough kiss. It felt almost savage, his teeth teasing her lower lip, his hands holding her still as they fought to find a proper rhythm. There was an aftertaste of beer on his breath, although his tongue left a pleasant impression behind. Something sweet like chocolate and caramel.

"Ig… Is this your way of consulting me?! Am I the only one being stripped?"

"I wouldn't want to steal your show," he teased her back, one hand drifting to her waist.

"I haven't said yes yet…"

"I thought I had been convincing enough. I need you. There's more sugar than alcohol in my blood and I need to burn it out."

"So what, I'm a piece of meat to exercise with?"

"To tenderize," he corrected her.

Her sharp intake of breath at that might have been a warning for the brutal slap that followed, ringing across the room.

"Ignis Scientia!"

He held her tighter, his smile mischievous and she wondered if he wasn't drunker than he looked. Normally, that would have hurt him.

"How about you hit me like you mean it?" he asked her, meaning every word.

She stared at him, mouth agape from the sheer shock. Since when did he…?

"Is this _your_ dare? I don't get any news all afternoon while knowing the rest of the guys are being total morons, and you…"

"I heard my friends fantasizing all day about their girls, or maybe is it the fact two of them had posed half-naked for some silly revenge. Only to realize my bold, outgoing Aria is quite demure."

"We had outdoor sex twice in the same month!" she instantly protested.

"I believe I might be well set on the path of no-return. Depravity will become my middle name and it's all your fault for making me so enamored with you."

He stole her lips for another kiss, Aranea letting out an approving moan. His hands followed her curves, heavy and greedy in their caresses. She gripped his shirt, testing the resistance of the buttons and happy to find a few giving way to expose more of his chest. Their mouths never parted, not even for air, her name ushered in a throaty voice that rang through her, leaving trails of fire in her veins.

"You've been pretty insatiable lately, Iggy."

"Maybe I'll calm down once I'll have had you around for a few decades. I had something nicer to say, but I… I need your hands all over me."

She smiled into the following kiss, flattered, but also wondering why he was still this restless. This day had been supposed to be all about relaxing, not…

Her hands moved up on him, to wrap behind his neck and she discovered a small chain there.

"What's this? A ring?"

Ignis mentally cursed at himself for leaving it there. He was still getting used to carrying this precious relic around at all time. There was no weight to it, the metal remained cold against his skin, but the worse part was the prickling sensation in the back of his mind, as thought the spirits of old were poking at his brain with a ghostly finger. Waiting for an opening to enlighten him about something he was missing. Surely that had to be the only reason why they would even address him? Or were they judging him.

He shifted backward as she pushed against his chest, wincing as he met the incomprehension in her eyes.

"Why is this _thing_ around your neck?!"

"Noctis asked for my help and my discretion about it, Aria."

"But isn't this the ring that killed Nyx Ulric during the attack of Insomnia?"

"I've had it for the past few days and there's no hole in my chest yet," he tried joking around.

She slapped his thigh in answer.

"If you're in any sort of danger, don't you think I ought to know?!"

Aranea looked ready to punch him, but her lower lip was quivering and all he could do was hold her hands in his, apologizing to her.

"There was nothing I could do to protect my King, my friend, while he was kidnapped. Carrying this in Noctis's stead until he's full better gives me the illusion I can make it up to him."

His shoulders dropped a few inches throughout his explanation and Aranea shook her head at him.

"And what will it be next to ease your conscience?"

The accusation in her tone was like a slap to the face. The fact the first words that came to his mind were "whatever it takes" felt wrong. He knew what she was going on about. He knew because it was at the core of almost every argument they'd been through. Noctis would always come first.

"I'm not trying to worry you, Aria. I can take it off whenever I want and I swore to Noct I wouldn't wear it. I'm not under any risk."

The magic he'd tap into to phase forward shivered deep within and a whisper haunted his mind.

 _ **Liar, liar, liar.**_

It was the first time they spoke to him and enough to have him understand why Noctis almost turned mad hearing them. A hundred voices overlapped, etching threats, insults and the distinct word that jumped back and forth in his brain.

"Iggy…" Aranea sighed. "Iggy, are you still here with me?"

He fought against the urge to shake himself up, nodding in answer and gripping her waist to ground himself. Zoning out would worry her and he couldn't do that to her. He could surely focus on her well enough to…

 _ **Sophisticated fool.**_

He pulled the chain off and dropped it on the nightstand, his gesture too hasty to serve only in proving a point, but he was already feeling the pressure vanish.

"Tell me you're not hearing voices. Luna told me about how terrible those spirits were with Noctis."

"They're his ancestors, they share a connection. I'm just the royal advisor, they don't have a single reason to ever talk to me."

She crossed her arms under her chest.

"So why did you look so lost just now?"

The guilt he felt for even trying to lie to her became overwhelming and he relented.

"Please, don't freak out. They did talk to me just now, but…"

"You'd better not tell me it was the first time and that it won't happen again, Ignis. You've accepted burdens you shouldn't carry for others so many times… Noctis almost went crazy from…"

Her friendship with Luna made her all to aware of the actual risks he was taking, but there had to be a way to have her understand that this wasn't a choice he had.

"Then I'll keep it in a pocket instead."

Aranea had more questions to ask, more warnings to give him, but his green eyes found hers, begging for peace.

"I'm sorry that this is worrying you. I don't want to underestimate things, I… He gave _me_ this chance to help him, Aria."

She sighed, disgruntled with Noctis for laying such a responsibility on her man.

"Is this ring influencing you? Into needing me more? Into being as restless as you are?"

Ignis didn't like the idea of being influenced by anything, but he had to admit he was falling out of touch from reality since he'd started carrying that thing around with him. Aranea leaned back on the bed to brush the metal of the cursed ring with a finger, taking her hand back instantly, fingers curling and her eyes harder when they rested on him once more.

"It feels so cold. It's always like this, isn't it?"

He reached out for her hands, tugging on her wrists gently until she followed, sitting in his lap and wrapping her arms around him, her head pressed against his chest as he held her. His voice rang in his ribcage, echoing in her ears.

"Love, I don't want to fight with you because of this. Noctis asked me to tell him if anything strange happened…"

She shook her head, her nose tickling him, shuffling as far back as his arms would let her, bending her neck to look up into his eyes.

"I know you, Iggy, you won't do it, since you know as well as I do that Noctis lacks all the information he needs about that ring. He doesn't know why his ancestors are like this. He doesn't know why the ring killed Ulric, only that it weakened his father. Is it so wrong that I want you safe?"

"I'm still safe. I'm half-sober and tired, and I was horny, but I'm sane of body and mind."

"You _were_ horny? Trying to get me back on track?"

His hands sneaked under her shirt, Aranea biting on her lower lip to muffle her laugh. She didn't want to let him win her over like this, not with ease, not when she knew he was risking himself and willing to lie to pretend otherwise.

"Ignis, I think Luna should know. Maybe she can tell us more about the Lucii."

"Don't you think she would have told Noctis whatever knowledge she had if she knew more than he did? Please, leave this where it is for now. I want to love you right now. Love you senseless."

She shivered, wondering where the urgency in his voice came from? Was it her attitude just now? The remnant of alcohol in his blood? Ignis rarely drank enough to lose his composure, but when he did, she knew he was a sad drunk. He would wait until he was alone to break down and he hated when he did but relaxing meant letting his guard down.

"You think you can make me forget about this with a good screw?"

Ignis's face fell a little, "Won't even give me a chance to try?"

"I will," Aranea surprised him with the sultry look in her eyes, even though he knew she could jump from one mood to another quite quickly if she thought it would make him feel better. "But, that doesn't mean you're off the hook. We'd said no more secrets. So if more Lucian ghosts talk to you, I'd better know."

His shoulders were tensed and his hands tentative on her at that.

"I'm very sorry, Aria. I should have told you right away, but there's been so much drama…"

"I'm starting to believe it goes with the nobility," she teased him, her fingers tracing his sides and making a beeline towards his buttocks. "Now, you mentioned something about loving me and being rough about it?"

"Not rough," he corrected her, delicately cupping her face and stroking her lower lip with one finger. She sighed, leaning into his touch and he went on, "I intend to be thorough. I'll love every inch of you and make sure everyone knows what a good time you had tonight."

"Careful. If I take you up on that offer, you might be the loud one."

The sound of a bed creaking across the hallway let them know volume would be tolerated tonight. Aranea promised herself to follow up on that ring business, pushing it aside for now if only to assert her man was still the same. But Ignis wanted to be better, like he always did.

And better he was.

…

Crowe was already under the sheets, her eyes barely opening as he cracked the door open. Gladio felt large and clumsy as he sat on the edge of the bed, looking at her curled up silhouette.

"Welcome back, big oaf," she greeted him.

"Hey," he answered, stroking her hair. "Still angry about that call?"

"I felt sick as soon as you said that _name_ ," she defended herself.

He hung his head, holding her hand and giving her palm a squeeze.

"I'm sorry, babe. Should have said no to that one."

"If the nausea let down eventually, I'll forgive you," she sighed.

"Why do you make it sound like it's a bad thing?!"

Crowe retorted by pushing the sheet off, revealing the light nightdress she was wearing, lace barely covering her where there wasn't any burgundy fabric.

"I still had the heart to welcome you dressed like this."

His adam apple shifted as he swallowed, his eyes wider and quite appreciative.

"When did you get that?"

"Borrowed it," she admitted. "It's so comfy, I nearly fell asleep twice already. I was hoping I wouldn't be this tired when you arrived."

Gladio didn't wait for her invitation, testing the softness of the fabric and moving the sheets further off to get a better view of her. She shivered, although the room wasn't quite cold, the warmth outside was still stuck between the walls.

"You're beautiful."

"I'm so sleepy," she insisted, smiling and blushing as he chuckled.

"Think you can stay awake for just a little while?"

"That was my goal, but if you move me, I might get dizzy."

"My poor Crowe," he bent down, laying a kiss on her forehead, her nose, and she huffed at the smell of his breath.

"Gods, how are you even sitting straight, you smell like the whole bar and than some."

"Hey! I've been way drunker in my life."

"Well, I smell you now. And I can't drink this year."

"It's not so bad that kissing you would affect the baby," he protested.

"But it might unsettle my weak, weak stomach," she insisted, grimacing as he deliberately exhaled air into her face, a little too gone to worry her nausea threats were real.

She covered her nose, pushing his face away, or at least trying, but her arm trembled, and her obvious vulnerability sobered him up. She'd been pushing herself to hold him up, but the trials's aftermath was still affecting her. She had been pushed around and there were bruises hiding under her hair, just washing it had been a concert of pain he'd barely been able to sit through.

"Sorry, I'm a moron right now. Gimme a sec to brush my teeth and I'll make you feel better."

His voice rumbled a little and she blushed at the thought of what he most certainly had in mind. To think he'd want her even in this sorry state.

"Promise?" she asked.

"Promise."

He caressed the side of her face, making sure the gesture was slow and tender and she relaxed once more, smiling at him, her eyelids heavy and her eyes a little wet.

"I love you, Crowe. No sleeping before I'm back, okay?"

"Just a micro nap," she teased him.

He threw his coat on a chair, running one hand through his hair and hurried across the room, making a bit of noise as he pushed into things or dropped a few in his haste. He wasn't quite precise or in full control of his body and simply hoped he could make good on that promise. He was drunker than he'd wanted.

"Still up?" he asked her as he walked back into her line of vision.

"You romantic man," she greeted him with a yawn.

"Maybe I should just let you sleep. Feels sad all this lace doesn't get to see any action though."

"I'd be fine with cuddles, but I'd also love to feel you."

He looked so smug at that, she could have smacked him.

"I'll make it quick and good," he offered, hovering as his arms wrapped around her.

The first kiss was heavy, Crowe feeling like wet sand beneath his hands. He had a right to make her into anything he wanted at this point, she told him so in her daze and he groaned a definite no over her nonsense.

"I want you as is. Free and soft and strong, with your voice on top of mine. Just you, Crowe, carrying my child."

His throat constricted on the words and she gasped with him, trembling against his body.

"It scares you, doesn't it?"

"The baby?"

"Us," she whispered, finding the strength to cup his face with one hand.

His lips kissed her wrist, his eyes telling her yes and his heart wishing he could just say no, that fear was over, that everything was right as it should be.

"I love you, Gladio. I'd love you even if your touch hadn't repelled _her_."

"Shh. It's over. It's over and we can go on."

Even if things were changing faster than he could follow, even if he was bound to her tighter than he'd ever been to anyone else. His hands gripped too hard and when he moved, it was between love and despair. She ached and couldn't hide it, but refused to let him part from her when he realized.

"We're beginning again," Crowe told him. "Which means I need to relearn you."

"And I you," he panted. "Hold on to me. Hold on and talk to me, babe."

Her words failed her, her voice shifting to a whimper of pleasure as the pressure faded, his fingers mapping her shivers and shuddering gasps. All of a sudden, he wasn't close enough, she felt cold and empty wherever he didn't touch her, and Gladiolus sensed it with pure awe. She always, always completed him so well, even when he was this much of a mess. True to his words, he was done in only a few minutes, spent and sated while she stayed on the verge. She assured him she was fine with it, but her fiancé found the strength to achieve her bliss and bring her voice just above a whisper, her flesh shivering as he kissed her silent, pressing into her with most of his weight. She basked in this embrace for as long as she could, which sadly wasn't long.

"I can't breathe," she managed.

Gladio rolled on his side, his apologies covered with her own butterfly kisses, his arms filled with her warmth.

"Not dizzy?"

"Not nauseous," she corrected, "although I'm sure some stuff that shouldn't move has been thrown around."

She let out another yawn, the outstretched sound too cute for his heart. He kissed her shoulder, rubbing her back as she settled closer to him.

"I intended to be gentler, but my nerves…"

"Don't tell me stuff like that. I'll have to make sure your nerves keep acting up and you need some peace."

"You are my peace, babe."

"You're giving me too much credit. I'm drifting…"

"I got you, so you can drift. I'll keep you warm."

Sleep claimed them both soon afterward, void of dreams and nightmares, rocked by the gentle rhythm of their breathing.

…

Sneaking back up with their late-night snack was complicated for Ravus and Iris. They heard a bed creaking on their third step in the hallway and Iris identified the source easily.

"Cindy's room," she stated.

"Wait for it," her boyfriend warned.

A groan from another room had them both wince in shared discomfort.

"Scientia. And I bet this isn't the last we've heard…"

Iris insisted on making it back to their room and she put on some music, but the creaking went on and when they recognized her own brother, she put her plate down, clearly not amused.

"What do you say I kidnap you for the night? We can set up a tent far enough from the house to be in a sex-noise-free environment."

"I have half a mind to stand by his door and fake a scream of ecstasy just to get him to keep it down," Iris sighed.

Ravus would have smiled in other circumstances, but he wasn't sure hearing her faking anything like that would be good for his mental health. He felt tested enough as it was with all the various sounds echoing in the house.

"As a brother myself, I suggest you refrain from purposefully traumatizing him in such a way."

"Well, it doesn't have to be fake," she told him with a playful look in her brown eyes.

"Okay, this is it."

He slung her over his shoulder without a warning, pushing the window to their room open and dragged her out of the house, Iris screaming her protest and laughing more than anything by the time they'd reached the floor.

"Where's your white horse?" she asked him once he finally let her get back to her feet.

"Where's your shiny dress?" he shot back. "I offer you stars tonight. And a campfire if I can gather some wood."

"We should have thought this through and prepared a picnic."

"I always have rations with me, and no, you're not going back into this house of sinners."

"Ravus!"

"I mean it."

When she complained about how little she'd eaten from her plate, he tickled her into submission, to which she instantly retaliated, winning over him with a surprise kiss. A curious bark from Pryna had them jump away from each other, Ravus giving a sheepish look to the dog.

"Why aren't you watching over Luna?" he asked the messenger dog.

Iris bent over to scratch Pryna's ears, muttering.

" 'cause Luna must be as busy as every other woman in this house."

"Iris!"

Pryna yapped in answer and Ravus hung his head a little.

"I thought you were over it by now," the brunette remarked. "If she's happy…"

" _If_ being the key word in that sentence."

He sensed the fears from earlier coming back and hurried himself to the car so he could gather the tent and keep his mind busy. Iris rushed after him, Pryna right on her heels, as the dog had taken a liking to the young girl.

"Rave," she called after him. "Luna is happy, why are you…?"

Ravus was careful of keeping his back to her, because he was still trying to get his thoughts back in control. He'd cracked earlier and going back there would be too easy right now.

"That little show of skin earlier was her running away. I know my sister."

"Running away from what?" Iris couldn't help but ask.

"Not my place to tell."

"Fine then, so it's a family thing. What are _you_ running away from?"

"Iris…" he sighed.

"There's still something wrong and it can't only be Luna. I get that hearing the others…"

"Let's not talk about this tonight, Iris."

"But then when?"

"When I feel more grounded," he sighed, glancing at her, his eyes nervous.

He wasn't over the bad memories yet, even though he wanted to be and he was so fed up with himself. Iris opened her mouth to say something, but Pryna darting around and barking all of sudden took them both by surprise, Ravus sensing a new presence outside and spotting his sister walking side by side with Noctis as they stepped out of the house.

Their eyes met almost instantly, the siblings exchanging a knowing look.

"Where are you taking my sister?" Ravus asked, not quite as accusatory as was his usual.

"We might try sleeping in the Regalia," Noctis explained. "Not sure my back is up for camping just yet."

Iris winced in sympathy.

"It's a bit shocking that neither of them is sleeping yet. You sounded pretty drunk when you walked into the house," she observed.

"Where were you to hear us entering? I don't remember seeing you."

Ravus threw a brief glare at Iris, who simply blushed and shrugged as she turned her attention back to Noctis.

"I can tell when my brother is very drunk. But it's getting late."

They bid each other goodnight, Pryna clearly torn at the idea she couldn't be around both Fleurets.

"Why don't you stick with Rave, girl? It's fine to have you in the Regalia for a ride, but…"

The shiba inu whined weakly, to which Ravus heaved an exasperated sigh.

"If you don't move now, Pryn, I'm leaving you under the stars."

The white dog clearly understood the threat, her ears shooting up as she sprang after him, her head soon stroking Iris's left leg as she walked. Noctis watched them go until there were far enough to assume they were out of hearing distance.

"If my lady is willing to take a seat so I can move our room on wheels to a further parking spot."

"Why is that even necessary?" Luna laughed weakly.

"Just in case our direct neighbors decide to be noisy."

"Oh, please, Noct!" she did laugh fully then, even if she should have felt more awkward due to the fact her brother was involved, but there was something innocent about the way Noctis suggested it.

No malice in his eyes, like when he was just a boy. It had gotten harder to see that young prince she'd met a lifetime ago in him. Sometimes, she felt as though the crystal had taken more than two years from him.

"I don't want you getting cold."

"You have an infinity of blankets with you," Luna protested to how mindful he sounded.

"An infinity limited to 14 blankets. Do you think that can be enough?"

"Can I have your arms around me as we sleep?" Luna asked him.

"I hope you'll realize at one point, you really don't have to ask."

Instead of the smile he was expecting, her face fell a little and when he reached for her hand, she held herself, much as she had been when he'd stepped into her room earlier.

Luna was already lying in bed, her back turned to the door.

"A sleeping princess?" Noctis asked, his voice warm and playful.

She couldn't help but tense up as his arms enveloped her without more warning, his breath on her cheek and her name on his lips. She hid her head against the mattress, her arms winding tighter around herself and the feel of her so tensed had him sobering up.

"What's wrong, Luna?"

He realized she was wearing many more layers than her usual, and the small fearful pant that escaped her throat as she desperately tried to keep herself together broke his heart.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her hands shielding her eyes, her palms pressing against her forehead as she shook her head, "I know I must sound crazy after that picture we sent and…"

"No, Luna, I'm surprised, even shocked, but I thought… weren't you having fun earlier?"

"I was. But then I had a talk with my brother. Some things have just been reminding us of…" she bit on her lower lip, her shoulders heaving. "Noct, they hurt him so much… When our mother died, he had the burns on his hands, burns on his sides and yet he snuck out to retrieve her body before they could do something to her. Dug up her grave himself. When he was done, Ulldor kicked him down and asked how many times he'd raised the shovel, how long it had taken to burry her. He kicked him until Ravus gave an answer and then gave shovels to three MTs…"

Her voice broke, and Noctis held her, wondering why she'd never told him before. They had been so young back then.

"If I hadn't thrown myself over him, they might have killed him right there. There was no reason for it, Ulldor simply wanted to break us down. And he kept at it. And Verstael too…"

Her shivers had shifted to her whole body trembling now.

"Luna…"

She gasped on a broken sob, apologizing over and over.

"It's over now," he tried reassuring her.

"Except when we remember. Noct, they hurt him so bad when it should have been only me."

"We both know he wouldn't want you thinking that."

She shook her head yes and then no, rolling on herself and hiding her face against his chest.

"I don't think you understand just how broken he feels. He should be free now, he's suffered enough, but it gnaws at him from the inside. It's like he can never feel safe."

Noctis couldn't help wondering if she was only referring to her brother at this point. He stroked her back in circular motions, giving her time to steady herself. When her breathing had slowed down, he asked her, with a lump in his throat, "Do _you_ feel safe?"

"N…no." Was his chest clenching tight onto his heart, or was it his imagination? "Not now," she confessed, "I don't know. I'm sorry, Noct, I shouldn't be like this, I…"

"No, Luna, don't apologize, you've been through so much."

He swallowed back the apologies for not looking strong enough to make her feel safe once more. He knew it had nothing to do with him. It hurt, but he couldn't fix that, no matter if he could stand on his own two feet or had to stay in a wheelchair. More than anything, he wanted to apologize for not saving her back then. For not saving either of them.

"I feel so dirty deep down."

"Why? You're pure light. My light."

Her gasp was painful, her voice was shuddering in and out.

"They would threaten us about… They wanted a spare Oracle and since Ravus was older, they tried… They threatened to impose him on me. To trap us into… breeding together. I thought I'd been the only one hearing it, I thought he'd never… but there was no line… My only brother, and they would have tainted that too and it drove us apart just in fear they would…"

Noctis couldn't breathe or think at first. He listened and shook his head as ideas grew and died in his mind. Dark, dark ideas that made his stomach lurch.

"Ravus wouldn't… I mean…"

"Of course he wouldn't! But it still hurt. He gave up his arm and his whole life just to find a way to carry out our family's duty. I want him happy, but sometimes, it's like he's forgotten how…"

"I'm pretty sure seeing you smile is a great reminder of how it goes," Noctis attempted to ease her mind.

Except she couldn't smile right now.

"I'm scared of going back to Tenebrae," she confessed. "We'll have to eventually and… It feels like everything bad my brother and I ever went through happened back there."

"There's no hurry, Luna."

Her palms almost hit his chest in her hurry to push him far enough from her so that she could look into his eyes.

"We should hurry, Noct. I don't want to slow us down when I feel the blight out there. Ravus asked Umbra to check on Tenebrae and he never returned. Ignis insisted on keeping the newspapers away from you and shutting down the wifi in the house to make sure you wouldn't worry, but things are moving on out there. Verstael is still…"

A shiver ran through him as he thought the name he'd kept at bay for weeks now.

 _Ardyn was still out there, plotting something._

 _ **We still have to reunite us.**_

Cold sweat dripped down his back as Noctis recognized the crystal's voice. Luna sensed the new tension in him and started apologizing, but he stopped her with his thumb on her lips, caressing her soft skin tenderly.

"You've coddled me enough. Tomorrow we'll start the planning, I should be strong enough to…"

His pause made her shake her head at him, her hands cupping his face, lighter than feathers.

"Oh Noct, you're plenty strong, you barely ever use your walking stick anymore."

They didn't have to say more to understand each other, leaning their foreheads on one another's, taking the comfort they could in each other's presence. It wasn't long until a few moans and the sound of a creaking bed had them pulling away from each other, Luna blushing and Noctis cursing. He knew any of his naughty ideas for the night had been thrown out the window, but he really didn't want his fiancée any more uncomfortable.

"Would you mind a midnight stroll?"

She smiled at him, her eyes answering instead of her voice, her throat a little too tight to speak.

Back to the present and the car seat he'd guided her to, Noctis couldn't help the shiver in his voice.

"You do feel safe with me?"

She nodded weakly and a little too late.

"Luna…"

Her head rested against his chest as he wrapped one arm around her.

"I'm no good tonight, Noct, don't beat yourself on the head for me. I want to be with you. I just… I know I can't take you for granted. And I can't help feeling scared."

"Scared that…?"

"If you end us again, I don't think I can stay sane," she confessed.

His breath caught, Noctis mentally cursing himself for leaving her in such a state. How long would it take until she could actually trust him enough to be over this? Could he ever fill that wound with enough love to have it closed and healed?

"Oh Luna, you're too cute and sweet to… I've never loved anyone else this much."

"I'm sorry…"

"Stop being sorry, please," he asked her, squeezing her shoulders. "I'll be as patient as you need." He kissed her temple. "I'll give you stars and everything I am, over and over, until you can't doubt or fear…"

"I don't want stars. But everything you are… That's an offer I can take."

She was still tense in his arms, she was still too fragile, but Luna pushed herself, lifting her head and finding his lips with hers to kiss him sorry and kiss him thank you. It didn't feel wrong or odd and it comforted her, even though there was alcohol on his breath and his hands quivered in her back at first.

"I do want you mine, as awfully possessive as it may sound."

"I'm yours, Luna."

To be continued…

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Yet another chapter done. The next one will make a light skip in time, so we can have the Crowdio wedding and fully shift to the next arc of this story. The arc I'm burning to see happening. And the reason why I started this fic in the first place. Altissia. Hopefully they will be in the city soon, this story has almost been running for two years! owo


	85. You are now bound to them

Hi guys and happy new year! God, I so wanted to finish this chapter earlier, but I was handling a lot of pressure job-wise during December, and it's coming back on. Thesis must get back on track. I have been replaying FFXV in Japanese lately and it's so much fun. I might focus on my other fic of "Calling Umbra" since it's close to completion and since I have yet another fic idea -will my brain ever stop?-. We have Noct/Luna, the Crowdio wedding and Ignea for today. I hope you'll enjoy your read!

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Unexpected

Chapter 85 – You are now bound to them

It was still early in the morning when she woke up to clean sheets and his fading warmth. For the past week, the team had been resting as best as they could at Cape Caem. It had been a lot of planning, but most of all, the various couples were enjoying all the quality time they could when the whole team wasn't training together, fishing or hunting and going on a few treks and expeditions to divert their minds from the upcoming travel to Altissia. They had yet to hear anything about Tenebrae and Luna was hoping that visiting the city of water would bring her brother and herself a few answers about the state of their people.

Noctis had been charming and so caring with her, her heart was slowly opening up again as she'd laid her fears to rest. The princess reminded herself the best she could do was enjoy the present instead of living vicariously in a hypothetical future made of countless questions. With Gladio and Crowe preparing their small and extra simple wedding, Luna actually found herself jealous that her own engagement with Noctis hadn't reached that step yet. As royalty, they needed to make a big affair of their wedding and foregoing a grand celebration wouldn't do.

Monica had insisted that it would help the people feel better about the recent attack on Lestallum. The wedding of peace would happen and Noctis had convinced her to get in some practice for their honeymoon, making her blush and giggle in turn.

She shifted backward, expecting his arms around her frame, feeling that delicious soreness from being showered with love for longer than sleeping. She wanted to taste his smile, to bask in his embrace, or maybe snuggle up to his back. It felt so odd that she couldn't hear him snoring. The more she moved, the more aware she became of the fact Noctis wasn't lying in bed anymore. Luna ended up rolling on her back, her eyes parting open to look for him. It was rare that he'd wake up before her and upon realizing that he wasn't standing or sitting anywhere in the room, she pushed the sheets away, her heart seizing as an horrible idea formed in her mind.

 _Did I dream it?!_

Her chest rose and fell a little too quickly as she sat up, scanning the room a second and a third time.

"Noctis?" she called out, her voice raw and a little rough.

Her voice had come out last night and he'd loved it and she remembered his hands and his lips and how gentle he'd been… but the dreams had been quite convincing and maybe things had been going too well, maybe she'd been dreaming for a while, maybe everything up to this point had been…

Her arms trembled, and a shiver ran up her throat, Luna shaking her head.

 _He was here, I didn't make him up…_

The bed seemed too large with only one person in it. Why wasn't he here cuddling with her? Being alone in the early morning reminded her of the room in Tenebrae. A sea of blankets, always cold, and yet not wide enough to hide her from Caligo if he wanted to order her around, push her into a new healing session, drag her to one of Verstael's experiments or…

"Noct?" she pleaded, her chest constricting with fear.

Having him around reminded her it was all in the past, that it was behind her and while the burn marks on her neck were enough to convince her the attack on Lestallum had indeed happened, she had no physical proof that Noctis had been…

She looked for his clothes, for a discarded pair of shoes, for the necklace with his father's ring he would normally leave on the bedside table. She hadn't seen that thing in a while. Was it another sign? Another secret he'd rather keep from her because she couldn't handle the truth?

 _Look, look, Luna, open your eyes._

The only clothes she spotted were her own. She had been sleeping in a light nightgown, tugging the skirt back down as she realized how bunched up it was, and she gave one final sweep to the room, her hands turning into fists as she grasped at the bedsheet. She was truly alone. Something that never happened after a night of lovemaking with Noctis. So this had to mean she'd been imagining it…

One blink, one breath, and she drew her shoulders inward, her tangled hair falling in her face as she shook her head another time.

 _You're panicking over nothing,_ she admonished herself. _But he's gone! What if he never was there? What if he's still lost, still in Ardyn's grasp?_

Tears welled up in her eyes. Noctis still had to push himself to cover up just how much his back was hurting. He was still slower than any of his friends when they took off running on some silly errands and all this happiness lately. Wasn't it surreal? Wasn't it bound to stop? It was her life after all, and why would she feel anything other than misery?

"You're being ridicu…"

But when was the last time she'd spoke to herself like that? When Noctis had stopped…

Her voice broke into a shuddering gasp, her chest heaving. She closed her eyes tightly, pulling on her own hair to convince herself she was awake. Why would she be dressed this way and feeling this sore if it wasn't for…?

 _You've been so needy lately. So pushy and always, always bringing him down when he needs help standing on his own two feet._

She remembered the way his movements would falter when the pain turned too strong. How his hips halted all of a sudden. How he still apologized for being broken whenever his handicap got to him… Where had he gone? Shouldn't she trust that he was coming back?

But he was still so scared, so tentative around her. The more truthful she became, the more apologies he gave her, and she was sick of apologies, sick of promises, sick of believing in something that had been a dream and such a brief reality…

 _You were fine being on your own before._

Except she'd tasted true despair when Noctis had started pushing her away and the idea he might have left for good, as ludicrous as it sounded… Well, she'd been there. Her fears took over, having loomed too close to her heart for too long, tears spilling out on her cheeks and her knees as she tried to make herself smaller.

She didn't even notice the door parting open, covering her head and cowering with her folded legs drawn against her chest, her face red, her breath ragged and hacked through. Her initial fear had shifted into outright panic. Noctis was balancing a tray of food, having actually made breakfast by himself, with eggs and toast and even the pancakes she'd confessed to love, shocked by the sight greeting him.

"Luna? What…?"

She looked up at him, her sight blurred by the tears, her voice broken as she tried to greet him with his name.

"I thought you were…" She gasped and desperately drew in air, Noctis shaking his head, frozen by the door until she went on. "I woke up al… alone and…"

She hiccupped on a breath, struggling with her tears and hiding her face in her hands as shame threatened to take over her senses. Noctis dropped the tray on a cupboard by the entrance, rushing to her despite his aching back, his arms reaching out for her and she hid her face against his chest, apologies barely making it out of her knotted throat.

His voice covered hers, his arms pulling her closer, his hands cupping her head so gently she wanted to weep.

"I'm so sorry Luna, you were so peaceful in your sleep, I should have left a note or something, I… I wanted to be spontaneous and surprise you, I never meant…"

"I know. I know but I _don't_ know anymore," she tried to explain herself.

His face crumbled, his heart tightening, his arms wrapping even tighter around her.

"You're not getting rid of me, like ever, Luna."

"I'm sorry for being like this… I…"

"No, Luna, it's fine, I mean, it's not, but… I'm to blame. I made you this insecure…"

His soul ached at the thought and he thanked the gods no voice spoke to his mind right then, because he needed all his sanity to calm her down.

"I can't be alone anymore. I can't, I can't…! And I shouldn't be like this, but those dreams were so real and things have been so nice…"

"You're worried our luck will turn again, aren't you? Oh, my dear, dear Luna. I need your light, I need your smiles so bad, the sun could drop and I'd still see straight as long as you're around."

Her next sob was almost more broken because he was too sweet for her bruised heart and it hurt knowing she was hurting him by being this weak…

"I'm sorry, Noct…" she tried to convey despite how much her voice shook.

"Don't be. I'm here now, I'm here," he repeated, kissing the crown of her head, gently rocking her between his arms as he waited for her tears to slow.

She tried to apologize some more, but he shushed her, giving her all the time and support she needed. More than anything, he gave her patience and understanding. When he thought of all the patience she'd had for him, he knew this right now was nothing in comparison.

Her tears lasted for half an eternity, Noctis lying down with her, holding her tight through all of it. His shirt was damp and his arms a little numb, but it was nothing compared to the state of his heart. Why did it hurt so much to realize the extent to which she needed him? He wanted her confident and strong.

He waited until her breathing had fully calm down and the shaking in her limbs was gone, kissing her temple and brushing her hair, relishing her contented sigh and holding back on a laugh as she half blew her nose into his shirt. At that point, he really didn't mind it.

"Remember that game you used to play with me? To sneak some food out of the kitchen for me after dinner?"

Luna couldn't help the warm smile at the fond memories.

"If you were less of a picky eater, you wouldn't…"

"When you're in doubts, you should just ask me," he cut her off, his voice aching as he went on. "If I answer correctly, you'll know I'm real. And that you weren't dreaming anything."

The suggestion made her pause, her breath caught in her throat, her eyes stinging from already crying too much. She decided to play along, hoping her voice would come out less hoarse than before.

"Cabbages?" she tried.

"Cotton candy."

"We never had cotton candy!"

"That doesn't mean I can't ask for some," he protested, looking ready to tease her more, but Luna shut him up with a feather-like kiss.

"Thank you for finding a way to make me laugh. I've been such a mess."

"I love you, messy or not," Noctis whispered. "I always will."

She blushed and beamed at him, making his heart swell up in his chest.

"Leave me a note the next time you decide to be impulsive," she pleaded.

"Forget about a next time. Ignis makes better breakfasts than I anyway…"

Luna looked about ready to slap him for what he was suggesting -rousing Ignis to make them both breakfast in bed would feel so wrong- but Noctis caught her wrist and kissed her knuckles, in that manner that always made her melt.

"Shouldn't we try out that breakfast you made?"

His tongue tickled her palm, his hip gently pushing her until she was lying on her back.

"I made you lonely. Let me make amends."

"Noctis, everyone else will be awake by now…" she tried to protest.

"So? Isn't it fair if we're the one disturbing them for once?"

He held her waist, his eyes holding her even tighter.

"How can you want me after I cried my heart out like this?"

"I want to erase those tears. Make you flush for something good."

She did blush a little more.

"At least let me freshen up a little."

"You're real even if you look raw. And I'd rather not let you go yet."

Luna couldn't handle it any longer, her hands tugging on his shirt, welcoming him with a kiss that tasted sweeter than he'd expected. The salt of her tears was a bitter aftertaste, but at least he was there of her through it instead of pushing her away like he'd done. He wasn't sure he could ever forgive himself for the pain he put her through. But he would make it up to her. Even if that meant a cold breakfast and cooking her a second one later into the morning with Ignis commenting on everything he did.

…

"Are you nervous?" Ignis asked.

Noctis shook his head far too quickly to be sincere and the advisor couldn't help a smile.

"You're just saying a few lines to make it official."

"It's my first time officiating a ceremony!"

"It's a barbecue, Noctis."

"Which explains why Aranea had to kick you out of the kitchen. You were trying to make this too elaborate for both the groom and the bride."

Ignis pushed his glasses back upon his nose, biting back on a self-derisive smirk. Ever since they'd set a date and welcomed Cor and Monica in the house, having to re-open the lighthouse to have enough room for everyone, things had been hectic. Ignis had started pulling on his sleeves and checking his collar far too many times in a single day, his frantic energy unable to find release through his usual outlets.

On top of it all, Noctis's wedding was soon to follow if they were to believe the King and his fiancée, so Ignis felt as though this little ceremony was a practice for the actual royal wedding's. It wasn't really fair to Crowe or Gladio, but Crowe insisted on being practical about everything… On the other end, Gladiolus wanted to dismiss most details and play it cool despite how tense he was getting as the date came closer.

"Those poor appetizers needed some care. I don't get why Aranea is so intent on keeping me out of the kitchen."

"Maybe because you're growing too dangerous around knives?"

"It happened one time!" Ignis protested.

He was losing focus more and more and while he had almost always managed to regain his senses in time, he'd dropped a knife once, his friends reacting as though a world crisis had just taken place. It was still ongoing if one was to believe all the teasing he was receiving from the guys. Luckily enough, only Aranea suspected the ring for all the changes of habit he was showing. Noctis was giving his undivided attention to Luna to make sure that she was feeling better. And Gladio was way too busy worrying for his pregnant fiancée.

Just as Noctis's brows crossed together, suspicions showing in his blue eyes, Ignis cleared his throat, unable to refrain from tugging on his left sleeve once more. Hard enough the threads holding it together cracked a little.

"I would feed you your lines, but as Gladio's witness, it might look forced."

"I don't need a prompter!" Noctis instantly protested.

"So let's just give this a last practice while Iris finishes preparing the groom."

…

"Here," Iris whispered as she added the final touch. Gladiolus had managed to pull three buttons off his uniform when he'd yanked it out of his duffel bag. "Now don't go tearing anything up anymore. I barely have any thread left."

"I'll behave. I've been through enough ceremonies already, why am I even nervous?"

"Because you want that day to be perfect for Crowe, like the hopeless romantic you've always pretended not to be," his sister teased him.

One thing had been for sure, Gladio had been doting and extra careful around Crowe, the pair growing nearly inseparable. The fact she barely kept any food down didn't help. She had had a fever, had been asleep on her feet on a regular basis and his overprotectiveness was beyond everything Iris had seen so far.

"There's not even a real priest there. Unless you count Luna and myself as priestesses."

"Very funny. I'm not that nervous," he defended himself. "Just impatient to see why people make such a big deal of having a wife."

Iris couldn't help shaking her head at him, slapping his big hand away from his silver buttons with one raised brow.

"Don't wreck that suit. And don't turn into the type of guy who can't shut up about his wife. You're getting me a sister-in-law and I'm happy for you. You should try and be happy too. We should worry about your hair now..."

Gladiolus chuckled at that. He'd pulled most of it into a loose ponytail, like he'd been doing recently thanks to being too focused on what was going in his life to even worry about his appearance. Cleaning up his beard wasn't really an option, not with a girlfriend who complained about how much it tickled and scrapped at her skin, but he had to agree, he'd looked sharper.

"I have an idea to surprise Crowe. How do you feel about a mohawk made up of braids?"

"Like a Galhadan style? Why didn't I think of that myself?"

"Well, as a big brother, you're much better for ladies' hairstyle. Remember how Ignis had to teach you how to style your hair?"

"You imagined that!"

But despite the brief glare, Gladio sat down, his eyes trained to the clock on the wall as he hoped Crowe would feel better today than she had during the past week. He gestured for his phone, even though he'd already sent her a string of texts.

"She's either getting the final fit for her dress or trying not to vomit on it," Iris observed, grimacing a little at the latter idea.

"Hopefully not."

He couldn't help his thoughts veering to their mother, who had barely been sick when expecting Iris. No that he remembered it quite clearly, but when a child loses his parents that early, there were thoughts that crystallized in their mind. Memories that might be wrong, but…

"Hey, where are you going off to like that?"

"I don't have much experience with pregnant ladies… Mom was pretty much that only one I ever saw."

Iris offered him a sorry smile.

"I'm sure she'd be happy to see you now. Making her a grandma this early!"

Her voice had shifted a little, and his chuckle thundered with restrained emotion.

"If you're happy, it's enough for me, 'Ris."

They shared a smile in the mirror reflecting them both. Today would be happy no matter how many people were missing to see it.

…

Crowe had refused to wear a veil. Securing a white dress she liked had been a bit of a puzzle, since she preferred colors most of the time. Lace ran in patterns over her arms, her back exposed while more laces ran up to her neck. She had let Aranea and Luna go wild with her hairstyle, Cindy helping Prompto in setting up the furniture they needed outside.

For the past few hours, she'd been fighting against her unruly stomach, Luna noticing the way she regularly rubbed the top of her chest with her hand.

"Still nauseous?"

Crowe offered a weak smile, "I don't know if it's my nerves acting up or the baby…"

"Surely a bit of both," Aranea teased her. "You're taking a big step, joining nobility and all."

"Like you aren't technically going out with nobility yourself," Crowe observed, pulling her tongue out at the dragoon.

"Careful now, you'll mess up that make-up."

Lunafreya couldn't help a sense of shock at how different from their usual they were all acting. She was tempted to ask if this was what acting "girly" felt like but held her tongue, putting the finishing touches to Crowe's hair. A dozen tresses formed an intricate flower crown on her head, since braiding was quite the Galhadan custom. Adding actual flowers, since the name of her future husband was its own type of flower, had been a joke between the girls; and -after some bullying through both his sister and girlfriend- Ravus had secured the proper flowers for the occasion.

"Isn't it too much? We kept saying it'd be simple," the brunette asked as she considered her reflection in the mirror.

"It's beautiful and simple," Luna comforted her.

A sudden knock on the door had them all buzzing around in a panic.

"If it's Gladio, I warned him a dozen times it's bad luck that he sees the bride before the ceremony starts!" Aranea teased.

"It's Iris!" the young girl called out, slipping into the room quickly, her smile widening at the sight of her soon-to-be sister-in-law.

"You're going to make him cry!"

"What? That's not the goal here!" Crowe seemed ready to panic.

"You're just so pretty, sis," Iris smiled, unable to hold back from rushing in to give her a hug.

That seemed to ground the former Glaive more than any discourse or compliment, her arms closing around the younger girl, a real smile blooming on her face. After all the hard times they'd been through, such a joyous reprieve was welcomed.

"Libertus is here and can't wait to see you. He's almost more nervous than Gladio," Iris explained.

"That dofus, he's just _giving me away_ by principle," Crowe chuckled as she made quotation marks in the air to support the "giving away" part, the heavy feeling in her stomach slowly vanishing.

"I should check on the food," Aranea decided. "Make sure Ignis steers clear of the kitchen. Don't forget to let Prompto snap a picture of you before you walk out!"

As had to be expected, the gunman had elected himself photograph of the hour, and Crowe had to admit that most of the morning had passed by so fast as they prepared, she would be happy to go through pictures of everyone being just as nervous and excited as her when this was all over.

Libertus had to be told not to throw her in the air when he was finally introduced into her preparing room, the large man grinning from ear to ear.

"You're certain I don't need to break his face for getting you pregnant before the wedding?"

"Lib, I swear, I'd rather keep him intact. He's still recovering from the trials."

Luna had used a tremendous amount of light to help Cor recover from both the blight and what was left of his wounds, effectively putting him back on his feet, but that meant she couldn't fix Gladio any further. Iris had offered fixing the new scar on his face, but the King's Shield wanted to keep a souvenir from his battle against Gilgamesh.

"Then, I guess we shouldn't keep your man waiting, huh?"

…

They had set up streamers among the trees and lined up the path between the trees with flower pots showcasing every of Crowe's favorite color. There were three different tables nearly bending under the weight of food, and a few blankets and cushions would serve as their sitting arrangements after the exchange of vows. Noctis stood in front of the largest tree, Gladio and Ignis to his right and Prompto to his left, having already taken far more pictures than was necessary.

"We get it, we all look pretty, when does this thing starts already?" Gladiolus asked, shifting from one leg to another.

"Iggy, if I'm like that at my wedding..." Noctis started.

"You better believe you won't be, Noct," Ignis offered him a smirk, leaning a hand on Gladio's shoulder to halt his nervous motion. He added at the King's intention, "I'll slap you at the first sign of fidgeting."

"We'll take turns!" Prompto rejoiced, his grin turning sheepish at the glares he received from both Gladio and Noctis.

But the animosity faded out as they saw movement by the balcony of the house, spotting Ravus waving three fingers at them. It wouldn't be long before the maids of honor and the bride make their entrance.

"There's still time to make a run for it, Gladiolus," Noctis observed, making his best to sound serious throughout the whole sentence.

"Very funny. Don't make me regret asking you a favor."

"So this is it, huh?" Ignis mused. "You were really joking around when you were saying you'd conquer my heart?"

Prompto and Noctis both gasped while Gladiolus let out a hearty laugh, clapping the advisor on the back hard enough, Ignis had to stretch his arms out in front of him not to hit the tree's bark.

"You could always become my mistress, I guess," the King's Shield offered, still laughing, "but that's too undignified for someone of your station, ain't it?"

" _Isn't_ it. Try to speak properly for half an hour."

There was more quips and jokes to be made between the four friends, but their few guests walked over to them, Cor on his own two feet, Monica hovering just a bit around him. Talcott was there too, Cindy and Ravus completing the little group. Iris, Luna and Aranea were the bridesmaids, the dragoon coming first, wearing one of her flowery dresses that had Ignis staring despite his best intentions. Suddenly, he could picture her walking up to him to face the altar together instead of just standing on the left of Noctis.

Luna followed, in her own flower-patterned dress, the flowers blue on the white fabric and Noctis almost had her tripping on her feet from the warmth of his smile. Iris had purple flowers on her dress, and made sure to focus on her brother, knowing he needed all the courage she could share. Her steps were light, and she tried to slow her pace as she wondered if her enthusiasm wasn't getting the best of her. And then she realized that walking slower meant making Gladio even more nervous for even longer and her steps almost came to a stop.

"Iriiiiis…" Gladio hissed as lowly as he could, fighting against a knowing smile.

What were little sisters for, huh?

She walked the rest of the way normally, giving him one half-apologetic shrug, and he shook his head at her, actually needing Ignis's elbow in his side to turn his attention back to the aisle.

And there was Crowe, in white, and with flowers in her hair, none in her hands, appearing one third nervous, three thirds overjoyed. Libertus standing next to her didn't even register in Gladio's line of vision, his eyes taking in the sparkles in her brown eyes, the few locks of hair sweeping against her shoulder, the lace hiding two heartbeats. Was he feeling mellow for the first time in his life?

She looked so free. He couldn't help the settling of his heart as she walked up to him, knowing her mind was her own. Her eyes would never shift again. This moment belonged to the human realm only, and they would have many more in the future, less serious, less solemn, but still… Moments belonging to them and them alone.

Crowe wondered why she hadn't started floating yet. Gladiolus was beyond dashing, his eyes tender and his smile so honest. His shoulders pushed a little more outward as Libertus let go of her hand, Gladio reaching out for her hand, electricity running through them at the small touch. Her heart was definitely floating, and she willed her stomach not to do the same. She wanted to enjoy all the food her friends had prepared and to keep it in at least until the next morning.

Turning to Noctis, the pair didn't let go of each other's hand, their King smiling as he took in a deep breath.

"Dearly beloved…" he started.

Gladiolus glared at him, unable to believe the nerves of Noctis, who gave a small wink in answer, clearing his throat before to go on with that they'd actually agreed on him saying.

"We're reunited today with friends, and family… to celebrate the union of one of my best friends with a woman who's shown more courage than most of the crownsguards I've known. It's a power couple if I've ever seen one and I expect both of them to kick some major ass in the future."

Ignis frowned, clearly alarmed by the fact Noctis had inserted a few changes to the speech he'd helped him write, but both Gladio and Crowe smiled, put at ease by the familiarity of those words.

"I remember setting out with Gladio to travel halfway across the world to celebrate a wedding. That was ages ago, and it concerned different persons, but still…" They all laughed, his Shield looking ready to give him a light punch in the chest if he kept for too long on that tangent. "I can say you did a really good job looking after every last one of us, man," Noctis added, "I mean it. Now, I hope you can focus on the lady you've found. And on everything she brings out of you. Because Crowe, you've had quite an impact on the man."

She blushed and smiled, squeezing Gladio's hand and feeling his support in the way he squeezed back.

"Crowe Altius, do you take this man to be your husband?"

"I do," Crowe answered, her voice holding steady.

"Gladiolus Amicitia, do you take this woman to be your wife?"

"Yes, I do," Gladiolus answered.

They had eyes only for each other by that point and Noctis exchanged a look with Ignis, wondering if they really had to go through with the vows. It felt like everything that needed to be said between those two had already been said.

"Now, for the vows."

Noctis didn't name either of them, feeling it was unfair to impose an order and Crowe naturally spoke first, her eyes never leaving Gladio's.

"You know how lost I was when you found me. And yet you gave me a second look and much more love I ever thought I deserved. You helped me seeing I was worth more. I want you as my family, my home. I love you," she simply stated, a cheeky smile taking over her features, "and you had better stick with me now!"

He squeezed her hands, his smile so warm, reaching his eyes. Could she see a few tears in there, when they'd promised the waterworks were done for at least a couple months?

"You bet I will," Gladio managed, taking a deep breath. "Remember how I asked you to be my home?"

Crowe nodded.

"You make any place feel like home. I already felt it back then and I know it won't stop. I love you, Crowe."

She couldn't help her own teary smile. Not that she didn't know those things already. It was just… hearing him say it in front of all of their friends made her realize how true it all was.

Noctis gave them a little time to recover, motioning for Talcott and Iris to bring up the rings.

"I now pronounce you, husband and wife. You can kiss the…"

Gladio didn't let him finish, feeling much more confident about expressing his feelings through physical touch than all the sweet words in the world. He lifted Crowe effortlessly, chuckling at her yelp, tasting the smile off her lips and keeping her there for as long as he dared. Letting go of each other was hard, neither could get enough, but when they parted, the question he whispered to her was enough to make her blush.

"How does it feel to be my wife? That kiss wasn't less exciting than all the ones we had before, was it?"

"How does it feel to be my husband?" she shot back.

The sense of belonging that came with the words was exhilarating and he shook his head, knowing nothing could begin to describe the bubbly excitement he was going through.

"Congratulation guys!" Prompto said with a wide smile. "Now give the camera a look, just a sec and you can go back to lovebirding."

"That's not a word," Crowe protested.

"Say ever-after!" their photograph shot back.

A full round of congratulations started, the pair pulled apart to hug every last one of their friends. Crowe even insisted on giving Ravus a hug, seeing as he was well on his way to become her brother-in-law one day, Gladio and the tenebraean prince sharing a very weird congratulatory handshake after that comment. The bride's stomach grumbled soon afterwards, the King's Shield kissing the crown of her head as he saw the way she stroked her lower abdomen.

"I think this is our cue to hit the food before it goes bad or attract unwanted attention!"

The rest of the celebration was quiet and simple, exactly what the pair had wanted. Crowe did throw up once, hiding behind a tree and feeling awful for it, but there was no teasing and her appetite was back with a vengeance afterwards. The only teasing was a plead from the majority of the people staying in the house with them that the couple "keep it down" during their first night as newlyweds.

"Well, I would take her out camping, but what kind of husband would I be if I made my pregnant wife sleep in a tent?"

"Sounds just like something you'd do," Aranea observed.

Much arguments were had, all in good fun.

…

The sky was dark, the throne room lit only by the armiger sparkling in the air. The various weapons rushed around Noctis, a curtain of steel.

 _ **His duty and destiny.**_

Words were whispered in a foreign tongue, the tongue of the ancients and a bad feeling covered everything. The steps a hundred boots and polished shoes had climbed upon. The hard marble floor where countless men and women had kneeled, promising fealty and loyalty to whichever King happened to sit on the throne. Mors, Regis, Noctis. The 114th heir, the chosen King.

 _ **The last King.**_

Ignis struggled against invisible shackles, forced to watch from afar as Noctis's lips moved but no words came out. There was the half-crown on his head, he wore his King's garb, his cheeks eaten by a few days old beard. His eyes were bloodshot and sunken, his skin grey. Umbra laid at his feet, patches of fur gone in places, its limbs barely shivering.

 _What is this? We weren't…_ Ignis thought, but what followed shut down his brain.

Noctis called out to someone. He looked tired, desperate, too young for the burdens laid on his shoulders. And the armiger turned against him, the blurry weapons stabbing him, one by one.

Sword of the wise, Axe of the conqueror, the Scepter, the Shuriken, even the Oracle's Trident. Each blow pushed him left and right, and yet Noctis stood tall, staring down at someone Ignis couldn't see. Regis's Glaive was raised in the air, as though an invisible man held it. It rushed forward. Noctis didn't make any motion to dodge it. There was blood on his hands, a few fingers were broken and while Ignis gathered all those ridiculous details, the Glaive continued its course.

 _No, no, no…_

 _ **There's no other way for the world to be saved.**_

Noctis stumbled back into the throne, the sword effectively pining him to the seat, blood staining either side of the wound.

 _ **By sacrificing his life, only then will the chosen King erase the blight and save our star…**_

 _No, he's given up enough, he's…!_

Finally his legs could move, Ignis rushing over the stairs, skipping four steps, seeing the light go out from Noctis's eyes before he could even reach him.

 _Not my King. Not my brother. Is that where you expect me to lead him?!_

 _ **Foolish, foolish man. For all your logic, you refused to see every sign. The ring he must take back and his fate will follow. One life for many.**_

Regis himself seemed to be saying that last sentence and it killed him inside. Hadn't Noctis done enough yet for the many? One last look at his corpse before darkness took over.

 _Let this be a nightmare, just a nightmare,_ Ignis almost prayed.

He kicked at the sheets wrapped around him, kicked and trashed as the horror of the vision imposed itself on him, Aranea barely avoiding his left fist, kneeling beside him and shaking him awake.

"Iggy?"

He blinked rapidly, his right hand gripping his own shirt, pressing against his madly beating heart, his breathing was growing more and more uneven as the vision settled. The ring's influence on him was stronger, he could hear those voices even in his sleep now. Why would they send him a false vision?

"It was a dream, just a dream," he tried to convince himself.

But he couldn't help the trembling or the way he jumped as Aranea shifted closer to him.

"Iggy…" she sighed, her voice lower than a whisper.

She'd never seen him this scared. Except maybe when Noctis had been kidnapped. Ignis looked at her, clearly lost but not in that foreign way he'd had on the past few weeks. He pushed one hand beneath her night shirt, his fingers on her waist, hesitating to explore her skin any further. She gasped at the touch, her eyes widening at how cold he felt. The nights were still warm, how could he be in such a state? Was that why he was shaking so much?

"You're freezing!"

He pulled away, his shoulders lowering, and she grabbed his hand, bringing it back to her skin.

"Aria," was all he could muster, emotion taking away his voice.

 _ **Aria, Aria, Aria, can't you think of anything else?**_

A shaky breath escaped him as he repeated her name in his head, trying to cover their voices to no avail. He didn't realize he was saying it out loud every time, or that his right hand gripped to his own shirt so roughly, the fabric tore in a few places. Had it been that old? Was there magic bursting at the tip of his fingers?

 _I need to stay in control,_ he told himself.

"Ignis, look at me."

 _ **You should be making plans for the King to move along already.**_

Ignis focused his eyes on her, willing himself to see her and only her, here and now, disheveled and worried, but next to him and real, unlike those voices echoing around his brain.

"Talk to me," Aranea pleaded.

"I… I need to get out of here." His voice came out in shivers.

 _Away from Lucis. Noctis needs to be as far away from Lucis as he can be._

"Right now?"

"I don't think I can sleep again tonight," he confessed.

What had he seen to be this shaken? It was usually her waking them up with nightmares and him doing the comforting, so Aranea felt a little lost.

"Okay. The moon is out tonight, a walk under the stars might help you…"

 _ **He'll save our star, at the price of his life…**_

They really wanted to take his brother away from him. And what could he do to prevent it given the circumstances?

As he tried to calm his own breathing, Aranea covered the hand clutching to his shirt with hers. The gentleness of her touch had him wonder how many times he'd asked for comfort. He wanted to be stronger than that, he wanted to make her happy, not bring her down with him at every turn. And yet, Aria always found the patience for him.

"I'm being a very bad boyfriend, aren't I?"

"Ignis, you're on the verge of a panic attack, could you just worry about yourself for once in your life?

He shook his head instinctively, unable to see how he could put himself first with the vision he'd just seen. What he needed right now was to get away from the ring, as far as he dared, or to get his hands on some of the books still waiting in the broken Citadel to discover how he could silence those blasted kings.

"Iggy…"

"It was a nightmare, it was just a nightmare, but I can't…"

Asking him to talk about it wouldn't work, it was clear from the fear in his eyes, so Aranea did what she knew best when it came to comforting him. She sealed his lips with hers, meaning to be gentle but his panic was contagious, and it frightened her to feel him so cold.

"We need to warm you up," she whispered, cut off by his lips begging for more.

"Not here. Anywhere but here, please?"

He was shivering so much, Aranea fought against the fear he was coming down with something. It seemed far too sudden. Like a curse. But while magic existed, curses were a myth, weren't they?

"You should grab a jacket," she started, gasping as his hands slipped further up her shirt.

His mouth tasted like frostbite and she was shivering just as much as him after the fifth kiss, and yet she couldn't stay away from him. He was in pain. He was in need. He was willing to ask for her help when he ever asked anyone their help. They climbed out of bed, Ignis worrying his lower lip as he realized how pale she'd become.

"I'm making you cold, aren't I?"

His breath came out as mist and they both blinked, Aranea gripping onto his wrists as he tried to pull away from her.

"Something is definitely happening to you, Ignis, we should see Luna and…"

He paled even more at the idea facing Luna meant keeping the vision from her. And what that vision would do to her. Noctis had confided in him how fragile the princess still was when it came to their relationship. How the trust was slowly being reestablished. Losing Noctis would kill her.

"Unless I start growing ice off my skin, I'd rather wait 'till morning to worry her."

His words didn't exactly comfort her. Aranea knew that Luna didn't sleep so well lately. But Ignis's state was beyond most of everything she'd seen in her life.

"You're starting to scare me for real, Ignis…"

"I'm sorry. I… I don't feel cold if it's any reassurance."

Except that he did, but that cold was down in his very soul. He pushed himself up from bed, quickly grabbing the gloves he hadn't worn in a while, putting them on and offering his hand to Aranea. His arms were still shaking and the sight squeezed her heart.

"Still willing to get out of here with me for a little while?"

"Of course."

She took his hand, turning it around and ghosting his wrist with her fingertips, so he'd know she didn't fear his touch. Ignis swallowed as he wondered if those intense chills weren't an after-effect of the vision. He could still see Noctis being stabbed whenever he blinked and keeping his eyes open for too long made them burn. He hadn't been getting enough sleep lately. Stepping out of their room as silently as possible, they took the stairs and didn't exchange a word until they were under the sky, half a mile away from the house. Ignis actually wanted to get even further and Aranea agreed, taking off his gloves since he was much warmer already. His shivers wouldn't leave yet, but his shoulders relaxed as their fingers laced together. The voices were gone and some of the fear was receding.

"You really won't tell me what that nightmare was about?"

He sighed, taking a long time before he dared an answer and all she heard was how he worried about her.

"I hope you weren't dreaming. I'd hate to interrupt a nice dream."

"You're my waking dream, so stop selling yourself short."

His steps halted, and they bumped into each other, his eyes finding hers, unguarded and serious.

"How do you stay stuff like that with a straight face?"

"You're blushing! It's good to see some color on your face again."

Ignis couldn't help the knot building in his throat at the sudden wave of guilt feeling him. She'd called him her "waking dream" and all he could offer back was his embarrassment? Why couldn't he bask in the living dream she gave him day after day? Why did he let those old Kings ruin his present when he knew they'd try to do so if they could?

He stole a kiss from her, and then her air, her moans, only letting go since she pushed gently against his chest.

"I'm your escape again?" she understood.

"You're my everything. And it may feel unhealthy right now…"

"Why?" she cut him off, "you keep me sane too. Just wait until I wake you up tomorrow night spitting fire!"

Her voice shivered along the joke and Ignis hated himself for doing this to her. He was scaring her, worrying her, when she should have been safe. He pulled her closer, his arms tight around her and Aranea held him back, her face hiding against his slightly torn shirt. Her breathing was warm, and so was his skin, and he wanted to believe things would change for the better. He wanted it for her. Except…

 _What if it really was fire the next time?_

To be continued…

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This fic is over two years old now! And 85 chapters! What a ride! We have more to come, and next chapter will have the team finally setting foot in Altissia. Another wedding is coming. And then all the angst I can write. I live for angst after all.

Reviews are much welcome as always. I can't ever tell you how grateful I am for people still reading this story after so much time. I'll do my best to update at least once a month, but not making any promise. Until next chapter!


	86. Off into the sunset

This chapter is short and I really wished it covered more, but I got stuck and I have buzzing from one story to the next while maintaining 3 jobs outside of trying to get my thesis somewhere at the same time. Top it with psychological harassment and massive stress and… I'll keep this author comment short. I'm scattered in pretty much every aspect of my life at the moment, which explains my need to write shorter chapters until things settle down. Otherwise I start feeling bad about the length of time in between updates and it has been a while for this story. I hope that the action can kick off with chapter 88. Since it's Lunoct week this week, it seems like a good occasion to post a very fluffy chapter that is quite Lunoct-centric. Have some raviris along the way and some small crowdio and ignea at the end of it. I hope you'll enjoy!

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Unexpected

Chapter 86 – Off into the sunset

"Today is a big day for Lucis," the radio claimed, "even though I want to talk about déjà vu for the announcement we're about to make. But let's jump right to it instead! It's going to be in every newspaper by a matter of hours, but our young King is finally tying the knot. Lady Lunafreya, our dear, sweet, beautiful Oracle will be walking down the aisle in Altissia in just about one week!"

Otto-2 looked up from the gun he was cleaning, the pearls and feathers gone from his hair but still hanging around his neck. He couldn't let go of the little things that reminded him someone had once thought of him as an actual human being. And he couldn't process the news he'd just heard fast enough. The King was getting married? Would he be able to walk down the aisle too with everything Ardyn had done to him?

"The royal retinue is headed for Accordo as we speak, and we will be sure to have entire coverage of the event as it goes. From the calls and texts we're getting at the station, his highness already had some sort of bachelor's party with his closest friends a few weeks ago."

"May I remind you the importance of this alliance?" a woman asked the announcer.

"You most certainly can, lady Elshett. Please enlighten our audience."

Monica explained that this wedding was the first step in unifying the people of Eos around a common goal. The chosen King and his bride, the Oracle, would purify their star from the blight.

"If you pardon my bluntness, will the Tidemother be part of the celebration?"

"She's not invited to the actual wedding, but you have a point, Leviathan will be reached in a covenant, like the King has already done with numerous Astrals."

"Our King is really giving it his all. Any words from Accordo regarding the treaty that will be signed for…"

The radio shut down with a violent crackling, Otto jumping as he saw the look on Ardyn's face. He had tried to avoid the man, to no avail. The chancellor loved his company apparently.

"Were you on the edge of your seat?" Izunia asked the clone.

Otto shrugged in answer, his eyes trained to the ground. He was so tired of running from one captor to the next.

"I think the royals should get a nice gift, what do you say, Two?"

Otto bit his tongue, drawing blood as Ardyn clapped him on the back.

"Ask me what we're going to give them."

"What are we getting them?" the blond obediently asked.

Ardyn smiled.

"I was thinking of a new puppy. And a few nails."

Otto knew it was bad before to hear the man's answer, but now he wanted to run away even more than he did before. The problem was, he couldn't. No matter how far he went, Ardyn seemed to have him on a radar. The creep kept finding him and the last correction had been quite enlightening as to why it was better not to run. But the chancellor loved for his pets to voice an opinion every now and then. Right now, the purple haired man was looking at him expectantly.

"I am against animal cruelty," Otto-2 whispered.

"Oh, rest assured, no puppy will be harmed. As long as they know how to swim."

There was no laugh to punctuate that sentence and Otto knew a bad sign when he saw one.

"We're going to need a boat," Ardyn stated, counting on his finger as he enumerated what he wanted. "Knives. Dressy clothes. And more guns. Hurry along now, Two, gather me what I need."

The clap on his back was rough enough to send him down on all fours, but Otto-2 hurried along like he was told.

…

The ride to Altissia would last for about 2 days since the repairs done to Regis's boat hadn't been optimal. They were a little crammed on the ship, being ten people and a dog. Cindy had tagged along after the longest talk on the phone with her grandfather and Prompto was happy taking pictures of everything and everyone.

Noctis enjoyed the sun, seeing as fishing would delay them and they made a discovery after the first four hours on the boat. Luna was seasick. Like, horribly sick. Crowe had excepted to feel bad, but her stomach had settled with the first step onboard and it just stayed that way.

"You sure Luna isn't pregnant, Noct?" Aranea couldn't help but ask on the second day.

"Get off my back!" he pleaded, since his friends had all already asked him the same question.

"If you have to know, I'm currently bleeding and emptying my stomach," Luna cut in at one point, her usual shyness gone from how awful she felt. "So we are not pregnant at all."

Sheepish faces offered her apologetic smiles, while Noctis was running out of cures for seasickness. Ignis had already told him of everything he knew for it, to no avail.

"I'll prepare more Pedialyte," the advisor offered.

"Thank you," Luna sighed.

She was so green and pale, her friends were starting to feel bad for basking in the sun and relaxing while she was so sick, but the princess asked that they didn't mind her. The only person as miserable as her was Ravus. There was barely any shade for him to hide from the sun and his pale skin burned at the lightest provocation.

"I wanted to see you in a bathing suit!" Iris protested as she found him sitting in a corner, Pryna whining lightly next to him if he stopped stroking her head.

The man was wearing a large white shirt and khakis pants and no shows, which was surreal already, but it was apparently the best she'd get.

"Unless you want me to turn redder than a lobster and shed my skin all over you, I'm staying like this," the Tenebrean prince declared.

"Threats, always threats with you," Iris teased him, to which he lifted one hand to his heart.

"Ouch. Sorry for having to look after my porcelain skin."

"You're starting to scare me, Ravus," she laughed despite how hard she tried to keep a straight face.

"You say that, but somehow, I don't trust your words."

Normally, this would be the point where he'd tugged on her waist to have her plopping down in his lap, but something was clearly holding him back. His metal hand rose and fell back by his side almost instantly. Iris shot a glance over her shoulder, noticing Ignis fast asleep on one of the couches, Gladio doing push-ups with Crowe playfully pushing against his back to have him struggle a little more, Aranea playing cards with Cindy and Prompto, while Noctis was rubbing circles on Luna's back.

"Are we still self-aware?" Iris asked him.

"No, we're being sensitive," he corrected

"Rave, you sound like you're sulking," she teased him.

"You, flower, are playing with fire."

She bit on her lower lip in that slow way she knew drove him crazy. Ravus kept a straight face through it, knowing his ears were turning red and that it was most certainly reaching his throat. His Adam's apple moved up and down and Iris crouched in front of him, her hands finding his, their fingers intertwining instantly.

"I don't want to miss your arms because the others are always around."

"You can still respect my preference for privacy."

Iris nodded, leaning forward to plant a kiss on his cheek.

"I'm going to need help picking my dress for the wedding," she whispered.

Gods, the blush had to be all over his face now and yet he smiled at her.

"I _hate_ shopping," he warned.

"Even if it means picking clothes for me and see them before anyone else?"

Ravus decided he'd had enough of seeing her from this close without moving. He cupped her face with his metal hand, his touch gentle as he pulled her in. No whistle came, the kiss lasting a good thirty seconds, leaving her breathless and even more riled up than before. Iris knew it was a giant step for Ravus, seeing how close everyone was. When she gestured to come back for more, he held her where she was, shaking his head with a cocky smirk.

"Be patient, flower. You can expect a lot more when I have you alone with me," he promised.

Iris couldn't help the flutter in her heart or the flush on her face. It felt like they were both vying for control and switching places whenever the other gathered more confidence.

"I can be patient," she managed with a smile, still catching her breath.

Ravus chuckled, holding back a comment on how pushy she was with him lately. He liked the attention too much to hold it against her.

…

Luna was the first down the ship, Noctis hurrying after her. They had warned her that she might not feel better just from stepping off the boat, but she looked much more alive as soon as her feet touched the ground.

"I guess the sea hates me," Luna sighed as they crossed the passport check and stepped into the actual city of water for the first time.

Bridges and canals connecting every place, the sun reaching seemingly everywhere on the clear stones used to make up towers, houses and what looked like temples had them gawking for a bit, with the exception of Ravus and Luna who had already visited Altissia while travelling with the empire.

"We should check in at the Leville," Ignis suggested.

Luna exchanged a brief look with Noctis, who understood and wrapped one arm around her.

"How about you guys check in for us? We'll have a small tour of the city before we need to go on all the meetings with lady Camilia."

Their friends gave them knowing looks and while Ravus wanted to argue his sister needed rest and proper food since she had finally stopped throwing up, he could tell the chance to be alone with Noctis would do her some good. The guy had made tremendous efforts to make up for how badly he'd treated her, and even the Tenebraen prince could see it. Luna agreeing to the wedding seemed a little premature given the circumstance, but Iris had observed that if it was his decision, he might never let his sister marry just to keep the impression she was the girl he remembered looking after.

"I'll bring her back in one piece," Noctis told them, noticing the stares and pointing fingers from a few passerbys. Their little gang wasn't going to make it out of here unnoticed unless they got a move-on and with all the newspapers going on about the royal wedding, staying incognito for even a little while would be hard.

"Just get to the Leville before dusk," Gladio teased them.

Two waves and a few nods later, the pair was parting their ways from the rest of the group, Luna keeping an arm around Noctis and leaning her head against his shoulder for support.

"You look like you need a boost to make it through the day."

"It's like you're reading my mind…" Luna mused.

Noctis instantly looked through his pockets, finding an ether that she took in a few gulps, holding one hand against her mouth in fear she would throw it up, but her stomach had finally settled. The drink brought color back to her face, Luna pinching her cheeks in the hope it would make the green go away.

"Don't do that," Noctis whispered.

"Careful where you're going," Luna smiled, noticing how he only had eyes for her. It wasn't new, but somehow, it felt… fresh.

Noctis turned his attention back to the front and halted as he realized his feet had taken him all across this stone platform. Either they tried their luck up a case of stairs or tried to grab a gondola.

"I'm under a weird impression, Luna," he declared, taking a conspiratory tone. "You don't want to go on the water, do you?"

She paled, worrying her lower lip before shaking her head.

"Oh, I'd rather not. I guess I just don't have sea legs."

"I shall keep you safe on dry, unmoving land," Noctis offered, squeezing her waist and loving the way she melted in his embrace.

"Is that lady Lunafreya?" a young girl asked.

Numerous heads turned and Noctis couldn't help a pang of annoyance at the idea he couldn't keep his fiancée to himself even now. People knew what she looked like on Lucis, but hadn't made a big case of seeing her walking in the streets. Although she was wearing one of her iconic white dresses right now. Luna motioned to look around, but Noctis was whispering an idea in her ear, his eyes already looking for a way out.

"I want you all to myself for today. Indulge me?"

"What are you offering to buy me off?" she teased back.

Maybe it was the exhilaration of making it through a full sentence without throwing up, but Luna couldn't help herself.

"Absolute delight?"

The question in his voice made the little scene all the more endearing and she voiced her acquiescence, gasping as his arms pulled her off her feet, his legs darting to the left, a blurry weapon making it off to the distance until the magic wrapped around them. And then they were blurring and zipping through the air, Noctis stopping only to make sure her head didn't turn too much, making his way across rooftops a few more times until the pointed gazes turned back to the ground, Luna laughing despite the very light fright in her heart.

"Should you be doing something like this?!"

"My powers work fine," he reminded her. "And I needed to move around, all this sitting around the boat made me nervous."

"Getting wedding jitters?"

"Like you aren't," Noctis shot back with a poke to her ribs, smiling at the way she jumped at the small touch.

"I speak to crowds all the time!"

"To tell them you love me?" he insisted.

They both blushed, equally intimidated by the prospect of that ceremony. Almost a year ago, it had been a big deal already, but they had a lot fewer worries on their mind. Or well, Noctis had less to worry about. He had been wondering when Ardyn would resurface and whether the monster would crash the ceremony. Noctis couldn't picture his reaction to seeing the man. He would either blow up or crumble on the inside. Since they were standing face to face, Luna noticed the darkening in his features and shook her head at him.

"I was promised absolute delight," she reminded him.

Her playfulness was quite refreshing, and he couldn't help the urge to tease her back.

"Is that the ether effect on you? I'm sure I took something with little sugar as the base material for it."

"I'm feeling quite like myself. More myself than I've been in a while actually," she confessed, squeezing his hands with hers.

Her eyes shone, telling him it was a good different. Noctis had to taste her smile, diving in so fast, he might have been warping forward. He laughed as her grin widened, her teeth meeting his lips before adjusting to his embrace. They had been spending every waking moment together lately, but the kisses they exchanged would be the last ones out of wedlock. And it felt like nothing was enough.

"Missed me that much?" she asked, clicking her tongue without meaning to.

She was in a daze and Noctis had to admit, he would have been lost if it wasn't for her arms around his waist, her hands pressing against his back.

"I would have kissed you despite the puke," he said with an exaggerated pout, "but you kept denying me."

"You say that now, but wait until I'm pregnant and in the same state as Crowe, boat or no boat."

He blinked, looking her up and down, drawing her closer to him, until their hips were flush, his lips brushing against her left eyebrow as he spoke.

"That sounds awfully tempting. My kingdom needs an heir after all."

She motioned to step back, discovering his arms were tightly locked around her and all she could do was bend backward, fighting against a laugh. Aranea really had been a bad influence on her!

"Noct!"

"I apologize. _Our_ kingdom needs an heir…"

Luna gasped, glaring at him for half a second before to slap him. Or try to at the very least. Noctis caught her wrist in his hand, planting a kiss on the side of her hand before to pepper the inside of her palm with playful nibbles.

"That's not… fair!" she complained, fighting against a fresh blush and the content moan that wanted to escape her lips. "It's still not the time for babies," she reminded him.

He squeezed her hand, the sparks of lust still clear in his eyes.

"Well, don't paint me a picture of you pregnant. It would be the best incentive to have me saving the world as fast as I can," he insisted, raising his brows at her suggestively.

"You're being less and less charming," the Oracle warned.

Biting his lower lip sheepishly, he took a step back, giving her a genuine reverence before looking around the rooftop to find a spot where they could talk more comfortably. He was glad for the isolation, but his back was burning from all the warping around and he'd rather not let Luna know his insinuations might not hold ground.

"You still want a family with this uncharming King, don't you?"

"I might consider it. It all depends on your arguments."

The joke was clear in her tone and he looked so much like a little kid as he smiled at her. The boy she'd met years ago was still hidden under there, despite all the hurt and the aching.

"Sit with me as I plead my case," he asked her.

Luna frowned as she looked for their destination, hoping he didn't intend to warp them around again. There was a flat parapet lining the walls and Noctis was in such a playful mood, he jumped on it and took a few steps backward to lead her toward the little square of cement that used to be a chimney at the center of the roof. Luna felt a pang of worry, but kept it to herself. Noctis hadn't jumped or run around since he'd regained his ability to walk at the fullest, so she wasn't going to take the joy away from him with concerns. Her hands were tightly holding on to his dark coat and she gasped as he lost his footing, pulling him back to her level to stop his fall, his shoulder colliding with her and cutting off her breath.

"Careful there," she managed, ruffling his hair.

He struggled to right himself, seeing the dozen ways this could have turned out. He could have dragged her down with him and while he could always warp, a miscalculation and…

"Damn. I'm sorry, that was stupid."

"Maybe a little, but I get to hold you without hearing that snarky tone of voice," Luna teased him, her arms squeezing him close.

With a self-derisive sigh, Noctis held her back, wondering if he'd ever be back to at least ninety-five percent of his capabilities.

"Still sorry, Luna."

"Don't be. I'm expecting convincing arguments from you."

He chuckled against her hair, looking up into her eyes.

"I love you," Noctis whispered, his voice shifting with an emotion that surprised them both. "I want everything with you. Everything you want. And it's cheesy and it might sound wrong, but if you were pregnant with my child, I would have an excuse to spoil you."

In a desperate attempt to hide her blush, Luna shook her head at him, raising one hand in front of her face.

"You need an excuse?"

"To spoil you rotten until you're begging for me to worry about someone else? I believe I do."

"Well, I would love to be spoiled… right about now," she declared coyly.

"Get over here then," he motioned for her to step back into his arms, raising her chin, nestling the back of her head in his hand.

The first kiss was breathtaking, Noctis holding her to him with a sense of urgency that left her wanting more of his touch. Her lips demanded and stole his air, giving back with every stroke and touch, her hands gripping to his shirt beneath his coat.

"We are both nervous, aren't we?" she laughed as they parted for air, holding on each other as though their life depended on it.

"I really can't believe we're finally here. You were supposed to become my wife so long ago and…"

Luna couldn't help the warm wave of emotion welling up inside her at his words.

"It still feel unreal. So much more considering everything we've been through lately. But you still want me by your side…"

She made it sound like a question and Noctis stole her lips, pouring all his need for her into this embrace, Luna leaning into him as they parted.

"You okay?"

"My legs feel weak. My King is doing a good job, turning me to mush."

"That's because you don't know what you do to me, mushy queen."

She winced at the strange nickname, Noctis surprising her by lifting her in his arms once more, carrying her to a square of white tar where they took a seat, snuggling as best as they could under the blue, blue sky.

"In a little less than six days, two "I do"s will be the only thing keeping us apart."

Luna smiled at him, her eyes warm.

"Outside of that bachelorette party Crowe has been insisting on, I hope we won't stay apart much."

"I'm glad you can't get enough of me," Noctis teased her, lifting her hand to his lips as she seemed ready to take offense at the flirtatious look he gave her.

"It only seems fair."

He clearly wanted more of her.

"I wish all that attention my hand is receiving would be focused elsewhere," she dramatically sighed.

Noctis played along, simply happy to see her self-doubts gone.

"Any particular spot in mind?"

Little to say, the pair might have scandalized a few people if anyone had been capable of seeing them.

…

Crowe and Aranea hadn't lost any time in getting prepared, making a quick sweep of Altissia and a few reservations. They shocked Gladio and made Ignis laugh as they talked about their plans for the bachelorette party in the common room they were all sharing. Noctis had booked a five bedroom suite for their group, with their own living room and lounge, even their own kitchen. Luna had voiced concerns, but since reclaiming the capital, the king had reclaimed his father's fortune. Most of it was spent on rebuilding Lucis, Monica doing most of the decisions, with Cor staying as uninvolved as possible.

It went without saying that Noctis had no reason to worry about money anymore and while he wasn't one for extravagance, he wanted Luna to remember her wedding fondly and enjoy all the luxury she deserved. It was a nice change of pace, even though they had all started to feel pretty at home in Cape Caem.

"Naked men are mandatory on a bachelorette party," Aranea observed. "We won't ask any of you four to do it, since it would be weird. And it's not like you boys have never been to a strip club."

"I'm not trying to be some hypocrite, I just don't see the princess or my sister fitting in in there," the Shield defended himself.

Crowe noticed the way he was wringing his fingers together, and gave him a light poke in the ribs after walking up to him.

"What's bothering you so much?"

"My brand-new wife rushing off to the go-go boys has a bitter ring to it," he confessed with a sheepish look on his face.

"Oh come on, I can still look at pretty boys! And when I'll get back all horny and desperately sober, you can give me my own private show?" she suggested, running her hands along his abs.

A spark showed in his eyes, Crowe humming in approval as his arms pulled her even closer to him.

"That mean I can get a private show of my own?"

"If your performance impresses me enough," she warned.

Aranea exchanged a look with Ignis, raising one brow at him.

"Not going to patronize me with your male ego?"

"Want me to?" he chuckled. "I don't feel the need, you'd trust me in such a situation and I have absolute faith in you."

"Now that's what I like to hear. Get over here."

He still felt the ring's influence on him and wasn't quite confident in his steps, but still bent over her sitting form, her kiss fiery enough to warm his blood, the pair only reluctantly parting as they heard Luna's voice in the corridor.

Crowe, Cindy and Aranea had all agreed that if they were getting Luna hammered, it was going to happen on her first night in Altissia. Looking worse for wear on her first meeting with the first lady of the city of water would pass more easily than in the middle of the week.

"Let's hurry before she retires for the night with her prince charming," Aranea exclaimed.

"You'll be careful?" Gladio insisted.

"Gladiolus," Ignis chided him, "you must let her breathe a little."

"I sound that bad?"

"Indeed, since you sound worse than me when Noctis went on his first night out."

They shared a laugh, remembering quite well how that had turned out. Hopefully, Lady Lunafreya would be coming back home on her own two feet and not slumped over one of the women's shoulder.

To be continued…

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In next chapter, we get to see the girls partying, lady Camilla and hopefully the wedding can fit in there so I can finally reach the one part of this story I've been dying to write. We're almost there!


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